Distractions

This week, I've been making an renewed effort to accomplish my goals.

I've been slacking a bit lately because I've been playing games for the last couple of weeks, and I decided on Sunday while I was trying to decide what I needed to improve in my life that I needed to have a game-fast this week. I needed to give more attention to my family and less to games. That isn't to say that I was playing them all day, but I was playing them too much.

My fast this week has helped a lot. I've been able to do more scripture study and spend more time with Kevin and Grig.

However, the problem is that when I drop one distraction it is hard for me to not to get distracted with something else.

So, this week, Kevin and I have been watching Superman. We've been watching the animated series and some of the animated movies they've made. Excellent films. He seems to like them too. We don't watch them all day, but we do watch a couple during the day. This frustrates me, because it seems like I always have to be mildly addicted to something. It's just so hard to just not have any entertainment at all.

Then, yesterday, I was reading a conference talk for my scripture study and I read the following phrase from a talk called "The Joyful Burden of Discipleship":

What of our earthly possessions? We can see what a tornado can do with them in just minutes. It is so important for each of us to strive to lay up our spiritual treasures in heaven—using our time, talents, and agency in service to God.

This talk was referring to the Oklahoma Tornado that happened a little while ago. It made me stop and think about my earthly possessions. What would I miss if I lost them?

I might miss my computer. Not because of the games or movies, but because of the journal articles and pictures. I would miss my dog and our snake.

However, if I made it through a natural disaster with my son and my husband (and brother-in-law), I would be wealthy beyond belief. Really, nothing matters but family. Nothing we own, watch, or enjoy can possibly compare the the worth of our families.

Distractions are easily gained (and not so easily dismissed), but they pale in comparison to the worth of any living soul. I am continuing to make my family my highest priority, even above my own wants and desires. That is who God is, and if I want to be like him, I need to be able to put aside earthly things for the greater good. My time should be used in building up myself, my family, and those around me to come closer to God.

That doesn't make the journey easy, but it does make it worth it.