Overcome ~ 27/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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It’s the final countdown of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes challenge. I have enjoyed seeing where the Lord’s lead me with each prompt and it’s been fun to write everyday! If you’d like to read what others have written click on over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Time Starts Now!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) / Pixabay

I have to have an MRI tomorrow. Gallstones have reared their ugly little heads.  As if the discomfort and apprehension of an attack aren’t enough, I now have to enter a small tube and stay there!

“People have MRI’s everyday,” I hear you say. And I know that’s true, however for me to slide into a small, confined space, I must first overcome my fear of being there. Elevators, caves, little rooms…you name it, if it’s small I. Don’t. Like. It. My breathing quickens, I begin to sweat, and my frantic search for an escape begins.

What’s a panicked gal to do? The only thing I know to do…….PRAY!  And so, I’m praying for peace, for calm, for logic, and for success in completing the test (without making a fool of myself). I’ve also asked family and friends to pray for me and it’s working!  Today, my fears have lessened and my confidence has grown.   I believe that I’ll be able to do what’s needed to get these crazy gallstones taken care of.

Tomorrow when the test is complete and I emerge from the place I once dreaded, I will remind myself that I did not overcome my fear; prayer did! 

Time’s up.

What are you facing today that you need to overcome? May I pray for you?

 

 

 

 

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Change ~ 26/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Thinking about change today has brought several things to mind: changing diapers, changing the sheets on the bed, changing appointments, changing the toilet paper roll….none of these are things I love. I’m not surprised though, because my relationship with change has always been a little challenging, ok, maybe a lot challenging!

I like an even keel, status quo, comfort zone kind of life! The familiar is my safety net. And then out of nowhere, along comes change. It pulls back my net , lets go, and flings me kicking and screaming into the unknown!

Have you ever watched a caterpillar become a butterfly?  Every year my Second Graders and I would collect Monarch Caterpillars, put them in a large pickle jar I kept in the classroom, filled it with Milkweed, and then waited. Each day we’d watch for any sign that would signal a change. Then sure enough, a brave caterpillar would climb up the ruler in the jar, attach itself, and hang upside down. I spent many evenings sitting with my lesson plans and papers to grade in front of that jar observing the process.  When it’s close to the time for the caterpillar to become a chrysalis, it begins writhing to and fro. It flings itself back and forth just as if it’s kicking and screaming against the unknown! And then, in a blink of an eye it is encased in a green tomb.

I so feel that those caterpillars and I have been kindred spirits.  Change has turned my world upside down, too.  My mind has twisted and squirmed until I’ve wrapped myself in worry and felt enveloped with fear.

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly.” (Richard Bach)

 I’ve written other blog posts on change and now this one today, it’s becoming clear that God is teaching me something. I don’t know about you but maybe you’re with me and it’s time for us to change how we view change! Yes, it can be painful and it can be scary but instead of seeing it as an ending, I’m learning we need to embrace change as a beginning. Regret creeps in when I think about all I might have missed because I was attached to status quo.  You too? What if leaving our comfort zone and being flung into change is what it takes to teach us to fly?

So, to end I’m going to bravely test my wings and begin to transform my thinking about change.  “That brings several things to mind:” changing from working to being retired, changing into “MiMi”, changing from old house to new, and changing to become what the Master calls me to be! All of these are things I love! Now that’s a change!!!!

How about you?  Will you too, share a few changes you love in the comments below?  I can’t wait to see you soar!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Because ~ 25/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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I have the MOST wonderful mom!  The older I get, the more I become like her and that’s a good thing for me!

 

 

“Honor your father and MOTHER, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12 (NIV)

 

Because

Those dreaded words
Our mothers said
When we were young and free.

With rolled eyes
I’d stomp my foot
When they were aimed at me.

That simple phrase
In a tone quite firm
Would end our childhood fun.

I never knew
Just what it meant
Except that we were done.

As I grew
I vowed one thing
That I would never do.

Repeat those words
My mother used
When I had children,too.

It didn’t take long
As a mother myself
For reality to set in.

The kids were wild
I was tired
You won’t believe what happened then.

To put an end
To their sibling rants
My hands went to my hips

I opened my mouth
And my mother’s words
Came easily from my lips.

The children stopped
And looked at me
Their eyes rolled to and fro.

I said it once more
In honor of mom
“Because… I said so!”

 

 

 

 

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Work and Revise ~ 23&24/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Well, this rule follower is stretching the rules today. I’m combining two days into one post to finally catch up.  I might as well admit it now, I’ll probably stretch the five minute limit too….

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 (ESV) / Pixabay

“Work harder!” “Do better!” “Don’t fail!”  This was my mantra for many years.  Those of you who are close to me or who have read some of my blog know that I’m a recovering perfectionist.  For oh so long, I believed that I had to earn the love and approval of others and God.  I guess we all know how that worked out!  The harder I tried, the more I failed, so the harder I tried.  It was an exhausting vicious circle! Attempting to be a flawless daughter, teacher, wife, mother, friend, and Christian seemed right to me, but always impossible. So of course, I concluded that I’d just have to continue to work harder to measure up!

Enter God and a circle of Christian friends!

Joining a small group changed everything!  There I learned that I needed to revise my thinking and the way I was living. What a relief it was to finally understand that I. Absolutely. Will. Never. Be. Good. Enough! It’s a large learning curve for a works girl to believe, live, and become a grace girl! It takes a lot of editing! Rewriting the dialog in my head, deleting my “saved by works” attitude, and amending my focus from what I can do myself to what God has already done, is definitely an on-going process.

Jesus went to the cross because you and I cannot do anything on our own to be worthy of eternal life.  I’d be lying if I said it’s easy for this perfectionist extraordinaire to let go of her ways. Maybe you can relate. I take comfort in, and you can too, that each of us is a work in progress.  Revisions are required. But, what peace it brings to know that we can trust God, the true Author of our story, to complete it to perfection!

 

Light 22/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NIV) / Pixabay

You might find this strange, but one of the things this city girl had to adjust to when I moved to rural West Virginia was how dark it was at night.  I know, I know night is supposed to be dark but when the sun goes down here, it is DARK!

The unfamiliar inky blackness of living in the midst of farmland and the shadows of  mountains is quite unsettling when you’re used to street lamps, neon signs, and porch lights illuminating the way. It wasn’t until my then fiancée went home with me that he finally understood dark and DARK!

As with so much of this beautiful place I now call home, I’ve come to love the DARK.  Why you ask? Because in the DARK you can see the light!  The night sky here is a spectacular sight!  Standing in my yard on a clear evening, the brightest lights around are the stars, planets, and  Milky Way shining down from the vast heavens. I’d never have experienced this amazing light show had I not stood in the DARK.

Isn’t life just like that?  As much as we (I) don’t want to venture into those DARK,  we can’t see how everything’s going to turn out places; that’s exactly where we experience the beauty of light.  It may be a flicker, but in the DARK a flicker is all it takes to brighten our way.  Maybe it’s a meal provided by a friend, a card or phone call, flowers, a visit, or an offered prayer. When it feels we’ll never find our way out of the DARK, God uses the love of those around us to begin to lead us step by step into the light. It isn’t easy.  We may stumble, fall, and lose our way as we struggle to leave DARK behind.  But, life’s taught me that God doesn’t leave us to find the way on our own. Once we emerge from the DARK we are then able to look back and see that His Light was guiding us all along! And the amazing thing? His Light will continue to shine, leading us Home where finally, DARK will be no more!

 

 

 

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Give ~ 21/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Weekends are always a challenge for me where writing is concerned, so once again I’m a little behind on my 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes…… I’m going to “give” it a try to get caught up!

Time Starts Now!

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. Ezekiel 36:26 / Pixabay

Have you ever considered giving up everything you’ve known and are comfortable with in order to follow God’s call?  My friend Marilyn did exactly that.  After a mission trip to teach gardening skills, Marilyn came home, left her Principal position, sold her house, truck, and most of her possessions so she could get on a plane that took her to a new life in Bungoma, Kenya and eventually to establishing Living Hope High School.  Getting there took miracle after miracle and Marilyn’s journey is inspiring beyond belief!  (you can read her entire story here at myseaofthought) 

As much as I admire Marilyn and all she’s accomplished, I cannot see myself giving in that same way! Can you? That being said, I know that if God has a plan like that for my life or yours; He’ll prepare and give us what we need to be willing to go where He leads.  But, here’s an amazing thing about God; He doesn’t gift us all with the same things or lead us on the same paths.  Each of us has our own unique way to answer God’s call.

I wish I could say that I know exactly what mission God has for me, but I don’t.  I do believe though, that each of our journeys begin with us giving our whole heart over to God.  Not just the parts we’re comfortable with (I’m sure guilty of that) but to be willing to offer every fiber of who we are to Him to use as He wills.  I don’t know about you, but that’s scary to me!  At the same time it’s exciting to see what He can accomplish through this hesitant gal! So, are we willing to give up everything for God?  I pray we are. After all, long ago, He gave up His “Everything” on a cross, Just. For.You. And. Me.

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Discover ~ 20/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Linking up today on http://www.fiveminutefridays.com

The prompt for 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes/Five Minute Friday is “discover”. I’m looking forward to seeing where that leads!

Time starts now!

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.”Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV) The Big Muskie Bucket

I used to be a “take the shortest, quickest route to get me there” kinda gal.  Life was busy.  My schedule full.  I didn’t want to meander my moments away. Funny how time changes things!  Now, you’ll find me on a quest to discover every two-lane back road to travel on, not worried about the minutes or miles it adds to the trip.

To visit my family in Michigan, we’ve driven on the highways through Ohio many times, but not long ago, my husband and I decided to take a jaunt on the country roads instead.  Was it a slower trip? Yes!  Take longer? Yep! Did we enjoy every minute? Most definitely!  On that relaxed journey we delighted in the fall countryside, the pristine farmland, and quaint small towns. We also discovered two extremes:  the smallest church in Ohio and the Big Muskie Bucket!  To this day, that leisurely , scenic drive is one of our fondest memories!

My grandparents always told me that the older you get, the faster time goes by. They weren’t kidding!  Life still get busy and my schedule full, but I’m learning to slow down in the midst of it all to discover and savor the gifts God is presenting me in those moments!  Maybe it’s as simple as the smile of a stranger, light reflecting on the dew, a leaf twirling on the breeze, or as precious as a grandchild’s touch: things we easily miss when we focus on our shortest, quickest route to take us from one day to the next. We can’t go back but I wish I’d realized sooner that discovering the little things tucked inside the big things are much more important than the tasks on my to-do list.  So now, big or small, I’m anxious to discover all God has in store for this “take it slower, enjoy the scenery, soak in the moments” kinda gal!

 

 

 

Brave ~ 19/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Brave is the prompt for today’s Five Minute Free Write.  I don’t consider myself to be brave (I wish I was) but I am surrounded by those being brave everyday!  Here’s my five minute definition of “Brave”. Needless to say, I could go on and on but…..

Time starts now!

 

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:20 (NIV) / Pixabay

B eginning a new life, not by choice but necessity.

R aising three girls on your own.

A nswering God’s call to go where He leads.

V isiting aging parents even when they don’t remember your name.

E ntering the military with the world in turmoil.

 

B elieving in your dreams when no one else does.

R eturning hate with kindness.

A ccepting opportunities outside your comfort zone.

V enturing into a classroom day in and day out.

E nduring the unexpected with grace.

What’s your definition of “Brave”?  I would love for you to add your own examples in the comments below! 

Share ~ 18/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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It’s hard to believe I’m half way through the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes!  Where has October gone?  If you’d like to read more or join in hop on over to http://www.fiveminutefridays.com

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage our hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV) / Pixabay

Ever done something and the outcome was not what you intended? We can set out with a goal in mind but what’s actually accomplished is the opposite of what we’d planned.  I’m afraid that writing my blog has been one of those times.

I tend to freely share my weaknesses with others.  It’s something I’ve always done and my blog is no different.  I’ve felt compelled to write about my personal challenges in becoming the Christian I hope to be.  In that process however, I’ve caused people who love me and whom I love to be concerned. That’s certainly not the reaction I’d hoped my writing would produce!

We all want those we care about to feel good about themselves and put their best foot forward. While my intent is to be encouraging, in thinking about it, I can understand that posting my struggles for all to see may make it seem that I am presenting myself in a negative light; that I’m hard on myself and I guess I am, but….. I’m OK with that.

Living a Christian life isn’t easy.  It takes vigilance. It takes work. It takes prayer.  It. Takes. Forgiveness. I don’t know about you, but I get discouraged with my progress. And so, I write. Sharing what I’m experiencing and feeling somehow clarifies and solidifies for me the lessons I’m learning.

Here’s the miraculous thing!  Most of the time, when I share the questions I have or the obstacles I face, it prompts others who’ve already been there to share their insights with me! At the same time, someone else shares that what God has inspired me to write about is exactly what they’ve been wrestling with, too!

No, living a Christian life in this world of ours isn’t easy. That’s why we need each other!  We need those who care enough to be concerned, those who teach and encourage, those who look to us for guidance, and most of all, we need the One who shares His love and wisdom with us all.

So, I hope you’ll bear with me as I continue to find my way in this life and share stories of my ups and downs, failures and successes, questions and more questions….  and I pray that somewhere in the midst of my ramblings, God will speak to and encourage your heart as He does mine.

 

Grow 17/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Still playing catch up over at http://www.fiveminutefridays.com

for 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. Getting closer tho…..

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)/ Pixabay

I’ve spent a lot of time lately watching grass grow.  Now you know how exciting (or not) my life really is!  It may not sound exciting to you, but when your yard has been dry, hard dirt for months, spotting those tiny green shoots of life breaking through is definitely worthy of celebration!

It’s the same with my growth as a Christian.  With a heart that can be dry, hard, and desolate, any small sprout of life is worthy to be praised!  Just as our new blades of grass have required tender care so do our souls.  Regular contact with the Living Water refreshes the parched areas of our hearts.  Ridding ourselves of “weeds” that threaten to spread and choke our progress toward becoming all we can, is vital to lush growth.  And as unpleasant as it may be, a trimming every now and then promotes a fuller, stronger result.

 I’ve helped care for, encourage, and protect our new lawn from the first hidden seeds to the now flourishing green grass. We’re not on our own in our development as Christians, either.  To cultivate us, the “Master Gardener” knows and watches over each hair on our head.  He’s our guard against the advances of sin, winnowing when needed.  He places others in our path to inspire us at just the right moment.  Seeing growth takes time but inch by inch, step by step, we are closer to becoming what God always knew was there! Now THAT’S worth celebrating!

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