The Leaf in My Hood

     We live in a deeply wooded area and with that being said it would be an understatement to add we have plenty of leaves to contend with around this time of year. Right now it isn't too bad, but over the next month or so rakes, leaf blowers, and piles upon piles of leaves will be common sites in our neighborhood. What I'd like to share with you today isn't about all of the leaves that will carpet the ground where we live, but instead it's all about one single leaf that created a relentless pain for me.
     One recent Saturday morning I had made my way out to my truck, pulled out and was headed out of our neighborhood. That's when I noticed a leaf that had found itself lodged in a vent slot near the windshield of my truck. As I accelerated down the road I expected the leaf would blow off so I did just that. I pushed the pedal a little harder than normal anticipating that the leaf would soon fly over the cab, but it didn't. No big deal right? Well maybe not for you, but with my Attention Deficient Disorder tendencies I couldn't hardly pay attention to the road because I was so intent on seeing this stowaway leaf fly away. My next thought was to turn the windshield wipers on to see if their arms could possibly reach the leaf and move it just slightly enough for the air to grab it up and send it flying. No luck. This leaf wasn't going anywhere, looking at this leaf's stem it didn't even appear to be that deeply lodged in the vent slot. I decided it was time to add some aerodynamics and tactical elements to the attack on my nemesis. By this time the leaf was now vibrating against my windshield and the rapid tapping of this dried up leaf against the glass was about to drive me crazy, so I started slightly swerving to the right and left to dislodge this nuisance off of my vehicle. Still no luck! I had exhausted my full arsenal and to no avail! What was I to do? Well the climax of this story is really rather anti-climatic. I pulled over to the side of the road, placed the truck in park, opened my door, exited the truck, and plucked the leaf out of the tiny vent slot on my truck's hood. Wow, that took all of what like about 30 seconds?? With this distraction now removed I was able to resume my journey and place my full attention on the road where it needed to be all along.
       I share this episode not necessarily as a lesson on how to effectively remove a leaf from your hood, but because in our lives we often have small issues or concerns that usurp our focus, when all we have to do is stop and take care of the little problem before it becomes a major problem. You know if I had not pulled over and removed that leaf the distraction it had created could have easily resulted in an accident for me. We let those little things in our lives that cause us to lose focus to do the same thing. Many times we know exactly what it is in our lives that is creating interference with our goals, yet we do everything we can to avoid taking care of the issue at hand.
      Watching television, video games, social media, or electronic devices as a whole are one type of distraction that keeps us from staying focused on where we really should be concentrating. But it doesn't have to be electronics, anything that keeps you from accomplishing your goals for the day, or serves as a distraction on your journey in life qualifies as a leaf stuck in your hood. We can swerve back and forth on the road, we can turn on our life's windshield wipers going back and forth about what we should actually be doing, but at the end of the day we have to make an intentional effort to remove whatever it is that is causing us to be distracted from what is really important. We all have a purpose in life and God wants us to have our focus set on His plan for our life. Hebrews 12:1-2  tells us, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." If you have something that you need to be doing get the distractions out of the way and make the move to get it done.
     This week I encourage you to stop and reflect on what it is that might be distracting you from being focused on your day's mission. Is there something out there that just needs to be removed so that you can place your full attention on what is really important? If so don't spin your wheels trying to think of ways to contend with the distraction, instead stop, make a plan to remove whatever it is, and then do what needs to be done. Sound easy? Well I can guarantee you the 30 seconds I invested to remove that leaf from my windshield were so much more effective than the 10 minutes I wasted doing everything else I did that only distracted me and hindered my morning drive!