Five Minute Friday: Watch

My grandparents had a tradition of gifting the grandkids a special watch as a high school graduation gift. I remember thinking and wondering what that watch would look like for me. I am not a sentimental things person and gifts are not my love language, but I knew that this watch would be special to me as a reminder of the hard work I had put in to my studies. I recall opening that gift and quickly placing that beautiful gold watch on my wrist. It was feminine and had a series of diamonds that circled the face. Thinking about that watch today brings me to reflect on the value I place on gifts and things. Unfortunately, that watch was stolen in one of the robberies we had at our house in the 80s and 90s. My entire jewelry box (which also had my class ring) was stolen. I appreciate the thought that goes in to those items, and the memories attached. However, I personally am satisfied with not being attached to too many tangible items. They are so easily taken from us and can cause so much pain if we placed too much value on the item itself. The most important things in life….aren’t things in my opinion. But rather the actual people and places and moments in time that we are fortunate to have experienced.

Five Minute Friday: Help

Psalm 46:1

God is our protection and our strength. He always helps in times of trouble.

Immediately when I saw today’s word, I went to this verse as well as a song that has become very meaningful in the last year or so.

There are so many times when we look for help from the things that surround us – our own self-sufficiency, friends, hobbies, to-do lists, busyness.  I often look to fill my time up when I am in the midst of a struggle, yet never really address the root of the problem.  I look to pull myself up out of it all and miss out on the help that comes directly from the Lord.  He alone has the ability to protect us from our own selves and give us the strength we need to overcome insecurity, pride, temptation.  I usually go through phases of all these despite their being so extreme.

Today, I spend a moment to remember where the help comes from.  The only assistance that will ever be 100% successful.

He takes my failures, my burdens, my struggles and carries them for me – may I completely let them go and allow HIM to help me

 

Five Minute Friday is part of a community of writers….all you have to do is write for five minutes on the word of the week and post your words on your own blog.

This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.

Just write.

Five Minute Friday: Lose

I lose things often.  I like to think of it as just misplacing things; however, it doesn’t always end up that easy.  Keys, phone, important papers, um…..my mind at times.  It never fails that no matter what system I have for placing things in a particular place, once a day, I go searching.  I think this is most frustrating with paperwork.  As a teacher, I copy, hand out and take in papers on an hourly basis.  I try to organize myself and plan ahead and it never fails that one of those pages I copied last week (in order to be ahead of the game) gets placed in a file that I have created and then I just can’t find it.  While I was on the plane to Louisville, I did some reading in Real Simple magazine about organization.  One of the main things is to have a place for things to go…touch it once, and place it in the proper place.

Perhaps my main issue is that I am always re-organizing my organization system.  Let’s just figure out what works and keep it….maybe I will have to remember that one when September starts.  As for now, I don’t want to LOSE any minutes of summer, so I am headed to the beach.  Taking advantage of each moment to enjoy creation, hear the waves, and read a good book from my WANT list in last week’s post.

 

Five Minute Friday is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. – Link up with Kate Motaung and join the fun

Five Minute Friday: Want

Just finished up a week of grading AP US History exams, final exams for 100 students, and end of year report cards.  It’s officially summer, so I am going to use the prompt today to brainstorm things I WANT and hope to accomplish this summer:

1. Complete my first half marathon – just get to the finish line
2. Read some classics
3. Visit with friends
4. Write a personal “snail mail” note at least once a week
5. Visit the beach
6. Clean out the closet
7. Go through the boxes in the spare bedroom
8. Set up my new sewing machine and try out a few projects
9. Try at least 1 new CLEAN EATS recipe per week
10. Complete Ted Dekker’s journey The Forgotten Way
11. Help with Vacation Bible School
12. Find at least ONE new hiking area to experience
13. Blog about my experiences, starting with the AP Reading

 

We will see if I can accomplish them all – I think it’s realistic.

 

 

This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. – Link up with Kate Motaung and join the fun

Five Minute Friday: Decide

Connecting with the writers over at Five-Minute-Friday (or Thursday as may be the case).  Five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited thoughts…sometimes just a series of unconnected words.. on a selected word.  This week – DECIDE

Set a timer for five minutes, take a deep breath, and let’s …

GO.

Life is made of decisions.  Sometimes, it’s just what is for breakfast…but other times, there are more pressing issues at stake.  A game time decision, a last minute choice, a decision that takes pondering and lists of pros and cons

Some of the most important decisions… and even many of the unimportant ones…have been made through deep intense prayer and meditation with my Heavenly Father.  Those sleepless nights when you are wondering if you should leave a job, how you can best help a friend or family member, how to renew a broken relationship, or how to best have that tough discussion with a student or parent.

I look at it this way…I don’t want to decide something without relying on the infinite knowledge and wisdom of the ONE who knows best for me.  I don’t want to look back in a year from now, see where I am, and wonder if it’s where HE wants me to be.  I want to be there because I have been diligent in taking my cares and my burdens and placing them at HIS feet.  Let HIM decide….that outcome is always the one that will be the most glorifying for HIS work and most beneficial for my sanity, well-being, and moment-by-moment living.

Five minute Friday : Table

Right or wrong, our kitchen table isn’t always the place we come to eat. I generally come home and spread out my work at the table and use the dining room as an office. The great thing about my dining tables/office desks has been the memories of how I got them. Joel and I bought a new table together about a year ago. We had a good time together figuring out what table to get and have been pleased with the purchase  ( see the top left pic). This table replaced a table that we had for about 10 years. That table proved to be a blessing and a curse. Joel knew I wanted a table and so while I was away in Greece, he purchased the table (bottom right). He put the whole thing together by himself. I was so happy that we Had our first new table. It was functional and met the decor need I had at the time. But over the years , each of the chairs began falling apart. The screws would fall out onto the floor; then I would plead for joel to put them back together again, which he always graciously did.

that table reminds me of thoughtfulness, selflessness and care that has been a constant in my relationship with my husband. So blessed to have him in my life.

Five Minute Friday – What’s YOUR address?

Today, I pause for Five Minutes to write and reflect…the nice thing for you as a reader is that my five minutes of writing is probably less than a minute of reading.  I hope that these moments can encourage, entertain, or just allow you to get to know me better.  Join in if you like….connect with Kate Motaung to find out more. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.

This week’s Prompt:  DWELL

Ready….Set….Write

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  – Psalm 91:1

When I was younger, my pastor would spend the first weeks of each year in a different Psalm that coincided with the year.  (Psalm 91 was the series of sermons for 1991).  I will never forget the premise that he had that year was “What is your address?”  He used Psalm 91:1 as the central verse to remind us to set up our permanent dwelling abiding in the shelter and shadow of God.

 

It is there that we find

Peace 

Hope

Eternal Security

Protection from evil

Provision

Direction

Wisdom

Knowledge

Contentment

It is there that we escape

Doubt

Fear of man

Dissatisfaction

Lack of resources

 

As I think about my physical address and the home that I return to each day, I am reassured of the comfort it affords and how much more I want to make a DAILY CHOICE to seek my permanent emotional and mental DWELLing in the “Shelter of the Most High” and the “Shadow of the Almighty.”  What a greater comfort and peace awaits for me there!

 

 

 

 

 

Five Minute Friday: From Dancing to Weariness….and Hopefully Back Again

Today, I pause for Five Minutes to write and reflect…the nice thing for you as a reader is that my five minutes of writing is probably less than a minute of reading.  I hope that these moments can encourage, entertain, or just allow you to get to know me better.  Join in if you like….connect with Kate Motaung to find out more. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.  Last week we danced, but today we show the weariness that sometimes accompanies and leads us to the dances in life.

I put on a good face because I don’t want to be a burden to others.  The smile.  The confidence.  The enthusiastic spirit.  Then.other.days…..I just let it out.  I become overwhelmed by the burdens and will begin to unload to anyone who pretends to listen.

I do this in cycles.  There are just some days where I the waves topple over and I can’t pretend that the weariness has not become more than I can handle.

The to-do list.  The worry.  The pain.  The insecurity.

B.U.T…I have a God, who promises…

28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. – Matthew 11

God blesses me with friends and mentors who will listen to the weary cries for peace and the ability to escape.

Then I can get back on the mountain and begin the climb again.  This time, the burdens are still there, but they are easier to bear with the help of the Master burden bearer.

“Come Weary Saints” – Sovereign Grace

VERSE 1
Come, weary saints, though tired and weak
Hide away in the love of Jesus
Your strength will return by His quiet streams
Hide away in the love of Jesus

VERSE 2
Come, wandering souls, and find your home
Hide away in the love of Jesus
He offers the rest that you yearn to know
Hide away in the love of Jesus

BRIDGE
Hear Him calling your name
See the depths of His love
In the wounds of His grace
Hide away

VERSE 3
Come, guilty ones weighed down with sin
Hide away in the love of Jesus
The freedom you long for is found in Him
Hide away in the love of Jesus

VERSE 4
Come, hopeless hearts, do not despair
Hide away in the love of Jesus
For ten thousand joys await you there
Hide away in the love of Jesus

Five Minute Friday: Joy Comes in the Morning

 Psalm 30:5 – weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning

I am reminded of this verse and a song that I used to hear as a child at church.  I am reminded that each day ends often with sadness, hardship, feelings of overwhelming anxiety…but joy comes in the morning.  Each day God gifts us with grace for a new beginning…we can approach the new day with a joyful spirit….a new start

When working to push through and accomplish mundane tasks or pressures from all areas of life, I recall that the joy of the Lord is my strength.  He is the ROCK I can go to when I am overcome with grief, doubt, insecurity, troubles….

I can look around and be filled with joy just by remembering the blessing of family, the fresh ocean air, a reliable career, and HIS consistent promises offered in Scripture.

So,  by the end of the day when my heart is full of grief and mourning, I can rest in the Lord and be renewed through the joy that is mine for the taking each morning.

Five Minute Friday: Got some GREEN going on

So, on Fridays (what really starts on Thursday night around the globe) I link up with Kate Motaung to write for 5 minutes without stopping or editing.  This week’s topic stumped me and I really didn’t want to write sensible phrases and sentences today, so I used a WORDLE.  For 5 minutes, I just posted things I think of when I think GREEN.  Wordle then arranges them in this fun cloud shape…..so here it is.  Some randomness…if you look closely, you may just learn a thing, or two, or three about me (click on the pic to enlarge it if needed)  ENJOY!!!