Distraction and My Frustration

A million distractions can keep us from what we want to do. This morning, I hurried toward the computer with a bright idea for a blog post here. Oops. Little brother occupied the computer chair, clicking busily away at a computerized puzzle. "Oh, Jake," I said, "I need the computer." He whined back at me. "Oh, Kate!" So I consented to let him finish his game, hoping that it wouldn't take too long. At that point, Emily, my sister who is approaching the 2 year old mark and still not potty trained, bounced up. My nose followed a unlovely scent to her diaper, and I knew for sure that I wasn't going to be at the computer in the next 5 minutes. Sighing, I set my Bible aside, and marched her into to her bedroom for immediate attention. It was an ordeal--a very stinky one at that.

Finally, after many thoughts, a thorough hand washing, and a frazzled mind, I sat down at the computer. Writing a blog post, right? Home>>click>>RegenerateOurCulture>>click>>Network>>click>>Agent Tim's. Okay, today is Tim's birthday. I mused over this and commented, all the while trying to remember what exactly I was going to blog about in the first place. Jacob walks up again, chewing what smells like a strawberry starburst, right next to my right ear. Emily runs into my Bible, which was protruding off the edge of my chair and she starts crying. I throw into her bed--gently that is.

Now, here I sit. Jacob is quietly drawing, Emily is cooing over her books in bed, and the house is silent (for a very short while I'm sure). I can even hear the computer buzzing! As I meditate here, I realize that I can never blame all my distractions on those around me. Here I am, being distracted from my original purpose by this little frustration post. What in the world am I doing writing this instead of that!?

But that's beside the point. I realized that what I wanted to do isn't so important anymore. God wanted me to serve my family this morning.

I'm not so (notice the so) frustrated anymore. I know I didn't get that post up on Scripture memory that I had so much motivation for only 1 hour ago. But I also know that what I want to do isn't always important in the long run. I'm reminded of Philippians 2: 3-8.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

I'm going to close with this passage. Christ is the greatest example of servant-hood. Next time feel frustrated by the distractions of the needs of those around me, I should remember this passage. Next time you want to write a blog post and get distracted by other's wants and needs, you should too. Face your distractions and frustrations with the mind of Christ--esteem the needs of those causing distractions (unless, it's yourself) better than your own needs. Aren't you glad Christ did?

--
(Kaitlin Atmore's advice to me when I started blogging-"Keep it short, no one likes to read long posts." I'm trying to do better. This post is about 25 words shorter than my last post--at least it was at one point.

Also, be sure to tell Tim and Matthew happy birthday too!
)

No, this blog is not dead!

Dear Reader,
I thought it might be beneficial to share with you my thoughts on blogging. Obviously, you may have guessed by now that my purpose in blogging here is not to hang a new post up every other day. In fact, some of you have wondered if I really have intentions of blogging at all. :P (No, this blog is not dead, nor have I gone elsewhere!)

When I first came on the idea of an inspirational blog a few years ago, I was enthralled with the idea. I imagined it would be extremely 'cool' and fascinating to actually keep up such a project. I admit, I'm sure I had visions of posting everyday, having over 60 hits a day, and being linked to all over the 'net.

Yes. My ideas in blogging have changed since then.

Always having frequent posts here at Pursuing the Mystery is not my goal. Shocking, isn't it?

I hope you know the purpose of Pursuing the Mystery-- that those who read it and we who author it, may be drawn closer to our Christ by it. Personally, I really don't think this mission will be accomplished if all we do is add another blog for you to constantly keep up with. (And all I do is worry about trying to post something for you to keep up with!) The last month in my life I have really been convicted about some things (often considered 'good things' even so!) that I was doing which not only took away time, energy and focus from my life on Christ, but was also taking away the likewise from my fellow Christians. As I work on eradicating such things, I don't want blogging to become just another such thing. May we (you and me both!) never --ever-- let this blog or any another blog come between us and our personal time alone with God and his Word. (And yes, this is the paragraph for parenthesis!)

You must know I want to use Pursuing the Mystery as a tool to share from my heart. I decided a while ago that I'm not going to just scramble up something to write, just for the sake of posting. Here, I desire to be real--even if I only post once a month. There you have it. It is my desire to be a blessing to my readers with posts, but I do not want to share words with you that are meaningless. That would be a waste of words and a tragedy at that!

The 'problem' with this is that I often find it isn't easy for me to transfer my heart full of real thoughts into real coherent words. Sometimes it takes me hours of typing at the keyboard before I am satisfied with the result of a single paragraph! I realize this means I'm probably lacking some skills in 'Writing 101' which will only be improved with practice. Truthfully though, I don't have time for me to daily spend hours pounding at the keyboard, arranging the words of my heart to make sense to you all. For one thing, my family gets irritated at me. For another thing, I get irritated at myself for ignoring my family for vast blocks of time. (This my friend, is not the servant hood I called to live toward them at this time of my life!)

Let me close before this gets atrociously long. My philosophy on blogging, if I may call it that, can be simply stated. I blog when:

1. I have something to say.
2. I can say it without neglecting my relationships with my family and my God.

To wrap up, I do intend to blog here. Sometimes it may be often; sometimes you may count many moons in between posts. Above all, to Christ be all glory!

Sincerely yours,
Katie Marie