Next! (Tag You're It!) ...A Five Minute Friday post.

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Hey there, friends! I'm not even gonna small talk... let's just get into it, alright? 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: NEXT

{GO!}

Today is Good Friday... 

I already pondered a bit on facebook about how on Good Friday, in the shadow of the Old Rugged Cross, nothing felt or looked or could be fathomed to be Good at all! 

It was dark and doubtful and full of Fear... 
and Saturday comes in Silence... 
full of confusion and chaos 
and the quiet is almost always just too much... 
but then comes Sunday 
with all its celebration and salvation
and we see that what looked like the end,
was not the end... 
but in fact, 
a new beginning!

I almost titled this, "Thank You, Next!" but had a check.
I knew it was the name of a song and thank goodness I looked up the lyrics
(--so you don't have to! Just trust me on this... it was only funny in my mind until I read the words!) 
But the sentiment of the thought still rings true!

Jesus rose from the dead
and that was NOT the end!
It is Finished, yes... 
but it is like He was saying,
"Next! Tag! You're It!"
as He ascended back to on High!

He did all He needed to do...
and yet how many know
there is work still to be done?

Not to earn salvation or grace or love... 
He finished all of that on the Cross.

But the Kingdom is still coming near
and people are still unaware
He went back to Heaven
promising to return again
for a pure and spotless Bride.

He will return but until He does
--Man, we should be about
our Fathers' business, too! 
Just like Jesus was!

What is His business?

Something about Loving people back to life...
about forgiving and providing and protecting.

Something about Creating Community and 
Growing Family and Living a Life that
lights the way for those still lost in darkness.

Something about loving His kids...
Letting them know He is not swayed
by poor choices or mistakes.
But His eye is always trained, 
slowly scanning the horizon,
searching for anyone
coming home again!

Something about how we are now
His Hands and His Feet...
--about how He lives INSIDE of us
and His Love and Joy should be evident
to all we meet!

Something about, 
It is Finished! 
He's too Legit!
He is Risen!
And Tag, You're It!

{STOP!}

I know... but with only five minutes, how poetic can I really be?
I feel like I (almost) started with a song lyric and I (almost) ended with a song lyric
so that in itself is pretty poetic, right?

It's started out a gorgeous, sunny Spring day here but suddenly
it's windy and stormy and the skies are threatening rain and that 
--well, that feels like a Good Friday kind of thing!

Happy Easter Weekend, Sweet Readers!

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 "NEXT"

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!

Photos courtesy of Unsplash

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

Crystal Twaddell for #FreshMarketFriday

Mary Geisen for #TellHisStory

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

Sue Donaldson for #LetsHaveCoffee

 We have a new Easter episode uploaded today!  Maybe somehow you don't know this, but we have our very own (somewhat non-blog-related) podcast called THE CHANGING OUR MINDS PODCAST! Karrilee and her all grown up Girlie, Kayelyn, co-host this podcast and talk about Oh So Many random things!  Faith plays a part, sure... but it is more like joining us for coffee as we catch up on the couch or sitting at the table! We talk about whatever is on our minds and often reveal things that we used to think we knew... but we've changed our minds! We'd love to have you join us at the Table or a comfy couch as we catch up over a cup of something yummy and share life together! We invite you to 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!