Do Not Engage or Fight the garbage with all your might

Things have been busy in my life, but that's no excuse for my not keeping up with posts.  My biggest problem, I think, is that I've been letting the garbage weigh me down.

What I mean by garbage is all the STUFF that happens around us; stuff that may be important to someone else, but is not really my business, not my mission.  Garbage is the stuff that keeps me from staying focused on what's important.

I have a sign posted in my office at my day job that reads:  "Do NOT Engage."  It hangs where I can see it just by looking up, but it's where most people never look.  Every once in a while, someone does notice it and will ask, "What's that about?" 

And, I tell them.  I tell them that I think we all have a mission--short term or long term--and that our goal should be to accomplish or complete that mission.  The problem is, we get off track and many times fail to reach our goal--accomplish our mission.  I tell them that I think of it like when Navy SEALS are sent out to do something.  No matter what, they stay focused.  If a vehicle breaks down, they keep going.  If they see something they could take care of, they stay focused.  They may go back and take care of that something AFTER they accomplish their mission, but they don't get off their path to go take care of something that is not their mission.  They do NOT engage in anything that would keep them from completing their assigned task.

And, then, I finish by saying that I want to be like that.  I want to stay focused on my mission, but things happen, so I need to remind myself, "Do NOT engage." 

Some people get it.  They nod and say, "Yeah," in a thoughtful way.  Some people do not, and just shake their heads and grin, then walk away.  And, I let them. 

So, I'm writing this post to get myself back on track.  This post is my way of reminding myself, "Do NOT engage" when the garbage calls my name and wants me to come out and play.  I have a mission and that mission is to stay focused on what God wants me to do by using all the gifts He's given me.  So, I need to get back to painting, writing, weaving, and creating. 

One way I'm doing that is by getting up just a little earlier every morning, so I can use 10-15 minutes to create before I leave for my day job.  It's not easy for me because it seems like I've been getting home later every day, which means I get to bed later every night, but I'm going to keep trying.

How do you find time to create?  How do you stay on your mission?  How do you resist the garbage?  Let me know!