COMMON Struggles

COMMON is the Five Minute Free Write prompt for today.

What do we all share?

We all have COMMON problems here in middle America. We have toilets that get clogged, cell phones that break when dropped, kids that are naughty upon occasion and our own choices and behaviors are questionable at times.

But, why do I and several of the people I know act like we have the corner on a particular problem? If it is a COMMON struggle, how come I think I'm the only one failing at ___?

Because another COMMON thing is that we convince ourselves that no one else is struggling with it too. It doesn't matter if that is true or not, it's what we choose to believe in the moment and so we run with it and let it cement in our souls like it is the Gospel. It isn't. It's actually nonsense.

Seriously, when was the last time you were sure:

No one else ate when stressed like you do?
No one else made that BIG mistake?
No one else was depressed like you?

We all are. We do it. We think it. You are not alone. You can make it through today, one breath at a time.

When you need me, I am here.

Believe It!

October Five Minute Free Write - Prompt - BELIEVE

GO.

I believe so passionately in the goodness of God, I don't even question it for a second when things in my life turn super duper crappy. I know the Goodness remains regardless of my circumstances or my feelings in the moment, or the decade. Believing in that Goodness carries me and has led me through some very long and very dark tunnels in my life.

I haven't always believed this way. An amazing man married my best friend. He taught me about the Goodness of God being present. For the three and a half years I've known him, he's been consistent on this point. No matter what. Even when he's struggling, he's modeled for me that belief. He's been through some pretty ridiculously hard stuff himself, and still leans into God's Goodness. He said this to me one night when we were talking about something my Love and I were struggling through.

Everyone should have a friend like Ken. He's pretty special and my life is much better, having him in it.

Regardless of whether you have Ken in your life, lean in to the Goodness of God. It's there for you. Believe it!

Do You Live Like You're LOVED?

I'm writing with the Five Minute Friday peeps that I adore. What an amazing community to be a part of!

This week's word prompt is LOVED.

This is immediately what came to mind after the month I've had:

This month I've had a lot of opportunities to focus on my faults and shortcomings (I have that opportunity daily, but some months are more intense than others). The specifics are unnecessary to share, but the fact remains - I am changed.

To live LOVED is different than trying to get love. When I live LOVED I don't have expectations of returned love. I don't need it. I already know I am LOVED. When I'm trying to be seen, appreciated, acknowledged, then any attempt others make to love me falls short. No amount of love, time or attention can compensate for the black hole created by my trying to get love and prove that I can or should be LOVED.

These are the opportunities that presented themselves.
To choose anger instead of grace.
To embrace pain instead of hide under the bed with my dog.
To push back on alarm with faith or freak out and go back under the bed.
To let heartbreak submerge me or lean in to the relationship.
To give back what I have been given or withhold in resentment.
To speak freedom and life or shame and condemnation.

Honestly, I did a bit of all of the above. Except climb under the bed - there just isn't room. When I was able to choose (moment by moment) to believe how LOVED I am, I could eventually (I am not perfect!) choose grace, embrace pain, find my faith, lean in, give, and speak life. It wasn't pretty, easy or fun. But, it happened - messy, uncomfortable, and stressful. The challenges remain, but so does my great big God who reminds me through nature, beauty, people, animals, and circumstances beyond my understanding that I am LOVED.