Put Your Blinders On

I haven’t written a blog in a few weeks now, as I have been hard pressed at contending with administrative items; grant applications for our music ministry, etc.

Additionally, Pat and I have been rehearsing for our upcoming concerts and prison tour (end of March, 2026), alongside music production edits.

To be even more transparent here…

It’s not like the traffic is busy around these parts anyway; my website, that is.

As a matter of fact, I have taken a moment or two from my insane schedule of late, to check in to see if anyone is actually checking in to see if I have posted any new blogs.

I shall use this metaphor: the sound of crickets is all I hear.

That said, clearly these blogs are not in high demand, which also means that God is pulling me in a different direction for the time being.

I see it as perfectly divine, quite frankly.

As it should be, I feel no offence or remorse in paying for a website that isn’t on anyone’s radar at the moment.

So, why am I here right now?

You know, writing a blog for the crickets to rest their glorious chorus upon?

Well, because one day this blog — written on Sunday, February 8, 2026 — might actually awaken interest.

Naturally, that would mean you reading it right now; as, for the first time I am not going to be personally texting this blog’s link to anyone (as I have with all previous blogs), and I am not going to be sharing it on social media.

You know, desperately seeking a following of sorts.

That means that you were personally led to read this, whether by Holy Spirit guiding or pure curiosity.

Either way, thank you for listening to the voice within.

With that in mind, I shall begin…

Living with ADD (now called “ADHD”), I have long suffered with being distracted by everything and thus not absorbing everything in front of me that I am supposed to be focused on.

Public school was painful for me, when not on a musical instrument that is.

Empathically, I wrote a musical for children in 2017, to help them contend with life’s challenges (mental health or neurodivergent wiring, and so forth). It’s called “Lucy and Maayaa: Diverse.”

I bring this up, as the two lead roles represent me: Lucy, as the ADD wired girl struggling to fit in. Maayaa, as the optimistic girl struggling with depression.

Lucy shares her battles with Maayaa in a song called “I See Everything”, as if to suggest that this seeing of everything “is so distracting, and [she’s] not overreacting, that it’s sometimes so hard on [her] brain that it aches.”

But, somehow Maayaa takes that very perspective and weaves it into a tapestry of beauty when she encourages Lucy to look at “all those particles [she’s] referring to are what make [her] whole… what [give her] life. Those parts [she thinks] that are missing are actually spaces filled in with their own special glistening, just waiting for [her] to be listening.”

How do we apply both Lucy and Maayaa’s perspectives, collectively channelling each as one breath, into our own life’s tapestry; when each are equally as valuable a way of seeing?

Well, that’s been my greatest challenge and recent quest to fulfil the mystery of.

Perhaps you might be thinking, “How is being distracted — ‘sometimes so hard on [her] brain that it aches’ a valuable way of seeing?”

Hopefully that might come with an obvious answer, when you consider the “no pain, no gain” perspective.

In one of my blogs, I wrote about having our “hand to the plow” and not looking back, lest we be “[un]fit for the kingdom.”

While this metaphor parallels with where I have started to go here, and shall continue to, this combination of perspectives (Lucy’s and Maayaa’s) takes us to a new level of seeing.

If I was to put it to a question for God to answer, it might sound like this: Ok God, now that you have my full forward attention, where DO you want me to look — to see everything — YOU want me to see, even if it comes painfully?

For me, this was weaved into a song that I wrote in 2019 after the Lord spoke to me during a 90-minute nature walk.

I was blasting my worship music in my earbuds, while breathing in the smells and sights of nature along the lakeshore, when I felt a nudge in my spirit saying “I need you to listen to me.” It kept repeating on my spirit to the point that I responded, “But, I am listening to you Lord! I have worship music on!” The voice retorted, “I need you to listen to me!”

I finally got the message that was coming in. Accordingly, I pulled out the earbuds and tapped into what God was saying to me through the things on the path.

This morning, as my heart was being prepared to write this blog, the following scripture was given from Proverbs 4:27:

“Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk]; 

Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.” (Amplified)

The other scripture that was put on my heart comes from Philippians 3:14:

“I press on to reach the end of the race 

and receive the heavenly prize for which God, 

through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (NLT)

I chose the New Living Translation for this one, as it uses the word “race” which best correlates with the title of this blog: Put Your Blinders On.

I used that not only to get your attention, but to speak a necessary truth here about what it means to fully focus on what God is showing us on our racing path towards Him and inevitably our final destiny and awaited prize for staying the path.

For those who understand what a blinder is used for on a horse, you will appreciate my usage for it in this case; our God-chosen race, where our main focus should be to seek His face.

Well, and all the glory that shines upon that of course.

In so doing, we not only avoid unnecessary evil lurking and thus waste energy on unnecessary items, but…

We will see everything — “All those particles [we will see] are what [will] make [us] whole… what [will give us] life. Those parts [life pieces of fleshly pleasures, or otherwise] we [assume we may miss out on, wearing our blinders will] actually [become] spaces filled in with their own special [God] glistening, just waiting for [us] to be listening.”

I'm Listening

I’m Listening

Verse 1

I don’t know where this path will lead

And my mind gets ahead of me

Still my heart chooses to believe

You direct my feet

Signs and wonders all around

Like a child, I hear their sound

Keep them coming, so new faith is found

This will be my ground

Chorus 1

I’m listening, Lord

I’m tapping in

‘Cause it’s only you that I want to hear from

In this time of pain

I’m listening, Lord

I’m pressing in

‘Cause it’s through you and only you where I awaken

So, I’m listening

Verse 2

Storms will come

This I know

But, I refuse to let them grow into greater ones

So, I’ll row where you say to go

No stars nor sun could ever show

Chorus 2

I’m listening, Lord

I’m tapping in

‘Cause it’s only you that I want to hear from

In this time of change

I’m listening, Lord

I’m pressing in

‘Cause it’s through you and only you where I awaken

So, I’m listening

Bridge

I trust you, Lord

You are my sword,

In this darkened world that encumbers me

Still all I see is your hand on me

You will carry

You will carry

You will carry me

I trust you, Lord

You are my sword,

In this darkened world that encumbers me

On broken pieces out on the sea

You will carry

You will carry

You will carry me to the shore

Last Verse

I don’t know where this path will lead

And my mind gets ahead of me

Still my heart chooses to believe

You direct my feet

©Paula Walker (SoulCorde Music) 2019