On the Half Shell – Living in the Raw

My mind is racing this morning trying to get these thoughts and mindless ramblings down on paper. I struggle with focus and concentration when I read my morning devotional and when I pray. Ive started, as I settle into my chair, with coffee in hand, to ask GOD to “clear the mechanism”, as Kevin Costner did in one of my favorite movies, “For Love of the Game”… As he steps to the mound and before he pitches, he tells himself to “clear the mechanism” so that he can focus on THE PITCH, THE BATTER and not the crowd or a million others things that could cross his mind. Mine is different, though, as I am asking HIM to clear my mind of meaningless thoughts so that I can hear HIM. Hear what HE has to say to me today. This morning, as I asked HIM to do so, and I opened JESUS CALLING, the words jumped out: WHENEVER YOUR MIND WANDERS, LASSO THOSE THOUGHTS AND BRING THEM INTO MY PRESENCE.

See? HE KNOWS. HE KNOWS ME. HE KNOWS I AM WEAK. HE KNOWS MY MIND IS WEAK. Yet HE is THERE. HE is HERE. WITH ME. ALWAYS. ALL THE TIME.

EUCHARISTEO. Blessings. Thanksgiving. Thankfulness. Such peace. Such joy. Even when there are terrible things going on all around us, there HE is. JOY. EUCHARISTEO.