When Distraction Becomes the Main Attraction

I have always been drawn to a desk, like the one pictured above that belonged to the Unsinkable Molly Brown.  I am drawn to a desk because I am a writer; but, sitting down to write is another thing sometimes…  Distractions are everywhere.  I look at Molly’s desk and it is much like mine: flowers and a tea cup and paperwork and newspaper articles and her evident passion for women and it’s all on the pallet of a lovely rug.  During CornTeen, I arranged my office several times and got distracted umpteen times by a wrinkle I couldn’t get out of the calfskin rug.  Today, I add in the distraction of social media to the mix.  How do you handle distractions in your work?  I am asking because I have been distracted.

I have also been so blessed with writing opportunities that came at very busy times in life!  One of my favorites was when Audra Elizabeth and I both wrote devotionals for a local church and had them published in a book!  That was fun!  Then there was the time when I was asked to be Poet Laureate for the “So Long Insecurity” party in Georgia and wrote a poem and shared it with a group of Siestas that gathered for Beth Moore’s simulcast party.  Then to ice the writing cake, I had the privilege of writing a devotional for Beth Moore’s blog.  I remember that devotional being one of the hardest projects for me because it was during a very busy, and challenging, season when my dad lived with us.  I salute any of you that care for your parents in your home.  Caring for my dad was the greatest, and hardest, work I have ever done.  As I reflect back upon the time my dad was here, I will never regret caring for him here.  I can honestly say that I so preferred being the daughter verses being the caregiver; but, necessity was that I play both roles.  I remember sending the devotional I’d written for Beth’s blog to my sister-in-love Julie for her to edit for me. To this day, I remember Julie asking me question after question about different points I’d penned.  Julie’s questions were so kind, not the what-on-earth-are-you-thinking-and-why-did-you-say-it-that-way questions.  Oh, and that one turned out well, thanks to her, and Audra, who are my editors-of-choice.  If you want to read the devotional on Beth Moore’s blog, Click here to read the post on Beth’s Blog.

I have been gifted with another opportunity to write and want to ask you to partner with me in prayer because I have been distracted and I would appreciate your prayers for getting back on course.  I have the opportunity to write a Biblical teaching submission for the First 5 writing challenge for Proverbs 31 Ministries.  The devotion I was assigned to write is to be on Ephesians 1:3-6.  If my teaching is selected, it will be shared in the First 5 app in January 2021.  But let me not get the cart before the horse – the devotion is due July 24th and I would certainly appreciate your prayers as I write.  Or as I need to write.  Sometimes tackling a task takes admitting that you are struggling and asking for prayer.  So here I am today.  I received an e-mail today saying: “Are you working on your First 5 teaching submission?” I looked around like a student in a classroom when the teacher would ask a question and I didn’t want their eyes to meet mine because I didn’t know the answer or didn’t want to be picked because I hadn’t read the material, etc.  Then I read the second line: “We want you to know how proud we are of you for stepping out of your comfort zone and into your calling as a writer!”  I clicked on my calendar and found that it’s two weeks and two days away from the due date.  And if you are not familiar with the First 5 app, it is designed so that you will spend the first 5 minutes of the day reading a devotional before you get “distracted by social media and everything else screaming for your attention.” Oh, nothing is lost on me, Lord, distractions from writing have been great lately.  Oh yes, I would certainly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you kindly, friends.