Seeing better after retirement

Now that I'm retired I seem to see better. That is, I'm noticing things around the house that need attention.

    There's a separation in the wall near the back porch.

    The garage doors are aging.

    The wall in the garage where I took down some shelving needs to be painted.

    The steps from the garage into the laundry room need to be painted.

    The lawn has been conquered by moles and their prey, mole crickets.

    The side yard looks like a jungle.

    There's a small hole in the back porch screen.

 

Better stop.

I realize that I have seen these things before today, yet today I really saw them. I stopped what I was doing (or on the way to do) and focused on the matter, seriously thinking about what needed to be done to fix the problem.

Scripture speaks about having eyes but not seeing or having ears but not hearing. (Isaiah 43; Jeremiah 5; Ezekiel 12: Matthew 13; Mark 18).

The idea is that seeing and hearing involves more than eyes and ears. It's possible to see and not see; to hear and not hear. To discipline one's self for the purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7b) surely involves the discipline of focus or paying attention.

Recently the Holy Spirit has prompted me to  devalue multi-tasking in favor of singular focus. Especially while reading His word or in prayer. I am easily distracted so His Spirit gently says "Pay attention!" just like Jesus said to Martha. (Luke 10:41)

Psalm 46:10 says "Be still and know that I am God...".  

That phrase "be still" could be translated "stop wiggling". My Granny Johnson used to tell me and my younger siblings to "stop wiggling" during church services.  Even though Granny has been with Jesus for many years, I can almost hear her saying to me this morning: "Lee, stop wiggling and pay attention!"

"God is at work all around you. Be still and know. Be still and see. Be still and listen. Be still and understand."

Lord , I ask for your help that I may stop wiggling and pay close attention to You, to the people You've put in my life, to the strangers I meet today, to beauty, to blessings, to love, to hope.....

Just a thought from the back porch...