Without Distractions

Over the weekend, we had the privilege of attending a wedding back home in Indiana.  This wedding gave us the opportunity to take a little trip down memory lane.  It was held in the chapel of the church camp where (A) and I grew up.  This was also the camp where we met as teenagers, became friends, and eventually started “falling” for each other.  As the wedding music began, we sat side by side on the bench, a little boy in each of our arms.  I couldn’t help but smile as I remembered how we often sat side by side on those benches during evening worship those weeks of camp nearly 20 years ago.  I looked across the aisle and saw our friend, John, who we have known for many, many years.  John was the dean the week of camp when our siblings and friends conspired to try to get us to start dating- John was somewhat in on the conspiracy.  As the bridal party continued to come down the aisle, John caught my eye.  He was looking at our family with a knowing smile, and I could tell he was remembering us as teenagers also.

Our family back at camp so many years later... distractions and all :-)

On the late night drive back to Illinois, we discussed how the afternoon had brought back a flood of memories- but the most prominent one in my mind was the thought of what it was like to be in love with so few distractions.  Back then we weren’t worried about careers or household finances, we weren’t sleep deprived, our schedules weren’t packed with responsibilities, and we weren’t throwing our hearts and energy into parenting.  In the beginning planning a date night was as simple as checking the schedules on our part time jobs.  We really could sit and talk for hours because no one else was screaming for our attention or begging to be fed.  The future was something we only dreamed about, we had no idea what it would actually hold.  As (A) and I reminisced, we agreed that we wouldn’t want to trade the beautiful life we have built to go back to those simple times, but it sure is precious (and truthfully- healthy for our marriage) to remember what things were like before the distractions- what first made us fall for each other and what we built our relationship on in the very beginning. 

During my Sunday School class the next morning, the topic of distraction came back up as we discussed it was one of the greatest tools the devil uses against our marriages- how we many not stand in opposition of our husband but we easily become distracted by our busy lives and how it can cause our marriage to suffer.  But as I have thought about that further, I realize it is not just my marriage that can be a victim of distraction…. It is also my quiet time, as my house is rarely quiet… it is my role as mom when I take a look at all the things I need to do around the house… often lesson planning and grading distract me from loving my students as I should… the busyness of my own life distracts me from being the friend I should be. 

Distraction is dangerous because it is sneaky.  It is filled with GOOD things, but sometimes those good things, keep us from the BEST thing.  I pray that my eyes would be open to notice distraction when it tries to take over.  While all the “things” in my life do have to be taken care of, I don’t want to miss the forest for the trees.  I’m thankful that memory lane often takes me straight into the forest- and the memories take me to the heart of what I need to focus on the most… relationships.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1