What a gorgeous day!  I'm sitting on my back patio listening to music, enjoying the singing of the birds, basking in the sunlight and the breeze...and just delighting in my quiet time with God.  I have to admit, though, I was a little distracted at first by all the noise coming from the busy street we live on.  Even as I'm typing these words, a car is racing past with its bass thumping (it's after 8:30 -- shouldn't the kids all be in school by now?!).

Then it occurred to me that this is just like life.  There will always be distractions and noise coming at us, even in the midst of beauty (now a garbage truck is clanging by, beeping it's warning as it stops in a nearby street). We find rest and peace, and are momentarily stilled...but then we enter life and once again are assailed by the commotion coming at us.  And so often the noise and distractions come from within.  It's hard to escape the turmoil that brews inside of us when we're going through a difficult time.  What should we do?

The past few days God has been clearly speaking to me about this.  He's been reminding me over and over again that I am to keep my eyes on Him.  The Words that come to mind are from Hebrews 12:1-2.  "...run with perseverance the race marked out for you...keeping your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith...".

Do I trust God with the course He has set for me?  Since He's the One who's marked it out, He knows all the twists and turns my race will take.  The game plan He's given me is to keep running (persevere) and keep my eyes on Him.  My tendency is to look around at everyone else's life (the whole "she has it so much easier/better" syndrome...).  What good does that do?  God has an individual course set out for each of His children.  I need to keep my focus on Jesus.  He was the author (the initiator...the originator) of my faith and He's taking me down a very specific path that will perfect my faith to His specifications. 

One day at a time...one step in front of the other...and always, always LOOKING UP!
  
"Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."  Heb. 12: 1b-2a (NLT)