January 13, 2019

Things Are Gonna Get Better... a Five Minute Friday post.


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Hello There, Sweet Readers!

Here we are... mid-January already and I am on the other side of both eye surgeries. One was an instant miraculous success, the other is slower in healing and clearing up - but we are believing that both eyes will give clear vision and many of the 'issues' I battled the last few years will be no more!  This explains the quiet hush around here as it is taking time for my eyes to heal and adjust and work together! But Y'all know how I love the FMF Community... so, here we go:

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which simply means I set a timer
and free write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: BETTER


{GO!}


When I see the One Word Prompt, "Better"
--of course, immediately I think of my sight...
my vision --both physical and spiritual!  
I think of how it feels like we've been WAITING
and waiting and waiting for Better to arrive!

I am on the other side of eye surgeries and as I mentioned above, the first surgery was quite miraculous.  It was easier than they anticipated and the sight was closer to 20/20 within hours of being post-surgery than it ever had been before. The second surgery (done on 1/10) was a lot harder, longer, more complicated than they anticipated, and when I removed the bandage, the vision was extremely blurry and the concern was that the surgery either didn't work or the lens had shifted. (Note - this was MY fear concern... not that we had any warning that this could be true.) My Honey likes to say that as easy as the first surgery was, the second surgery was a Battle!

I laugh whenever he says this because he says it like maybe I was not aware. Oh, I was aware. I was awake and aware the whole time.

Listen, if 2018 had a theme song... this would be it:


"Ooh, Child... things are gonna get easier!
Ooh, Child... things will get brighter!"


So here we are, nearly halfway into January
and a Brand New Year and you know what? 
I'm ready for a new song... 
I'm ready for things to actually get easier
--well, maybe not easier because this is real life, right? 
But Better, for sure!
I'm so ready for Better!


"Someday, We'll get it together and we'll get it all done
Someday When your head is much lighter.
Someday, We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Someday When the world is much brighter."

You too, right? 
I mean... it seems almost universal
that last year was full of Heavy and Hard...
full of Waiting and Wondering When...

It seems nearly everyone we've talked to recently
share in the Good Riddance feeling of last year!

So here we are... and already we can see the Hope of Better
all around the edges of the hard places.


While I don't know what the 'new' theme song for 2019 is yet
I have a sneaking suspicion that this is because
we are going to have to come up with it on our own!

It won't be an old familiar tune, 
brought back to life.

Not this time.
  Not this year.

No... it will be brand new...
New Verses... New Chorus...
A New Bridge...

And it will be Better!
It WILL!
(How can it not, right?)

Just as my vision is taking time to
heal and come into focus,
so are the plans for what
He has in store for us!


I heard Kris Vallotton sharing the other day
on the verse in Ps 119, that talks about how
His Word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path... 
and he was saying he thinks this is referring to
two different seasons that we walk through with the Lord.
When He is showing us our purpose and destiny, 
His Word is a Light to our Path and we see ahead
and get stirred up with Hope and Anticipation!
But when His Word is a Lamp to our feet,
it's because we can't see ahead of us
but it's a season of trusting and knowing that
He is right there beside us!
It's a season of learning to trust
and to keep walking anyway... 
even in the dark and the unknown...
because we know that we know that He is in it with us
and that He IS leading and guiding us,
even when it is just one step at a time!

I don't know about you, but for me?
Last year His Word was a Lamp unto my feet...
and whenever I would start to trip up or slow down,
I would hear Him whisper-sing this song over me:
"Ooh, Child... things are gonna get easier!

Ooh, Child... things will get brighter..."
And I learned to trust Him and take Him at His Word!

{STOP!}

So here's to the changing of the Seasons and to the Brand New Song that we are all writing this year!

Here's to a season of Light Unto My Path... 
a season filled with Hope and Anticipation
(and clearer vision - in the natural and the spiritual realms!)




Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today.  Five Minute Fridays give 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 "BETTER"

The FMF lowdown: The gathering happens on Twitter on Thursday nights & then we write our hearts out & hit publish all over the interwebs on Thursday & Friday (& sometimes on Tuesdays!) It's where we encourage & uplift... where we share prayer requests & praise reports... where we talk about food & friends & we find support & kindred hearts. It's where we are reminded that life is good & God is good & we're not alone... & then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts & our fingers do the talking tapping & we hit publish before we can second-guess it all away. We'd love to have you join us!

I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:


With the Holidays and then my surgeries, even THE CHANGING OUR MINDS PODCAST has been a little quiet...  We will be recording the first new episode of the new year this afternoon! Chances are good we'll talk about fresh starts and do-overs and new goals and maybe even that One Word we're focusing on in 2019! We'd love to have you join us at the Table as we catch up over a cup of something yummy and share life together! As always, you can SUBSCRIBE here to have the Podcast sent to your preferred listening device so you won't miss a thing! Also, follow us on Facebook to join in on the conversations!


25 comments :

  1. Our 2018 was a season of reaping and we were blessed. But, I definitely know about hard years. Grace seemed like my oneword2019 but Father got persistent, AGAIN, and literally wrote it down on January 1 as I wrote a letter, 2019 the Year of God's FAVOR. So, Favor it is with a grace wing! I pray 2019 is a better year for the Aggett family. xo

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  2. Praise God! I'm so glad that you are healing and that your vision is better! It's good to see you back in this space. Blessings to you as you write and live life for Jesus this year!

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    1. Right back at you, friend! Praying for you and all of your creative endeavors! xoxo

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  3. I started reading your blog title and your theme song from last year was exactly what popped into my head. 2019 is already better in so many ways....yes! Love you friend!

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  4. Anonymous9:22 PM

    This post reminded me of the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision." I am going to pray for you right now, friend. -Jolene Dear Lord, Please be with Karrilee. Heal her eye and clear up her vision. Comfort and strengthen her. Wrap her in Your love and peace. In Jesus name, Amen.

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  5. This is how I feel about the new year. It will be better. Even if things take a turn, it will be better. My mindset is different.

    ~Your FMF neighbor.

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    1. Yes and Amen! It WILL be better! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  6. That last comment was from me. My son was logged in. I am so ready for better! Bring it on. And I am praying for perfect eyesight for you my friend!

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  7. Love the snow picture of the ice heart cradled in warm gloves. That's what life can feel like, yet the Holy Spirit comforts us so beautifully. Thanks for your consistenly encouraging posts.

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    1. (The photos are all from Unsplash... that image really spoke to me, too!) Thanks so much for stopping by, Karen! Here's to a BETTER New Year!

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  8. Karrilee, I'm so glad to hear you are on the other side of such delicate surgeries. It does seem like so many, including myself are ready to see the end of 2018, and I join with you in collecting hope for a fresh start and new possibilities. Happy New Year!

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    1. Here's to a Better, Happier, Healthier New Year, my friend! xoxo

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  9. That song! I've been trying to think of it for over a month now! My husband recently played me a song that brought back such good childhood memories, and then I wanted to hear this song, but couldn't think of it! Now I've written it down...but where should I put it that I will remember it when I want to look it up again? I've already forgotten the name of the song my husband played for me! I guess when I need it, it will appear again like it did on your lovely blog. Thank you! Your post was very encouraging!

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    1. Isn't God good? I love this song... I thought of it often as I felt the Lord whisper it to me several times in the midst of the darkness last year... and then I heard this version played on a tv show and looked it up! So good! You are welcome here, any time!

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  10. Anonymous7:40 PM

    2018...a move to a new town and home in 2017...then Kenneth diagnosed with terminal cancer 1/2018. The doctors gave him 7-10 days. God blessed us with 5 months before He took him home. 2018 was tough. 2018 has brought me to a new place in life. 2018 has grown me in so many ways. 2019 is better already. I have a new church family that is building as I get to know sisters and brothers in the Lord. I am reminded that I am not alone, that I can take care of my home, that God provides and blesses. 2019 is already BETTER! I have been away from my blog and just getting back. Glad to have you, Karrilee, as a neighbor today at Meghan's. ~ linda @ Being Woven

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    1. Wow, Linda! 2018 was full of hard changes and loss for you as well! I'm so sorry but I'm so happy to hear you have a church family that is supportive and loving you through to this new season! I agree... 2019 IS better already! Praying it continues to unleash all kinds of blessings! So glad we are neighbors!

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  11. Hoping this for myself and my family, but praying for your recovery to be swifter and complete! laurensparks.net

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    1. Thanks so much! Praying this over you and your family as I pray it over my own!

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  12. Karrilee, hi! Praying for you even as I tap away here ... may you continue to have healing and hope. Keep on writing your way through it all.

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  13. Isn't that so good, Stephanie? I had to pause the podcast and write it down... it made so much sense to me and I couldn't believe I had never seen that before! I've used that verse many times over the years... and this differentiation is so helpful! Thanks so much for stopping on by!

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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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