God ADD...The Moment the Dinosaurs Start Eating People

My name is Jackie, and I...have God ADD.  (Dramatic pause filled with murmurs of solidarity from my fellow ADD folks.)

To live a Christian life, God must be at the center of all things, all the time. There's not enough room for God and me, so I must defer. There are specific moments in my life when God assumes His proper place. When I''m worried, or scared, or sick. Then, miracle of miracles, God becomes my focus as I pray, beg, or just pour out my heart.

It's more difficult to remain focused when things are going well (because I'm busy enjoying myself), though I often take time for a big, heartfelt Thank You, but the hardest time to avoid God ADD is when  life plods along at it's usual pace. When nothing too exciting or too stressful is happening, I find myself SQUIRREL!

These are the times I turn on the autopilot, when my subconscious thought is "That's okay, God. I'll take control for now."  And that's when the dinosaurs start eating people.

 

"You never had  control!

 That's the illusion!"   


Jurassic Park





First thing in the morning, I hand everything over to God and ask Him to make use of me. But how can I keep that promise in mind all day without OOH! SHINY!

St. Ignatius came up with the helpful Examen. If you've never studied Ignatian Spirituality, it might seem complicated at first to look for God's movements in your life. This Ignatian site is very helpful and filled with videos and articles. It's like a spiritual candy store! (As someone who's going through the exercises, I can't stress enough: Don't attempt them without a spiritual adviser!)

Here is an uber-simplified version of an Examen.

1. Be aware of God's presence.

2. Be aware of any offenses I've committed.

3. Be grateful for any gifts I've received.

4. Ask God for the grace I most need.

Don't hesitate to get specific. "God, give me the grace to talk to my eight-year-old's obnoxious teacher without snapping her head off."

A good evening Examen is offered by the Jesuit site, Pray-as-you-go.

I find it helpful to perform an Examen several times per day to help me adjust my course.  It's still difficult to keep my tiny mind from toddling away from a God-centered life, but practice makes perfect, ri--SQUIRREL!