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.  

DEEP - A Five Minute Friday post.

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I don't want to shock you... but here I sit, ready to write. I know it's been a while -especially if you don't count the Colossians posts (which you totally should, of course!) In fact, the last FMF post that was written in this space was all about taking two steps forward, and one step back and included a prayer request for my sweet sister and her Jackson. It's been a week ago today that he took one step forward into eternity... and we took several steps back, grounded here without him. But --we'll get to that in a moment... 

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: DEEP... so let's go and let's see what spills out, shall we?

{GO!}

I got the call.  

I have been telling my oldest sister that all she needed to do was call me

and I could get to her in 2-1/2 hours!  

She called last Thursday with no words really to be said. 

It was the call we all dreaded and refused to see coming...

the call saying,  'If you want to come to say goodbye

-now is the time.'  

Only we didn't want to...  We didn't want to say goodbye... 

The Middle Matters... a Five Minute Friday post (and Book review post --because, of course!)

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August? It's already August? If you subscribe to the monthly NewsyLetter then you may have just read about how I feel like we JUST fell into the rhythm of lazy summer days and it's already August? (Not that I'm actually complaining because if you have been around this little corner for long at all, you know Fall is my favorite!)

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: MIDDLE

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I have said it several times: Whenever Lisa-Jo Baker writes something, I'm gonna get my hands and my head and my heart all around it. (And more than likely, I'm gonna share it and tell all my friends to read it, too!) So it was no real surprise to find myself on the Launch Team for her latest book, The Middle Matters. I've been on all of her launch teams to date... I knew that going in this book was different in that it is a collection of essays and they are all based on the Middle --of life, of parenting, of marriage, of --you know, our middles!?

I love Lisa-Jo because she is real... she is honest and open and she just tells it like it is. She is full of grace and love and she makes room at any given table and scooches over on any given couch. Her message rings loud and clear: You are welcome here.  

There is something that is so needed for voices like hers --for hearts like hers-- in our world right now! She is an InCourager (--ya see what I did there?) and a Champion and, gah! We need more people to be people that love well and follow hard after Him (while being Oh So Real about our messy lives!)

I have found myself in the middle of oh so many things right now... 

Cup Your Hands & Position Your Heart... Willing - A Five Minute Friday post.

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Oh, Summer! (Am I right?)

Let's just get to it! 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: WILLING

{GO!}

I'm tempted to just wait... I mean... it's Thursday afternoon and I know a 'new' word will be released tonight. I already wrote two posts this week because --at least for a couple of things-- I'm letting my calendar boss me around.  Honestly - the only reason that is true is that I have felt, shall we say, uninspired as of late.  So while my heart is willing --my flesh is weak and I just haven't set aside time to sit in this chair and tap out words consistently for a while now.

Mostly, I'm totally ok with that.

I've been busy being present in my actual life and

while it is not easy or fun a lot of the time right now,

it is vital and it is a priority and I have no regrets...

well --other than these two:
#1. I miss Y'all tons! ...and

#2. This is how I process.

For real... writing here in this space helps me to unpack the things God has whispered to me along the way and gives me perspective and insight and hope that I may miss if I just try to keep it to myself! So here I sit... willing... and waiting... and remembering how my OneWord for this year is a Do-Over (or Do-Better) word and, My oh My...

Joy is a promise He just
keeps on giving me...

An Opportunity for Growth... A Five Minute Friday post.

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Hello, friends! My, how I am missing the #fmfparty community over on Twitter on Thursday nights. However that is the evening of our small group meetings now and as much as I miss Y'all --you know how I value some eye to eye, face to face, kind of connections! Still... I haven't given up hope to somehow make them both work (--at least once in a while!) Until then... 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: OPPORTUNITY

{GO!}

Oh, Opportunity!  

I see the word and realize this can go in so many different directions! 

We've been in a strange, long season of waiting in the In-Between... keeping our hearts in His hands and allowing our eyes to scan the horizon for any new opportunities coming our way! We've been patient (mostly!) and willing to wait for whatever is next --while still pursuing HIM more than we pursue anything or anyone else!  

To be honest, we've been saturated with His goodness and graced with an abundance of peace -but, Y'all!- we are growing a little weary... 

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!

A Language Fluent in Hope... Glorious Weakness - A Book Review post.

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I wrote a post last week, sharing two different visions I had during prayer that happened just days before I got an advanced copy of Glorious Weakness. 'Seeing' what I saw, and then reading the gift of words found in this book was such a confirmation! As I mentioned last week, this book was written and bled out by my friend, Alia Joy!  I highly recommend her book --but not just because she's a friend!

I recommend it because I think we all need it! 

Glorious Weakness - Discovering God In All We Lack by Alia Joy

This, from the Introduction:
“These days, when I am adrift on rough seas of life, and the tidal wave of my own limitations crashes against me, I need the X written down and mapped out so that I can believe in treasure again, to believe in beauty. I need to believe that lost things can be found if we only know where to look. My saltwater tears have mixed with the ash from the Refiner’s fire, and they form the ink to pen my story, a story that helps me find my way to the beauty that was always buried and waiting... So many people don’t have a way to talk about these kinds of struggles. The thing is, we all want to be able to tell the truth about ourselves and God. Some of us just didn’t know we were allowed... I hope this book gives you permission to illuminate the darkness in your own life, to skip the shortcut, to weather the storm, and to seek out the treasures along the way... There’s power in truth-telling, in resurrecting the sunken things and sifting them, a couple good shakes to get the sand out and let the light back in.”

Listen, Sweet Readers, it's no secret that I adore Alia!

I have long been a fan online and have been leaving '{insert gushing comment here!}' comments on posts throughout the blogosphere for years and years now. She is a friend in real life as well and when I heard she was writing a book I knew three things: 

Joy and Finding Saturated Goodness... A One Word post.

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Just the other day I was reflecting on the first couple of months of 2019 and how --even with all the surgeries and slow recoveries and difficulties in healing, this year is ALREADY so much better than 2018 and I was thinking it was probably time to check in with my OneWord365 and see how it has been showing up for me!

Do you guys have OneWord that you pick --or that picks you? If so, have you been intentional in finding it... in staying alert and aware in case it shows up for you in random ways or unexpected places? 

I only ask because I know how easy it can be to claim a word and then just move along with your living and forget to pay attention! (In fact, my OneWord is a Do-Over Do-BETTER Word! You can read about that here.)

Normally those New Years' Resolutions are fading away by March --at least for me. However, with my One Word --if I remember to look for it, it's usually all around me if I will just focus my eyes and expectations!

So I was already feeling the need to reflect back and take note of how (and where!) JOY has shown up for me this year when during my devotional time yesterday --the Lord whispered a specific Psalm to pray through.  He does this from time to time and I am never disappointed in following His lead.  

For much of the last couple of years, 
He has been quieter than usual. 
I'm not a fan of it... 
I much prefer His chattiness! 

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:

When You Really Need a Do-Over... or more like a Do-Better! A OneWord365 post.

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It's nearing the end of the year and if you've hung out around here in late December or early January, then you know that we do a few Annual posts...

* One is the post where I discuss All the Books... I already wrote that one and you can find it HERE.

* Another one is usually posted on January 1st or 2nd, and that is a Prophetic post revealing a Word (or phrase) and a Book in the Bible that I feel the Lord is highlighting for the year to come! This post comes after spending the first few hours of the New Year alone and cuddled in close, asking Him for His heart for what is to come. (So that will come soon!)

* And then there is this OneWord365 project that we have done for several years and counting now! (This is that post!)

Listen,  here's the deal:
2018 has been so full of Heavy and Hard (even more so than 2017... which was pretty terrible, if you recall!) and somehow I completely forgot about my OneWord... 

Well, it seems it forgot about me, too!
Or at least that is how I felt
when I went back to look it up!

God With Us... A Five Minute Friday post.

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With only a handful of days left until Christmas, I hope and pray you are all done with all the madness and chaos... but I know chances are good that at least some of you are running around down to the last possible moment!

As Advent winds down, and our waiting is met with the fulfillment cries of a newborn King, this is our final Five Minute Friday link up of the year!

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: WITH

{GO!}


With Christmas being literally just days away...
of course, my mind and my heart go immediately
to the verse in Matthew 1 where we are told
that Jesus will be born and
His name shall be Immanuel,
God with us.

God WITH us... 
I mean...
Come on!

After all the waiting... 
the lamenting and longing through Advent
(and through those 400+ years of silence!)
God promises that He is about to
break through the darkness and
break through the dawn
and He is coming to cram Himself
into flesh and blood and
He will be known as Emmanuel
--which means, 'God with us'!

And all of Creation heaves a sigh of relief...
Because -even before we knew Him...
we've missed Him!

Be Still and Know... A Five Minute Friday post.

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I see the word and think of something we just chatted about for our latest episode, "The Christmas Story - Gospel Edition" on The Changing Our Minds Podcast... and I also think about how I keep wishing all of this Stillness and Waiting would move along already!

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: STILL

{GO!}


When I see the one-word prompt,
my mind goes to an all familiar phrase...
one that we say often and one that has
felt oh so bossy as of late: 

"Be Still and Know that I am God." (~Psalm 46:10)

I mean... I used to love this verse!  
I used to relish in entering in a bit of
Stillness and Silence.  

I'm sure I will come to love it once again,
but over the past month or so
I have grown weary of waiting.

I've been pondering the 400+ years of silence
and it is not lost on me
--how my impatience is so silly
in light of my (relatively 'short') wait.  

And also there is this: 
I know deep down in my bones and my soul
that --always!-- He is worth that waiting...
He is worth the wait!

When Your Spiritual Equilibrium is Out of Balance... a Five Minute Friday post.

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Hey there, sweet readers!  

I know this is December and the Christmas season
and this is the time of year where this little corner
is normally full of festive thoughts and good cheer.
However, I see the word prompt and I know
the chances of this post getting around
to Christmas Joy is slim... 
but Truth can always be found here... 
as well as honesty! 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: BALANCE

{GO!}

We were talking in our home group just the other night...
it was after spending an hour in prayer together,
where we simply speak out
whatever God puts on our hearts
and others come alongside in agreement
and lift our arms and hearts and heads.  

Oh, how we need each other!

We are a small band of brothers and sisters
with kindred hearts and we all have found ourselves
this year in some sort of an In-Between season...
a bit unsettled, and feeling a tad unsteady!

We shared how we seem to be
missing the Thrill of Hope... 
We are most definitely all
feeling the Weary World... 
yet we're still waiting for
the Rejoicing to begin! 

















But isn't that Advent?
  It's the waiting... the hoping... 

And even though we know He came... 
even though we know He is still here now... 
we feel a bit out of balance and we are
longing for a bit of Wonder & Joy!