A Familiar Face...

So I'm at a winter conference right now. In Florida. In February. Under sunshine. Hard to take.

Not.

While a lot of my time is spent in meetings, I have enjoyed spending some precious spare time walking the spacious grounds and relaxing in my beautiful room. I'm learning a lot. I'm soaking up information like a sponge. But perhaps the most unexpected part of my trip so far has been the uncanny likenesses I have encountered from my fellow team members whom I met in person for the first time.

First there's the guy who reminds me of one of my former bosses. His mannerisms and facial features just plain remind me of my old boss.  Then there's another man who has one of those familiar faces that you can't quite place. It took me until day two to realize he bears a really strong resemblance to Pete, our favorite car salesman.  But it was this morning, while four of us shared breakfast, that my heart tugged at me with nostalgia.

As I listened to our group's eldest couple share their family history, I realized this kind gentleman reminded me so much of my dad. A thinner version than dad for sure, but definitely an uncanny likeness. And even though my dad's been gone for nearly ten years, as I write out this blog post, I am snuffling. I  have tears in my eyes remembering how much I love and miss my dad.

I long to see my dad again. And yes, I'm confident I will see my dad again some day.

I have this assurance because of God's Word. Jesus promises us that he prepares a place for those who know him and love him. Some day I look forward to the great reunion that will take place in the heavenly realms as his children are welcomed into the biggest family ever.

His family. My family. Your family.

From John 14: 1-3 (here from The Message):

“Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”

Focal point...

If you have ever given birth, chances are you took a childbirth class. And if, once upon a time, you took a childbirth class, you probably learned breathing techniques. And if you learned breathing techniques, you probably contemplated and encountered your valuable focal point.

Your focal point.

Simple stated, your childbirth focal point is exactly what it says it is. It's the point, or object, or thing or person on which you concentrate or place your entire focus. Placing all thought, emotion and feeling aside, your focal point demands your entire attention. Your focal point's objective is to bring you to a place where pain, self, others, and essentially the entire outside world, becomes secondary.

Seems simple, right?

Wrong.

Presenting...my focal point:

This odd little stuffed animal claims to be made by the Plush Toy Company, Incorporated of Floral Park, New York, in the good old U.S. of A.  He is anything but plush. How he came into my possession is fuzzy, but I'm sure my hubby either won him at the county fair, or from one of the coin-operated metal crane-scoop games. I must have kept this strange, red misfit with the apple on his chest for sentimental reasons because, obviously, it wasn't for his soft fluffiness or charming good looks.

At any rate, this skinny fellow with the one-thread whisker and lopsided ears seemed to make the perfect candidate for the focal point award. Now maybe it was his sheer goofiness, or possibly it was my lack of determination, but most probably it was the sheer pain of childbirth that caused my attention to shift from my focal point to myself. Not long into the throes of childbirth, I had completely lost focus.

Last week, my daily reading, dated January 29, in Sarah Young's, Jesus Calling devotional began with these words:

KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON ME. I have gifted you with amazing freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind.

Ah, so true.

Every day, I need to reset my focal point. I need to focus my eyes on the Lord above, who has His best in mind for me. It is easy to turn my focus inward. I frequently allow the circumstances around me to control the focus of my mind. The behavior of people around me, my health, my family and my emotions can just plain get the best of me and leave the worst of me exposed.

Over and over again, God gently reminds me to come to him. To call out to him. To focus on him.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18 

And we have the best example of all to follow in Jesus. His focus was laser-sharp on our Father:

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!  Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)

Dear God,
Help me to focus on you and only you. Help me to make you my focal point so that you bring me to a place where pain, self, others, and essentially the entire outside world, becomes secondary to you. Only you.
Amen