Thursday, November 1, 2018

Words Worth REPEATing

Five Minute Friday again. It was nice to take a break for a day from blogging now it's time to write again!

Today's prompt is REPEAT.


Some words are worth REPEATing. Like this verse for example. It's a very clear declaration from God:
I HAVE made you.
I WILL carry you.
I WILL sustain you.
I WILL rescue you.

That's something God communicated.

What do you communicate REPEATedly?

You are NOT...
You'd better...
You should... (I personally hate this one the most)
You CAN...
You ARE...

God's Words are powerful. Our words are powerful.

Should people REPEAT what you say? The honest answer for me is -- mostly.



Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Extremely CLOSE

Today I finish the Five Minute Free Write challenge on this last day of October.
When fall comes to a CLOSE here in North Idaho, many of us retreat to our separate nests to tuck in for the winter. Other than school, sports and necessary errands, I tend to hibernate, enjoying the cozy fireplace and the other comforts of my home. 

This year I have employment that will put me on the road in the icy weather, communicating with strangers and interacting with coworkers pushing me beyond my hibernation comfort zone. The other thing that will be different this coming year is no migraine. 

I look forward to being CLOSE to my fellas up on the ski hill because I couldn't be there last year.

I will be CLOSE to my friends and my family as we celebrate birthdays and holidays since I missed most of them in 2018. 

Finally, I want to be extremely CLOSE to my God, to my beloved ones, and to the ones God has put in my path to treasure, encourage, and support through the cold gray months ahead. This will draw me into relationships this winter instead of into hibernation. 


Thank you for joining me these past 31 days as I have met this challenge head on. I know every blog hasn't been brilliant, but it is the first time in my adult life I have written every day for 31 full days. 
Blessings to you and I will be writing again for Five Minute Friday on November 2. 

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Using My VOICE

I am coming in to the home stretch of the Five Minute Free Writes for the month of October. Honestly, this has been a good stretch for me mostly because it has forced me to write every day and try to strip down a topic I could write a thousand words on down to what I can type up in 5 minutes. Today's prompt is VOICE.

My VOICE prefers to be used for hope, speaking life, and blessing the people around me. It doesn't always get used for that, but it is definitely my preference and something I work hard to be consistent at.

A few days ago I posted a blog about kids cussing. One I agreed with - about how cussing isn't the ultimate bad words. You can read it here if you are curious (there is cussing in it, so be warned). I had a few friends respond about how cussing isn't good for anyone ever, how it shows a lack of imagination and disrespect. I don't disagree but I also do not intend to spend any time making sure my kids don't cuss.


We believe in teaching our sons how to use their VOICE to stand up for the hurting, speak up for the disrespected and declare the positive perspective. We spend our time focusing on who we want them to become, how we want them to speak and helping them discover their own VOICE in the context of the world today. Spending time on what we "don't" want them to do or become makes the focus on the "not to-s" not the "you are-s"

We have taught them they are Mighty Men called by God to speak life and blessing. This kind of rules out cussing as a regular option by default. They don't always do it. Neither do we. But, for our family, speaking life into our sons is about the you are ______, you can _______, not don't _______.

Monday, October 29, 2018

Messy Monday: Happy Gilmore, A Punch in the Face, and My Spirit Animal

I have managed to keep up on my Five Minute Free Write each day and today's prompt TOGETHER goes right along with what I have to say today.

I wish I could say it was a nice, restful week of contemplation and peace. It wasn't.

The reason I write my Messy Monday blog is so you and I know we are in this crazy loaded pitching machine of life TOGETHER.


Pitching machine = Life, Me = Happy Gilmore

This isn't a pity party, do not feel sorry for the challenges I am facing or the ones coming at you. Just square off and take it. Because it's not about me and it's not about you. Love each other, love well, and love like your life and the lives of the people around you depend on it. 

I mentioned in my Five Minute Friday post last week some of the challenges we are walking through as a family. I spent Saturday listening to two ten year olds plan their future like it was tomorrow and getting text messages about our swimmer son shaving four seconds off of his best time. Then Sunday, I went to work at the adolescent psych unit in our regions biggest hospital. 

Our son who was punched in the face last week didn't deserve it. He had no idea the other kid was struggling. A rambunctious game of dodge ball went out of bounds and our boy got a concussion either from the punch or from hitting the floor, out cold. We never know what the people around us are struggling with. It doesn't excuse an over reaction, but it does remind us to speak life and blessing. They need it. We can make a difference when we do. 

Finally, for this Messy Monday I needed to mention these guys:
 
My spirit animal - Unicorns (I don't have a picture but I am sure they are real), horses, zebras, big or small, make me HAPPY. My sister sent these pictures to me and they brought joy to my heart. I wish I could be one. I mean no disrespect to those who believe deeply in spirit animals, but my perspective on this is if I could be any one animal, I'd have four legs, hooves, whiskers, a big nose and a curious temperament. Well, I guess I'm almost there... ;)

Happy Messy Monday Friends! Soak it in, take the hits and try to find the HAPPY all week long. 

Sunday, October 28, 2018

What is My SONG?

In March 2010 I wrote this blog about the soundtrack of my life. I mention Jr High Band Practice as one of the possiblities, a crazy person's iPod, grunge and a few other types of tunes. To this day it is one of my favorite blogs written during little kid & adopted big kid parenting days.

But, what is my SONG?


I have a few, but as I write tonight I am reminded of a song from my youth that breathed life into me the same way I inhaled the moist salty air of the ocean breeze not far from my childhood home.

I have been too many months away from my SONG, the crashing and splashing of waves on the shore. My SONG is in the ocean, the tidal ebb and flow, the thundering boom of powerful waves followed by foamy mist gliding ashore.

I didn't expect this SONG to bubble to the surface tonight. But, I am so glad it did.

Writing the last few Five Minute Free Write blogs for October - Today the prompt was SONG.