Driven to Distraction

Determined to get up early tomorrow and spend time with the Lord, I begin organizing my bedroom to eliminate the many distractions that face me every morning. Parka and new wool socks from cousin at the end of the bed? Check. Glasses next to bed? Yep, they’re there. Desk cleaned from today’s marathon writing session and garbage thrown away? Done. I turn to look over the room.

Photo by Donna Tallman

‘Sall good. I set the alarm on my phone to buzz off at 5 a.m. and put it next to my glasses.

Bzzzzz…bzzzzz…bzzzzz…

Oh come on! It is not possible that 5 o’clock has come already.

Beyond grumpy I roll over, fumble for my phone, and turn it off. Two hours later, the sun actually does what my phone could not do when it creeps through the wooden blinds in my basement window waking me.

Oh no, it’s 7 o’clock already! The day has taken off without me.

Hopping out of bed, I pull on my parka over my sweat jacket and quickly yank my wool socks over my running socks.

Dang, where’s my boots?

After an unsuccessful rummage in the closet for my furry boots, I give up. I grab my mug to make some hot chocolate. I’ve got to have something warm to drink; it’s freezing here. I set the microwave for 2 minutes and then race back to my room to find the box of hot chocolate. The box is empty. Now I’ll have to go upstairs to find a new one.

Slowly and quietly I sneak up the dark stairway so I don’t rouse the local dog and cat that inhabit the middle section of the house. I accidentally bang into the door at the top of the stairs as I try to covertly turn the knob.

Click…click…click… Toenails.

Drat!

Here comes Oscar, the resident watchdog, bolting across the tiled floor to say good morning. Well, he acts like he wants to say hello, but what he really wants is a doggy treat from the cupboard. I’m safe, no sign of the cat.

Oh, my boots are by the front door! I quickly slide my feet into them before frostbite sets in, and grab the next box of hot chocolate and two mandarin oranges for my breakfast.

Oscar hovers.

“Okay, here, Boy. Now, go on,” I coax as I get Oscar a goody and whoosh him on to his day. “I need to get back downstairs. God’s waiting for me,” I say before zipping back toward the stairway. Oscar darts away.

Photo by Donna Tallman

When I get back to my room, Oscar has taken over my command center. “Dude, how did you get down here before me?” I try to push Oscar off my chair, but he’s not moving.

“You can’t sit here! That’s my spot.” I protest, but Oscar just ignores me. He won’t budge, so I give up. I sit on the bed eating my oranges when Oscar suddenly launches from the chair and grovels at my feet for an ort.

“Oh! Musical Chairs, I’m game!” Balancing my plate so I don’t lose the oranges, I make a run for the chair and beat Oscar out for the coveted spot. Ever the sore loser, Oscar sits, pouting at my feet.

So, now it’s 7:45 and I’m almost ready to start my “early morning time” with God – finally. I turn on my computer to add a little ambiance to my spiritual confab and click to Pandora Radio. Oops, James Taylor is singing Fire and Rain. I wonder how many times he’s sung that over the years…

Seriously? I need to get my head back in this game and get on to my time with the Lord. I click Pandora over to my instrumental Christian station.

Aaaahhhh…the room and my heart begin to expand settling me into silence – beautiful, peaceful silence. Now, I can focus.

Photo by Donna Tallman

Suddenly, without warning, there is one horrific howl outside the window. I pull up the blinds to find a snake-like feline hanging upside down from the upper lattice that was designed to keep creatures like him from getting down in the window well in the first place. I don’t think it’s working.

Rocky has discovered my hideout.

“I’m not going to be distracted, I’m not going to be distracted. I don’t care how cute he gets, I’m not going to be distracted…” I start to lecture myself.

With that, I shut the blinds and open my Bible. God is still waiting, after all – I think.

Well, I hope he is anyway.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance…”

I’m trying to!

Photo by Donna Tallman

Screech…screech…screech…

Rocky runs his claws down the window and it makes my teeth itch. I pull the blinds up and tell him to stop and then slam them down again.

Screech…screech…screech…

He’s had it now!

I stand up to be more intimidating and pull the blinds up again. Rocky’s pawing at the window trying to get my attention.

“Hey, hey you. Can’t you see I’m freezing out here?” I’m almost sure I hear him say.

Now I feel guilty. Why should I make him stay outside when I’m inside with heat, a parka, wool socks, boots, and, and…

Where’s my hot chocolate?

What distracts you when you are trying to be alone?

© Copyright, 2012 by Donna Tallman.