Focus, focus!

6:21 p.m. Today's project was to tackle some household tasks--like using "Clean Caf" to cleanse the Gevalia coffeemaker, and install Carbonite online backup on our desktop computer. I also needed to fry a pound of sausage for future use, pick grapefruit, get next week's medications lined up for Steve and vitamins for me, water the backyard and garden, all, hopefully, while supervising Steve and before I'd be leaving to visit a Mary Kay team member, her husband and new baby boy. I'd used some of my long morning to just about complete my last lesson in the James Bible study, too. On the business front, I did contact some friends and customers to book appointments for next week. Then the plan was to head west to do a party with a customer and her family at 5 p.m.

Happily, the caregiver arrived at noon as assigned, and off I went after setting out Steve's lunch components. I was very much in need of free time, even if errands were involved, like exchanging a bag of our grapefruit for our in-laws' excess oranges; depositing a check from my sister for her liquid foundation; and whiling away some time at my favorite grocery store, Vons (Safeway elsewhere in the country).

Since I had a no-worry grocery experience going on, I took my time, and spotted an opportunity to get a free dozen eggs, just by downloading the app for Vons on my smartphone. Done, and after picking up a frozen treat or two, I got my eggs free at checkoout, along with a free loaf of bread,  and the loan of a spoon from the deli to eat my slice of lemon meringue pie with. I'd parked the Jeep in a nice shady parking spot, so my meandering was time well spent--the pie slice had thawed! Life's miniscule victories...

So focused was I on my appointments for the day, now down to the one evening party, that when the hostess cancelled last minute, it really stung, although this happens now and again to every sales professional. Sometimes I wonder about the way we focus so strongly on one matter, like a business appointment or a financial need, and don't see what God is focusing on, and can be blinded to all the marvelous things He is accomplishing behind the scenes or even right in front of our faces! We pray so hard for help in one area, like healing for a loved one, money for a dire need, a backslider's return--the huge things--that the Lord's ever-present caring, loving, constant beneficial acts in our behalf would go unnoticed if we did not take the time to ponder the events of each day. Psalm 34:8-10 exhorts us,

Oh, taste and see that the LORD
  is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in
  Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who
  fear Him.

The young lions lack and suffer
  hunger;
But those who seek the LORD
  shall not lack any good thing.

About thirty years ago, I began a prayer request/praise report notebook in which I add requests during the day, and jot down my praises each night. If you will do this, you'll soon realize that God does multiple good things for you daily, on multiple fronts and for multiple reasons known only to Himself. Yes, He blesses and provides for  the deepest concerns of our hearts, often "exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).  But Jesus is and does so much more than our finite minds can grasp!

The ultimate mind-boggling facet of God's goodness is that out of all of the universe, He called believers like you and me to be His showpieces, and our salvation to be a matter, according to I Peter 1:12, "that the angels desire to look into."

Can you grasp that? I can't!

And since I cannot fully grasp God's character, mind or eternal being, I think I will accept gratefully all He does and allows in my life, trusting that my best and highest good is all that He will ever choose for me.

Lord, let me focus on Your will and way this day!