Get Distracted

Distractions are an everyday part of our lives. We’re constantly getting pulled in different directions and our attention is almost impossible to focus on any one thing. Why then, would TEAMeffort, the 6th grade mission trip destination, tell us to “Get Distracted?” It sounds like a really odd choice for a theme. Though, as the week went on it became evident that they wanted us to “Get Distracted with God” and forget about all the things we’ve left back in the “real world.”

I got back from the sixth grade mission trip to TEAMeffort in Port St. Joe, FL about two weeks ago. There were fourteen people in our group — eleven sixth graders and three “adults” — and we helped paint the house of a woman who has lived in her neighborhood for over fifty years. Each night TEAMeffort lead worship with the focus being this whole “Get Distracted” business. There were some really good points made, like how our attention is constantly getting pulled just to the left or to the right of God and if we allow our attention to get pulled, then we’ll miss God. Though, for me, “Get Distracted” took on a slightly different meaning.

The sixth graders, and everyone else we’ll take on mission trips this summer, took a week out of their summer to avoid normal teenage distractions — friends, the beach, movies, tv, parties, etc, etc — and give of themselves. I guess you could say they “got distracted” and focused on helping beautify a home or they “got distracted” by devoting their attention to God’s call. However you want to describe it, they “got distracted” on issues that really matter in this world and that is a pretty cool thing.

Pictures from the sixth grade mission trip to Port St. Joe are now available in photo album. Go and check them out.

Posted July 11th, 2007 in Blog