I have a love hate relationship with doing the dishes. On one hand, I’m super grateful I have dishes and food and a kitchen and a home at all. On the other hand, it’s a time consuming chore that leaves my hands dry and raw. I finally understand what that Palmolive lady was talking about in all of those commercials when I was a kid.
Honestly my dry hands right now are super distracting. I’m trying to read, to write, to think and pray. And all I can think about are my hands.
Distractions throw us off our game. They are the lame local commercial that jolts us out of the emotional path we’re following in a TV show. They are the phone call in the middle of a meeting at work. They are the baby crying in the middle of church.
But what if distractions weren’t distractions at all? What if they were the thing we were supposed to be focused on?
What if we saw them as opportunities instead? That lame commercial reminds me the TV show isn’t real and there are real people in my real life I should be caring about more. The phone call is a chance to step out, put people first, letting them know you love them enough to take the time. The crying baby is a reminder that life is complex and confusing and at one point that used to be you. And man how much you’ve grown.
And maybe dry hands from cleaning dishes is an opportunity to focus on what I’m thankful for. What I have. The love part of my love hate relationship with dishes.
Find a distraction in your life and use that opportunity to find a way to be thankful for it. Don’t stop until you find the positive. This isn’t a game of pretend. It’s an opportunity to see your circumstances in a more complete way. A 30,000 foot view. Maybe what it looks like from God’s vantage point.
Maybe you’ll start to feel less stress and see the world with a little more grace.
jessica lynn shull 
thoughts go here... be nice... be thankful...