MUSIC - A Five Minute Friday post

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Welcome to Five Minute Friday! It is a community of writers who write for five minutes flat, using a One Word prompt --a Flashmob of writers all leaning in and seeing what spills out as the timer ticks away! 

This is a Five Minute Friday post...and our Word Prompt this week is: MUSIC!

{GO!} 

I see the prompt and I can't help it! I am a lover of music and I am well aware of the power it has in my life!  My first thought goes to how so many songs have the power to draw you back to a moment or a memory and what a gift that is/can be!  

While I love all kinds of music, it comes as a shock to no one that worship is my favorite! I'm married to a gifted and anointed musician... a worship leader who is intentional in creating space for the Holy Spirit to come... to interrupt... to take over.  

QUICK - A Five Minute Friday post

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It has, yet again, accidentally been a while!  But I found myself with an unexpected day off today - on a Friday, no less... so I'm back, joining in with the community of writers who write for five minutes flat, using a One Word prompt --a Flashmob of writers all leaning in and seeing what spills out as the timer ticks away! This is a Five Minute Friday post...and our Word Prompt is: QUICK!

{GO!} 

It happens so quickly... Life passing by... Days turning into years... we Blink and milestones have come and gone.

We want to slow. down. time.  

Just take a breath and give us a minute... 

Honestly, I can't wait until we are no longer bound to it --- this clock and this system that keeps us busy and distracted and pulls us down like Gravity when what our souls were made for -- what they long for is an escape into Eternity... longing for all the time in heaven, for all the good things (read: NOT 'things'!) that await us!

ASSUME - A Five Minute Friday post

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I have missed this practice and community of writing for five minutes flat off of a One Word prompt --a Flashmob of writers all leaning in and seeing what spills out as the timer ticks away! This is a Five Minute Friday post...and our One Word Prompt is: ASSUME!

{GO!} 

My eyes see the One Word Prompt and my heart is already mid-sentence before I even open the screen to write.  

Oh - Assumptions... how they can boss us around!

I believe Assumptions and Ascribing Intent are two of the biggest tools of our enemy. 

I know?! I feel the hugeness of that statement too and I wonder for just a moment if I am being dramatic... if I am overstating this thought.

So I slow... even as the timer ticks away... and I ask the Lord if I am on the right track here... 

"Lord,  what happens when we assume... when we write a story in our own mind in a flash with absolutely no facts or background... what is it that happens in our hearts?"

Immediately I felt His answer... 

May He be Harder to Ignore... a Five Minute Friday post

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This is a Five Minute Friday post... Five Minute Friday posts are when I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat. Then I add graphics and format a bit, but the actual writing stops (or at least is given an asterisk!) when my timer goes off! I am a bit out of practice but I'm back again... leaning in, and listening closely to what the Spirit is saying... let's go!

{GO!} 

My practice in the old days was to see the One Word Prompt and immediately ask the Lord what He wanted to say. That is something I am most definitely NOT out of practice in doing. I ask Him these things all the time, and normally He is quick to speak! 

He has opinions, friends... and He's not shy about them if we will only ask! 

And that is when it hits me: We have heard it countless times - how Jesus is a gentleman and He will not push Himself on us. He pursues us with a passion and focus that should take our breath away. It should leave us weak in the knees and stunned at His selfless, all-encompassing love for us. 

Receive - A return to the Five Minute Friday Post

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This is a Five Minute Friday post... It has been a long, long while since I have played along with this practice, this community... but I am hoping to get back to some sort of consistency in sitting in this chair and typing words together... In case you are new - or like me, may have forgotten -  Five Minute Friday posts are when I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat. Sometimes I then add graphics and format a bit, but the actual writing stops (or at least is given an asterisk!) when my timer goes off! I'm out of practice in all things writing but here I sit... leaning in, and getting back to some old practices!  Here we go!

Today, our one-word prompt is: RECEIVE

{GO!} 

Receive...

I see the word prompt and immediately remember doing a post on this word years and years ago... maybe around Christmas time.  I am also reminded that it has been WAY too long since I have sat in this space and tapped on keys to reveal my heart.

I stepped away from the Blogging World a while ago. It was a slow fade for me... 

Spring is Coming... A Five Minute Friday post.

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I'm just going to jump right in... This is a Five Minute Friday post... which simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat. I then add graphics and format a bit, but the actual writing stops (or at least is given an asterisk!) when my timer goes off! 

Today, our one-word prompt is: GREEN

{GO!} 

Green...

I see the prompt and immediately my mind is all over the place! It's March - so of course I think St. Patrick's Day. I just wrote our March Newsletter and talked of Luck and Blessing and that is fresh on my heart... and then Spring! Oh, Glorious Spring! It's flirting with us here in my little corner of the world -but I have to admit I am hesitant to fully believe that Winter is gone and Spring is upon us! (I hope... of course! I am ever hopeful for all that Spring brings with it!)

I calm my thoughts and take a deep breath. I remember that in this space, more than my own words --I desire to share His words... to share whatever it is that HE is wanting to say to you. So I pray... just for a few seconds (because this is Five Minute Friday, after all!) and I feel Peace wash over me and I sense His direction!

Sunrise... a Five Minute Friday post.

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Here we are, on a Saturday morning... and this post right here already surpasses all of our posts in 2020! In other words... It's only February and I'm already crossing off a goal for 2021!  Maybe next week, I'll even make it over to the Twitter Party for the FMF Community! (#fmfparty). 

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat. I then add graphics and format a bit, but the actual writing stops (or at least is given an asterisk!) when my timer goes off! 

Today, our one-word prompt is: SUNRISE

{GO!} 

Sunrise...

I see the word prompt and I think immediately of the Hope I feel whenever I see the sunrise. (Which, to be honest, is not every day because -well, I am a fan of sleep!) But it's such a tangible glimpse of Glory and the Hope that comes with a brand new day!

As much as we love to go to the beach --(and we do!)  We are on the West Coast and mostly, we watch the Sun SET into the ocean and praise God at the sheer beauty. We rarely get up early enough to go watch it rise.  Watching the sun SET is powerful, too. Still filled with glory and satisfaction. 

God is so smart.  

How wise we would be to start and end each day,

simply receiving the gift He gives us through His creation!

"But as for me, your strength shall be my song of joy. At each and every sunrise, my lyrics of your love will fill the air! For you have been my glory-fortress, a stronghold in my day of distress." Psalm 59:16

Oh, When We Long for an Easy Fix... a Five Minute Friday post.

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This year I have set a goal to write in this space more often. This is not a lofty goal... as I mentioned on January 1st, I only tapped out words here 5 or 6 times in 2020! Already - this goal has almost been met! Still... one of my favorite forms of writing here over the many years has been to participate with the Five Minute Friday community!

I have missed the free flow of a timed writing challenge --and even more so, I've missed the camaraderie of knowing we are not in this alone! Writing our heart out on a blank screen and hitting publish can feel oh so vulnerable and lonely... to be honest, I battled with that most of last year. It felt pointless... like it didn't really matter... But - it does matter! Even if I write these words and they only minister to me... they matter! So --let's get back into this routine!

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat. I then add graphics and format a bit, but the actual writing stops (or at least is given an asterisk!) when my timer goes off! 

Today, our one-word prompt is: FIX

{GO!} 

Fix...

I see the prompt and immediately think, "Fix it, Jesus!"
(I mean, right?) 

No matter what we think is broken --in ourselves, our lives, our families, marriages, churches, country, world... whatever feels or looks or IS broken... we want it fixed! 

But if we are being totally honest... sometimes we don't really want the right fix... we want the EASY fix!  And, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but... Jesus? Yeah... He fixes things the correct way - going all the way down to the root. There are no shortcuts or quick-fixes with Him.  He's in it for the long haul and He sees the WHOLE thing from every vantage point!  

He's never in a rush... 

  It's not who He is or how He operates!

So while we long for an Easy fix, He longs for a Back-to-the-Original,-Never-Been-Broken fix... He longs, as He whispered to me softly on New Years' Day, Resurrection sometimes over Restoration.

His Ways are Higher... Perspective - a Five Minute Friday post.

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My, Oh My!  It's been a long pause, hasn't it? I'm hoping that at least Y'all are signed up for the monthly Newsyletter --but even that, as of late, hasn't quite exactly been monthly, per se!  I had a sweet reader reach out to me last week, taking notice of my absence! (Thank you, Connie, for your kind email!)

It has felt as if the enemy has, yet again, been after my Voice! In quite literal terms, I've been battling some sort of something for too long but I have turned the corner and am feeling much better! (Let me tell you, having allergies or any sort of cough or little bug is SO uncool right now! No one loves it!)  Anyway --here I sit, in this old familiar place, completely out of the habit of writing... but that hasn't stopped me from jumping right back in before... so Let's go!

This is a Five Minute Friday post... which, as you should know by now, simply means I set a timer and free-write for five minutes flat on the one-word prompt: PERSPECTIVE.

{GO!}

I see the word and my first thoughts go to, "Yes, please!"  

Oh My --how we need a bigger perspective than what we are often limited to-- especially lately!  As the Word so clearly states, His ways are not our ways... His thoughts are not our thoughts! 

We need to take a breath... back up... hold our tongue (and our opinions) for one hot minute and remember that no amount of experience, theories, data, or even experts are going to give us what He offers us for free... 
all day, every day!

A Tribute to a Real Proverbs 31 Woman... A Five Minute Friday post.

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I can't even...

I saw the word prompt on Friday morning and thought of writing a tribute to the Woman my girlie has grown up to be! After vacationing with her for five days and seeing her Mama Lil Miss -- honestly, I was so blown away with her awesomeness!

But the day got away from me and I never did find my way back to this chair.  And then we got news this morning and my sweet Mother-In-Law passed away and I knew... even though five minutes will never be enough time, with the suddenness and the shock - it will be a start of processing and praising, so here we go:

{GO}

I was grafted into this family through marriage some 25+ years ago. 

Ours was a short courtship. I was a new Christian and My Honey was newly returning to his roots as a PK and believer.  This falling in love with the Lord was happening while we were falling in love with each other and I am pretty sure that I was not what his sweet Mama had in mind.  

This was the return of her firstborn... her only son.

But I was different from his other girlfriends... 
I don't know that that was bad
--and in the end, it turned out to be very good... 
but it seemed her first impression of me was not great. 

I was clearly no Proverbs 31 woman. 
I hadn't even HEARD of a Proverbs 31 woman.

The Way Maker... A Five Minute Friday post.

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Listen... it's summertime and we are in the midst of a whole lot of hard and holy... so we won't pretend that I even knew what day Thursday was last week - or the week before that... But tonight, He called me to sit in this chair and to lean back into His chest and let His arms of Love wrap around us... holding us close... trusting Him even when we can not see! He calls me to stir up my faith... and to encourage you, sweet reader, to do the same!

Our One Word Prompt is ANNIVERSARY. This is Five Minute Friday! 
Let's go...

{GO}

I made it! I actually made it on over to 'the Twitter' tonight to play with the tribe of amazing writers that make up the Five Minute Friday community! It felt so good to catch up and pretend for a few that life is back to normal... whatever that is! I don't even know anymore... 

But it's good.  It really is --even while it is Hard and Holy, too!  We know we are in the In-Between on nearly all counts... so what was normal is not available anymore... but we have Peace about that. 

And yet... I see the prompt and I'm not so sure I want to play along. 

My first thought when I see "Anniversary" is the anniversary we just reached a few weeks ago --the year marker of losing our brother-in-law.  To see how God has worked and has healed and has comforted our sweet sister and her boys is amazing!  Hard... and Holy.

And then my mind goes forward to the days following our little gathering at his graveside.  The days filled with doctors appointments and ER visits and what we thought was one thing turns out is most likely something else... something worse... but God!

Release the Secret Weapon - A Five Minute Friday post.

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I woke up the other day hearing the Lord mid-sentence. We'll talk about what He shared with me next week, but the point is this: 

He is speaking... 
  and I am hearing!
           #JazzPraiseHands and #HallelujahAmen

But for now... this is Five Minute Friday... and our One Word Prompt is: RELEASE! 

{GO}

I'm not one to believe in coincidence. I know it is sometimes easier to reason things away but it seems with every weekly prompt as of late God has already been speaking to me all around the one word.

And with Release... well, it seems we are in a season of releasing things and the Lord is merciful and kind.  Even when it doesn't feel like it... even when He may need to pry my fingers open in order for me to let go!  

There are seasons that He calls us to step up and pick up some things, and oh boy - there are seasons when He calls us to step down and lay down some things, too!

But as soon as I saw the prompt I knew we would not really dig in to all of that quite yet! Maybe one day we'll talk about the laying down and letting go in order to make room for the unknown-whatever-is-next... but not today. Oh no... 

Today I want to talk about a secret weapon that should be anything but secret... and how He released it long ago and it is a GIFT for us to unwrap and put on... put to use... and how using it makes all the difference!

How Jesus Settled the Score... - A Five Minute Friday post.

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I have been pacing myself back into a normal routine... resting my eyes a bit each day still. That resting time just so happens to be right around my normal writing time. So it has been quiet around here as of late. But that is not the only reason. The other reason is that we have had some changes in our little world... and since I write from my heart, I wanted to be sure my heart was good before I let any words spill out! 
#wisdom #yourewelcome #noteverythingismeantfortheinternets 

The Five Minute Friday community is the best gathering of Flashmob writers around!  We wait for the one word prompt and we throw caution and hesitation and editing to the wind, and we let our fingers fly and our feelings feel and we just wait and see what flows out in five minutes (or so! Because, grace!) and we hit Publish without second guessing or backspacing! 

Our one word prompt is: SETTLE! 

{GO}

I see this word and think, yet again, 
about how I am like a broken record and this word?
Yeah... it's not in my vocabulary.  

I've had to fight my way through
the temptation of it time after time,
and I've had to stand on ground that felt shaky and unsteady, 
but I know down deep in my bones that
God will never ask us to settle.

I say it all the time...
I preach it to family and friends... 
and to my own self when needed.

Settle, I believe, is not really in
God's vocabulary either!  

Well... at least not in some ways! 
Some definitions of Settle
are completely like Jesus... 
But others? --Not so much!

On this weekend, especially,
we know that our God
--He knows how to
Settle the Score, right?

Privilege... A Five Minute Friday post.

I couldn't not show up at ALL last night over on the Twitter, but I had been battling a migraine all day long. My day was full of good things - but oh so bossy, and so by the time I sat myself down in this chair, in front of this screen --well, my body was ready to just shut. it. down. man! So I said a quick hello, and went to a darker room and (mostly) closed my eyes for the evening! I woke up feeling MUCH better, praise God!

The Five Minute Friday community is the best gathering of Flashmob writers around!  We wait for the one word prompt and we throw caution and hesitation and editing to the wind, and we let our fingers fly and our feelings feel and we just wait and see what flows out in five minutes (or so! Because, grace!) and we hit Publish without second guessing or backspacing! Our one word prompt is: PRIVILEGE! 

{GO}

I see the word and catch my breath... because, of course!

This is a current buzzword that can stir up passion and debate and even if as it is uncomfortable, it is so important!

Sadly, it was only a few years ago that my eyes began to truly open.

I honestly didn't know... I very likely could have sided with many who continue now to say that White Privilege is not even a thing --at least not for them. 

As I wrote about in 2014 in a post titled #GoingThere (thanks to posts and in real life conversations with my friend Deidra Riggs), "Ignorance is Bliss only for the Ignorant!" and I went on to acknowledge that was me... I was ignorant...