Five Minute Friday :: On Friendship

I'm joining Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday with the writing prompt:

On friends...

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As I read Lisa-Jo's post commenting on friendship growing sisters, I think in admiration, "What a gift." And although I cherish tremendously the close, authentic friendships I share in, I'm not so sure I have experienced that level of friendship myself. Maybe what I do have hinders that a little. And I wouldn't trade it. What I have makes me feel a little spoiled and very blessed.

Because I have five sisters grown into the best of friendships. We are kindred's that makes it pretty tough to compete with. We think alike. Many times we'll get together and find ourselves wearing the same color scheme. We have the same sense of humor. We laugh ourselves to tears over goofy things. We'll find ourselves tuned into the same book. We value the same things. We dream up similar things. And where we may disagree, we love unconditionally.

These are the people where, upon departure of a three-day camping trip together with our families, we call out, "Good-by-ye! See you tonight!" And we will because we have another reason to celebrate.

So whether friendships are growing sisters or the other way around, close friendships are a gift. Some are for a season. Some a lifetime. But the one thing I couldn't be more grateful for right in this moment is that the friendship with these sisters is sure to last a lifetime.
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Five Minute Friday :: Joy

I'm joining Lisa Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute-Friday with the writing prompt:


Joy....

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I'm reminded these last couple of days of how one woman chose joy in spite of her circumstances and now is being called home. I've seen her at In courage. I've read some of her five-minute posts. And, although she could not move outside her condo anymore, I was amazed by what her fingers could do in five minutes. In what I read of her posts, I caught glimpses of her physical pain yet, never did I see it damper her spirit. Instead, I was inspired by her joy in spite of her circumstances.

Her story and others closer to home, lately, have caused me to evaluate my own existence:

How do you grasp death with a sense of joy when your stakes are in all you leave behind?

How do you look death in the face and laugh when you're afraid of it?

How do you press on toward the goal when all you can see is everything surrounding you?

And have given me some perspective:

Uproot those stakes from the seen to the unseen.

Believe death has been defeated.

Live your faith passionately as thought training for the Olympics.

When I pass from this temporary home, may I know the joy of where I'm headed because of where I've placed my stakes, because I didn't just know but believed, and because I had been training for that prize my entire earthly existence.

May people like, Sara, be my example.

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When You've Got Nothing To Give {Today}

...then simply receive. Receive by opening a hand, a clenched fist hand. And lift arms. Lift empty, dangling arms - to wrap the warmth and delight of what is. Not what should be, or what could be, but what is - today.

Today I have a seventeen-month-old girl who is becoming braver navigating her first steps; who sits in the middle  of a pile of books, turning pages, pointing, and telling the story of the one in her lap; and who has learned the art of, "no," with attitude quite well.

Today I have a two-year-old boy turning three in three days, who proclaims, "Two over. I'm three;" who is proud of the fact that he is sharing a truck with his little sister; and who slips his little feet into his flip-flops and asks if we can go find him a soccer team.

Today I have a five-year-old girl who curls up on the couch with me for a short nap, who brings me a pile of books to read to her, and who sweetly announces how much she loves me in the middle of my dealing with another child.

Today I have a seven-year-old boy who whistles all the way home from the bus stop; who accepts open arms at the front door; and who announces, as he receives an after school snack, "I believe a good snack should come before everything."

Today I have a husband who sends two off to school with warm salutations; who receives screams, squeals and hugs from all four children when he returns home from work; and who stands on the sidelines of his oldest son's football game, right there with the coaches.

Today the sun is tucked behind the clouds obscuring the blue sky, the mountains are hidden behind the sheet of white, and the cold chill threatens autumn.

Today nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

Yet today - is a gift.

I'm linking up with the lovely Emily Wierenga for Imperfect Prose and Beck Gambill for Sister to Sister on Thursdays.

Five Minute Friday :: In Real Life

I'm linking up with Lisa Jo at The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday with the writing prompt


In Real Life...


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Too often I worry about how to do it all by myself. I worry about how every tiny little decision I make as a parent will affect the rest of my children's lives - and I judge. I judge a person who does it differently (because nobody can possibly care as much about this vocation as I do, right?). Not on purpose. I just want to get it right.

But, smack me over the head again! Because in real life, we're just all on this ride together, learning as we go. I will very likely discover a better way probably too late and there will always be somebody who has something to teach me. Namely, the most amazing husband in the world who is walking right along side me. Remind me that it is not about simply doing all the right things. 

Isn't it about entrusting all of this and them to God? Laying at his feet all of my imperfections and admitting I don't have the power within me to create beauty out of ashes - but, He does. 


When these four children are grown, not as I imagine them to be but in real life, will I be striving to hear them say, "I'm where I am because of everything you and dad did right, mom," or, despite all we did right and all we did wrong, will I be giving glory and dancing to the tune of somewhere a long the line Jesus took a hold of their hearts and the persons they have become was purely and simply because of Him?

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