Turns out there are 31 days in August.

Not sure why I thought today would be SEPTEMBER 1st, but apparently I missed that kindergarden lesson where we memorized the number of days in each month.

(That's the entire reason for my blog title... no, I'm not kidding )

So tomorrow is SEPTEMBER and I'm going to do something different and intentional this month with my blog/life.

This idea was inspired by my annoyance with the generally whiney sounding tone in many of my recent *all of the last year's* entries.

In other words... I'd like to get refocused.

So my goal for SEPTEMBER is relatively simple: attempt to focus on the Lord throughout the month and see what I notice.

(Why do I have to "see what I notice"? Because if I'm not looking for what I notice than I won't bother to look at all).

I know what you are thinking... this focusing on God bit isn't a brand new concept for a Christian life.

Yes, you'd be correct.

However I tend to get distracted from this habit far FAR too easily. Which, let's be honest, is no real surprise because I get distracted from just about everything far too .... oh, wow!!, cool bird outside....

.....

ha.

On a more sincere note, with all the changes this past year I think I've become far too focused on the circumstances of life--potentially so much that my basic peace in the Lord can be absent in my heart.

Don't get me wrong, I think that lots of changes and challenges over the past year is bound to rock and test my sense of peace in the Lord--I am after all a fallen person.

The thing is, I don't mind rocking and testing of faith (how else does is grow??), I do mind when I feel as though my mind and heart are so focused on the circumstances, (past, present, and future), that I miss out on enjoying simply being God's.

The odd thing I have also noticed is that a distraction really can be ANYTHING going on around me or in my life, that can dominate my perspective.

Duh, right?

But what I'm saying is that even the exciting, new, and fun things in my life can also hold my attention to a degree that they shouldn't.

Frankly, God never tells us to focus on what's going on around us. He says focus on Him.

In my daily thoughts I tend to always thinking about how things were, what's going on, or what's next.

This quality has always irritated me because it's sort of exhausting.

But today I was thinking about it (proving my point...), and I realized that perhaps God can use the way I think and work to bless me with His presence.

What I have is a busy mind. A mind that frequently makes me feel overwhelmed by too much going on at once, problems that arise, or feelings I have. Because when you have a busy mind, it's like it doesn't stop. It's as though I have a hunger for more thought than I really need to have, so I look to whatever I can to keep myself occupied.

Sounds silly, I realize.

But I think... just maybe, if I can direct my attention on the Lord throughout my day this quality may not kick my butt all the time.

If I can focus on Him and therein see and think in the context of my fellowship with God, this quality may be something He can use for His glory rather than a burden that keeps me consistently moving, rarely content, and eventually overwhelmed by something-or-other.

So that's my theory.

Being that I am so easily distracted, I think this will take some conscious effort to seek Him throughout the day, as well as His help to do so.

I'm going to use what I know about myself to help motivate me in this goal. It's nothing earth shattering, just an attempt to seek God despite the ability to wander so easily.

If this entry bores you, don't bother reading the rest of SEPTEMBER. :)