May 8, 2014

GRATEFUL - Five Minute Friday

So, ya'll... this has been a WEEK! Just a little sad and heavy and not feeling so great... but it is Thursday night and you know what that means and oh my stars, how I love this community and how I am in need of them! So... here goes...

Oh but - first - the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: GRATEFUL

{GO}
Oh My Stars... I adore her so!                                         
My (shy, tired) Girlie, circa 1997                                         

Grateful... oh sweet Jesus... I am grateful! This week, in the midst of losing a friend, bad health reports left and right, and my Girlie talking once again of moving out (I know, I know... it's time but still!)  I have battled this week to stay grateful... most days it comes easy. But hey, it's those other days that we must FIGHT!

As Ann Voskamp said this week, we get to choose how happy we want to be because we get to choose how grateful we are willing to be! 

"Lord... I am willing!" 

And so I count them slow... one by one, and in the beginning it feels like a fight... I can feel the battle weighing down and winning, but the more I count on - the more I feel strength shifting, power in the punches, and freedom in the swinging.  

This battle has already been won!

With all that is going on this weekend (my Daddy's birthday, my Girlie's birthday, and Mother's Day too!) I abandoned my Bossy List of Things To Do to sit shotgun with my Girlie, and we hit the road! (Sure - it was to go buy furniture, for her apartment that she's hoping to move into soon... sniff sniff!) But I choose Happy because, hello? My nearly nineteen year old asked me to go with her... out of town... for fun!  

So while I work my way around being grateful for the hard eucharisteos like "She had time to say goodbye" and "She is no longer in pain" - I feel my shoulders slowly release the tension... I feel Peace rushing in.  I am grateful for 'being brave' (Come back on Sunday for my 1st ever Vlog post for Mother's Day! Gulp!) and for 'road trips with my Girlie'... 

Some gifts are easy... clearly a gift!

It's the others that we must bend low and lean in to in order to see from His perspective, trusting that He is good... that He is God.

And He is! (He is both of those things!)

{STOP}

Seriously... I love love love that Lisa-Jo did a Vlog post tonight... I just filmed mine for Sunday this afternoon and was half tempted to post it early! Come back on Sunday and celebrate Mother's Day with me, ya'll!



Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "GRATEFUL"  






38 comments :

  1. Totally on target. The fight for joy, is a slow one, painful, breath by thanking breath. Thanks for sharing, my heart is beating slower just from reading this. :) ~an FMF neighbor

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    1. Yes... to breathe in thanks, and breathe out grace... Thanks so much for stopping by, neighbor!

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  2. Oh those cheeks! They go on for days and I want to eat them up!! Oh but so many {hugs} to you for your rough week, sweet friend. Sending lots of love your way!

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    1. I know, right! She is happy that they don't 'go on for days' so much anymore - but oh my how they begged for kisses! (They do still!) Thanks for the love... I am feeling it already, my friend! Praying for you as you transition... grace, grace!

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  3. WooHoo for a vlog...I can't wait! :) But I'm sorry for the rough week you had...sending hugs and a prayer for your heart. Thankful for you and the sweet blessing you are! Happy Friday, friend! :)

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    1. Mel - what a blessing to see your sweet face here! Thanks so much for the hugs and prayers! I need to stop by for a visit in your corner of the interwebs and catch up on what you've been up to, my friend! Thanks for stopping in!

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  4. As much as I wish that all of the gifts were easy and happy and obvious... often, it *is* the moments that I force my selfish, ungrateful self to count as gifts that end up being the greatest. Thanks for the reminder!
    (also, adorable pic! the cheeks!) <3

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    1. Sarah Jo - you are so right, my friend! It's those hard eucharisteos that really cause gratefulness to go down deep! I always love it when you stop by, friend! (and yes... those cheeks! #swoon!)

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  5. Beautiful - how true that sometimes gratitude feels like a slow fight...but the more we are thankful the easier it is to see His goodness. How fun that you went "for fun" with your girl and were able to abandon your to do list! Be blessed! www.reflected.me

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    1. Amen Jamie... I am so thankful that once we get started in counting gifts- the momentum seems to build, and our eyes are opened wider to all the blessings all around! Yes - road trips are always fun... it's a little less fun when she is practicing her highway driving... ;) But still fun!

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  6. Anonymous4:13 AM

    This--> "It's the others that we must bend low and lean in to in order to see from His perspective, trusting that He is good... that He is God." That's what I haven't been doing - bending low and leaning in. Thanks for the reminder friend!

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    1. Holly... Amen and me too, girl! I needed the reminder too! Love you!

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  7. Trust is the secret. Then we can be grateful for all those heartbreaking things that happen in our lives :^) Blessings! Patsy from
    HeARTworks

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  8. Anonymous6:42 AM

    I am so sorry you had a rough week. However, I am glad that you not only saw some joy in it but shared waht God taught you with us. I too need to learn to "bend low and lean in to in order to see from His perspective, trusting that He is good... that He is God"

    PS Isn't it great when your almost grown girlie invites you to spen time with her? I love it when mine does.

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    1. Amy - thanks so much, sweet friend! Leaning in with you! (And yes - it is such a gift and a blessing to be invited in!) Love you!

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  9. Dear Karrilee
    I know it is so difficult when our children grow-up and start living their own lives away from home. My oldest son got married 3 weeks ago and it was very hard to realize that I am not the most important woman in his life anymore!!!
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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    1. Mia - my sweet friend! I have missed you so! It's so nice to have you back! Congrats on the wedding... prayers sent your way in this transition! No one will ever replace you... and it's a good thing that he found someone and she is his focus... I know you know that, but it doesn't make it hurt any less! Praying for you... love you!

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  10. I think blogger ate my comment, so I'll try again and apologize in advance if I end up posting twice! I LOVE the photo--I thought at first that it was a classic painting I'd never seen before that you had snapped a photo of--that's how beautiful it is. I'd reach through the computer screen and hug you if I could (consider it done--hope it didn't freak you out ;) ). Keep choosing grateful. It makes life so much easier.

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    1. Blogger has been funny lately! :( Glad you tried again! I LOVE the photo too! Thanks! I feel the hug... thank you! I know you speak from experience... which makes it carry more weight! Thank you friend!

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  11. RIGHT what I needed today for my heart! Happy Mother's Day weekend!!

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    1. Happy Mother's Day weekend right back at ya, sweet friend! <3

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  12. Anonymous1:35 PM

    This is beautiful, Karrilee. I'm sorry you've had a tough week; I just said a prayer for you. I hope your Mother's Day is beautiful AND I can't wait to see your vlog! God bless, friend. Here's to being grateful!

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    1. Jennifer, thanks so much! I can feel the prayers... praying you hav a blessed and beautiful Mother's Day as well! Here's to being grateful... and brave, right... and doing it scared! ;)

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  13. So maybe it's just because this week is kicking my butt (no good reason, it just is), but reading this makes me get all teary. I think it's the parallelism in our lives and imagining the day that it's going to be my turn to go out and buy furniture for the girl who's ready to move. You have had so much this week - praying that as you continue to walk through it, you will be covered with grace and God's peace. Standing grateful with you for so very much.

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    1. Oh my friend... I know... I am teary too - but grateful and that alone is just all Him and how Ann says it best... All is Grace. (But I forget... or at the very least I want Grace to look - well - how I want it to look!) Thank you for the prayers... and for standing with me! I know you are! Love you bunches!

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  14. Some days we do have to fight to be grateful. May you always fight for gratitude!

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    1. Rachel - I only add a hearty Amen!!! Thanks for the prayer... I'm praying it right back over you as well! Thanks for stopping by today!

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  15. Rebekah, you're not the only one who read this and got teary-eyed. I did too. I need to practice being thankful for the hard things. It is so simple to be thankful for the easy things, but I need to learn to be thankful in all things. I also worry about things a lot, and I know I need to pray more and worry less. Thank you so much Karilee for the encouragement.

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    1. Jo Rose... I am praying for you, sweet friend! It is a hard thing to learn but it truly does make such a huge difference... sometimes you can't count it in the moment, and that is ok... but to remember to lean in anyway and trust that there truly are gifts in there to find in the darkness and the hurt! It just takes a little light to shine... I come from a long line of worriers and I can tell you - God can change your bent and take that habit away!

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  16. Anonymous5:09 PM

    Yes somedays it is so hard to count blessings and this week has been very difficult for me too. Mother's Day will be here in two days and I will be missing my momma and her hugs. But I too count on because I am blessed beyond words and God's gentle reminders are all around me. In 2014, I have become an empty nester and have lost my mom. Loss weighs heavy but God's grace is bigger and His love is stronger. I understand every emotion you described and I will be praying for you as you let go and let your daughter soar. Blessings and Happy Mother's Day!

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    1. Mary, I am praying for you my friend! So thankful that God's grace truly is bigger and His love is stronger! Asking Him to shower you with both this weekend! Happy Mother's Day to you too!

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  17. Oh my I needed this- some gifts are hard aren't they? Been counting even on the hard days.

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  18. Love, love, love this!! My heart is breaking for you over the losses you are enduring and walking into. I'm lifting you up though, to press on and see the joys to come and the gifts in the hurt. {{hugs}} Can't wait to see that video!

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    1. Sweet Amy - thanks so much for hte prayers my friend! The funeral was today - good but hard... counting gifts all the way through! (Yikes... the video? I scheduled it so I wouldn't chicken out!) ;)

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  19. Oh how lovely! Praying for continued comfort for your losses and for many more blessings. I just loved the picture of you and your girlie. :) So very lovely.

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    1. Kelly, thanks so much for stopping by! That photo is one of my favorites! Way back then she was just so shy and so tired (and so unwilling to smile for the photographer!) - who knew how much I would come to cherish it? Thanks for the prayers... I can feel them!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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