Presence of Mind

"Wherever you are be all there."

~ Jim Elliott

"Mom, you're such a goody goody."

This was the rebuttal to my refusal to allow my daughter to read the cliff notes version of her book report novel. What she doesn't realize is I'm less concerned about the number of pages she reads and more concerned with her getting the whole experience.

I don't want the cliff notes version of life; I want to savor every page.

Scott and I were talking with friends last night about the power of presence. Our friends, families and communities desperately need the power of our presence. They need us to open all we are. To bring the power of presence we need to be...

Fully alive. 
Fully aware. 
Fully engaged.

But others can't experience the power of our presence, if we don't experience the power of His. 

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, 

who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

Psalm 89:15

I'll be honest, my mind wanders when I should be listening to my husband or kids. At times, worry robs me of sleep and makes me sluggish the next day. And I sometimes focus my mind on temporary difficulties that steal my heart from the lasting impression of my full engagement would make.

If I want to be fully present, I have to fight for it.

I need His presence so I can have presence of mind.

What steals your mind away from being fully present? How can His presence refocus yours?