From The Pastor - August 2019 Newsletter INBOX Is your email’s inbox like mine, full of unwanted junk mail? Did you sign up for something once long ago only to be hounded by the company for the rest of your life? Every morning in the office I go through countless emails with my index finger perched over the delete button. On Mondays there can be literally, hundreds of pieces of junk mail. When I try to unsubscribe from a list, it only seems to get worse. So, I try not to get distracted by the things that aren’t important and focus on the things that are. Life is a lot like that as well. Many annoying distractions come up daily that pull us away from the things that matter: a nasty Facebook post, someone who cuts you off in the parking lot and gets the space you’ve been waiting for, the rude cashier, the same advertisement that runs 3 times consecutively during a commercial break when you’re watching TV, or the person who decides to tell you their entire life story when you casually asked, “Hey, how are you?” Isn’t it interesting how we can allow those distractions to take up so much emotional energy? Why not move past a FB post that you don’t like? (Have you ever known someone whose mind has been changed by an alternate view on FB?) Don’t give it the power it seeks. As for parking spaces, park farther away, enjoy the exercise, and keep your paint job free of chips and dings from careless neighbors. If your cashier is rude, try to imagine what kind of day they might be having, and engage them in playful conversation. Three consecutive commercials… (Well, they must be getting desperate) might be a good time to get something to eat. And if you asked, “Hey, how are you?” and they begin to tell you, sit awhile and be present with them. Maybe you will be the very ears of Christ to that person. Distractions are bound to come, but pay attention to the things that are important even in the midst of them. How is Christ present in this moment? Will my actions reveal to those around me the face of Jesus? Focus on the things that feed your spirit and nurture your soul. Dig into the Word that matters and delete the ones that don’t. And while we can’t simply push a button that will make the distractions go away, we can practice discipleship, honing our skills at discerning the voice of God. So, check your inbox. Delete the things that deter and detour you from the path that you want to go. Follow the way of Jesus that leads to truth, hope, and love. Peace, +Pastor Mike