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Girl Meets God

    by Melissa Mathews

Dumb Distractions
Date Posted: January 18, 2009
He will always give you all you need from day to day
if you will make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."
Luke 12:31, The Living Bible

I couldn't believe I had fallen for it yet again!!!

Several years ago, I spent a week at an environmental education program with my oldest son Max. In other words, we went to camp. Thin mattress, long hikes, bugs, tall trees- the usual. We had a great time. Any week where someone else cooks and washes the dishes is a great week.

One of the best days was the day we did the high challenge course- where you get to do all those Fear Factor events. The first challenge we did was called the "Eagles Perch." You climbed up a telephone pole, stood on top of a little disk at the top, then jumped to touch a volleyball suspended 60 feet in the air. It sounds simplistic, doesn't it? And if simple and scared-to-death go together, then it was.

Several kids jumped to the front of the line. A couple of kids made it to the top, but couldn't manage to stand on the pole. A dad chaperone and his son both made it to the top.

Then Max went. I was nervous for him--more nervous for him to fail than for him to get hurt. He climbed easily to the top, then spent a good ten minutes leaning and stretching until he could get both feet up on the perch. He slowly stood up, and I felt like the Wal-Mart smiley face.

Then it was my turn. I just had to go. Otherwise, I would never know if I had what it took to balance my big rear up on that perch and stand.

The minute I snapped on the safety line, my heart rate doubled. Rain had been coming down all day, so the ladder and the "staple steps" at the top of the pole were wet and muddy. I made it to the top okay- that was the easy part. Now I had to figure out some way to get my less-than-skinny legs bent enough to put my feet up on the small green disk at the top.

With a death grip on the front edge of the disk, I managed to find myself squatting on top of the pole. Now all I had to do was stand up. Right.

What was that dangling, distracting thing on my wrist?! I'm in this precarious, challenging spot, and I see my fancy silver watch. How ridiculous I looked squatted 60 feet above the air. How much more ridiculous was this watch in the middle of a raining, dirty, wilderness trip.

The contrast was startling. The lesson to me, however far-fetched, was clear.
How often do I become distracted from the most important task at hand (raising my boys, loving my husband) with my pursuit of material possessions. Aghh!! Some of the possessions might even seem necessary, but are they?

Matthew 6:33, Jesus says "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Don't worry about the school clothes so much that the boys wearing them aren't being trained. Don't fuss about a fancy house and forget about the character of the people living in it.

Don't worry about that silver watch so much that you fall off the pole.

"Bible verse and quote" from Jan Couns

Bible and Quote - March 10-14

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Biography Information:
I'm a preacher's kid, pastor's wife, and southern belle who married a Southern California boy. Can you say 'culture clash?' Scott and I have four boys - Max, Mark, Jackson, and Grant who keep us busy with homework and sports.

Scott and I have been married 22 years and currently live in Northern California where we are beginning year five as church planters. I also teach 12th grade English and love it.

I would love to hear from you. Email me anytime at melissa.g.mathews@gmail.com
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