It took a minute. I had been reading … and then I realized I was also scratching … and scratching the back of my hand. I stopped reading. Upon close examination, I found the tiniest red dot. Apparently, a no-see-um had taken a miniscule bite leaving a not-so-small itch!

Dang! Distracted again. For a person with an attention disorder (diagnosed by my family), distractions are a daily struggle. As a planner, I have a list of things I want to accomplish, but battle diversions that hijack my attention and steal my time. (Right now, heavy eyelids are calling me to a power nap and my growling stomach is demanding brunch.) FOCUS!

When Jesus and the disciples visited the home of sisters Mary and Martha, we are told, “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” While that makes perfect sense, Jesus explained that “Mary has chosen what is better.” (Luke 10:40-42)

The key word, chosen, reminds me that I am constantly making choices as to what I will focus on. Although I may be distracted for an instant, I choose how long I will pay attention to that distraction, or how far I will follow that rabbit trail, or how many things I will browse on my phone. And, I have the option to choose to use self-control and call on the power of God to help me focus on the task at hand.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). So, throughout our day, may we focus on the better task and snub distractions.

(There, now I can have my egg muffin.)