I am getting irritated at the radio in my house.
I know, most of you don’t bother to listen to radio, but use instead your itunes, Pandora, Grooveshark, Jango or some other online resource. I use those sometimes, too, but in my kitchen, I turn on the radio to hear news and music while I try and get things done. Because we are on the side of Mt. Nittany, sometimes the reception is poor . . . static and distortions that make it difficult to actually hear the station, and irritate me to the point I am not really listening to the radio at all.
There are things like that in all our lives. Little things that irritate us and get in the way of what we are trying to do or experience. The static certainly doesn’t enhance my listening experience, but if I am honest with myself, my irritation is more distracting than the noise itself. At times, my reaction becomes the distraction. Those are the times when I need to seek patience, perspective and, above all, peace. Those are the times when I need to step back, breathe deeply, and remember what I am engaged in and why, whether it is listening to the radio, helping my daughter with her homework, reading a book, caring for a friend, or anything else.
God of Peace,
Help us as we manage the irritations in our lives.
Enable us to look beyond what distracts us and find what we need to focus on.
Give us strength for the challenges that get in the way, and our own reactions.
Guide us to let irritations slip away, and help us to find what really matters.
Amen.