Near-sighted

March 9, 2024 Georgia Tanner

Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways. Proverbs 4:25-26 NIV

These days, I sit for hours at my desk, at my computer, staring at words God has placed in my lap—163,922 of them! Jack said, “Georgia, books usually average around 40,000 words.” Yep. This manuscript is big, but so is the story of Jesus. Grammarly’s little ball spins, trying to whip my poor spelling, sorry punctuation, and Southern conversational expressions into shape.

I am really trying to stay focused. Carefully paying attention. Shutting out distractions. Be still my wandering thoughts! It is a time to stay near-sighted. Focusing on what is close at hand. Shutting down looking out at the far horizon and all those little dragons swimming in the deep. Do not look to the left or the right. Keep my eyes here. Keep my feet taking only one step at a time.

I agree with Shannon, who told me as soon as she sat down for lunch the other day, “Pretty things calm me.” Amen, sister! And so, I allow myself a few beautiful indulgences in this little secluded editing world I have locked myself into with an imaginary deadline: steaming coffee in an hand-made mug I bought from the artist’s studio in Mesilla, a fragrant red berry candle, music on my speakers from an algorithm based on Needtobreathe. (Thank you, Jerry Pece, for the introduction all those years ago.)

Anyway, I am listening to a lot of good music. So sometimes, I pause, soak in the pretty music, and raise my hands to worship this beautiful God of mine. Hungry for connection with my people, I want to share it with you. So here it is. A voice that made me catch my breath. Words that speak to my soul. A challenge that I know is for me. “I Shall Not Want” by Audrey Assad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgqDY1whzoc

From the love of my own comfort
From the fear of having nothing
From a life of worldly passions
Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood
And from a need to be accepted
From the fear of being lonely
Deliver me O God
Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, no, I shall not want
When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want
When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want

From the fear of serving others
Oh, and from the fear of death or trial
And from the fear of humility
Deliver me O God
Yes, deliver me O God

And I shall not want, no, I shall not want
When I taste Your goodness I shall not want

No, I shall not want, no, I shall not want
When I taste Your goodness I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness I shall not want
I shall not want
I shall not want

Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Audrey Assad / Bryan Brown