Where is your focus?

Greetings all!  It has been a good week.  I am still battling some kind of something in my head, sinus', ears, throat, chest, and body, but I am glad to report that I am surviving.  Though cloudy at times, I am doing my best to ponder the happenings of life.  I found myself being caught off guard with the changes to our stake last week and was almost out of town without having anyone assigned to teach this week.  Hence, my head has been a different place the past few days.  I hope that I can make the jumbling of thoughts come to a semblance of sense for you.

Yesterday, we were driving home from a long polo weekend.  When we hit that stretch of road between Mona and Santaquin, I was suddenly hit with this very vivid memory, with a very new driver.  I caught myself almost shouting out, "Stay in your lane."  You know who you are and I am not sharing this memory to embarrass you, but I use it as an object lesson.

Do you remember those days of being a new driver?  It is a fond memory I will always carry with me.  It is a blessed memory that I will always learn from.  I fear that I put too much emphasis on staying in the lane rather than teaching how to avoid drifting.  

You see, the more I emphasized staying in the lane, the more this young driver focused on the lane lines.  The more they focused on the lane lines, the closer they got to them, the more the vehicle seemed to drift in the direction of the driver's vision/focus.  Unfortunately, it took me a while to figure out that it was my instruction, though unintentional, was what was causing the problem.  However, once I figured it out, I was able to help guide and instruct this new driver.

At first, it was not easy.  No matter what I shared to help this young driver, in the back of their mind was still resonating the sharp tone of my initial guidance, "Stay in your lane."  It took a leap of faith to lift their head and look forward, to a point on the horizon, the traffic pattern ahead of us, or to the destination rather than on the road itself.  But that is what needed to happen for us to stop drifting.

Just when they were starting to feel a little comfortable with looking to the horizon, we entered a different traffic pattern.  We moved from a rural two lane highway to a multi-lane freeway.  To add more confusion to the mix there also seemed to be more semi-trailers on the road than usual and of course, summer construction.  The new challenge came not from seeing the horizon, but remaining focused on the horizon.  Suddenly there was hundreds of other distractions screaming for the driver's attention, wanting to be first and foremost of importance in the driver's vision.  And when they were able to get the driver's attention, we suddenly found ourselves drifting again.  It was hard, challenging, nerve racking, tense, almost painful, but not impossible.  With practice, you probably find yourself in those same situations today and never think twice about it.

That is where we were yesterday.  Then out of no where, a highway patrolman was slowing all traffic down in front of us.  Warning us of some impending danger ahead.  We could not see the danger, but the situation became tedious and tense.  It took control and focus to remain calm.  It took even longer to see a way around the danger and proceed to safer ground.  The process seemed like it was never going to end, but eventually, we found a better path, though still heading towards the same destination, we had to make adjustments, turn a little here and there, we may have even back tracked a little to get on a safer path, but eventually we had skirted the danger and found ourselves traveling the course and normal speed.

These are the thoughts I have had.  I know, it just a bunch of ramblings.  But isn't it just like life?  Are we not all headed to the same destination?  Or shouldn't we be?

Now my question.  Are we drifting?  Do we find ourselves distracted?  Are there other things seeking our attention?  Do we have the faith to look up, see the horizon, envision the destination?  Or are we stiffnecked, set in our ways, unwilling to see beyond the lane lines, the semi-trailer, the orange barrels, cement divider, flashing lights, billboards, or any hundred of other road side distraction that will pull us from or slow us down from arriving at our final destination?  Do we have a true vision of that destination?

My thoughts turned to Words of Mormon 1:17.  Benjamin, holy men, prophets of God, they did speak the word of God with power and authority, sometimes with sharpness.  They help us see the destination, the destination they have not lost sight of.  Their sharpness helps us regain focus.  Their warnings protect us from danger.  Their guidance helps us skirt around it.  When that does not work, we always have our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His atoning sacrifice to help us turn around, change paths, and get back on track.    

I hope and pray that you never forget this.  I re-read President Eyring's talk from Priesthood session that helped me better understand or see the destination.  I encourage you to do the same.

Ok, enough with the ramblings.  It wasn't where I was originally headed, but it is where I ended up this week.

The Queen had an incredible week.  She only had to work 3 days.  She was so excited about finally being able to attend Summer Games.  She went to the library and checked out like 10 books.  I think she only got through 1 maybe 2 of them.  We sat on hard metal benches, got splashed on, ate questionable food, stayed up late, and got up early.  I hope it was a memory she will cherish.  It was good company.

The Professor finished another track period this week, make a quick connection with old roommates, did a ton of homework, and fed the sister missionaries.

Tall Man is bringing the semester to an end.  He celebrated with a relaxing weekend in the hood with his Ehl-Bo.  He hopes it will give him the energy to endure finals week that is coming.

SnackPack spent his waking hours focused on PIT week for SBOs, choir auditions (which were crazy this year, like 150 auditioned.  They are going to have to turn away boys who tried out), and of course a grueling weekend of Polo.  

The Pirate's represented well.  They were in Gold Bracket.  Varsity Girl's took third and Varsity Boy's took fourth.  We all came home proud of an incredible performance.  Good times by all.