TALK and I'll Listen - Five Minute Free Write

I have a great friend who says, "Talk to Me!" all.the.time. But here's the thing, he means it. He really wants to hear what you have to say.

If you are saving your pain, worries, or downright fears to wait until your through them - Please don't. "If you don't tell me about it, you'll get zits," is what I used to say to my friends when I knew they were holding something back. Now I add, "or a big a__." Because it will come out sideways, zits, over eating, etc.

TALK to someone you trust. If you don't trust anyone, call a crisis line, connect with an online friend/family who cares and TALK. Reach out. It turns out, if you TALK, some of the power of the thoughts tormenting you goes away. Not all of it. We still have to deal with our "stuff".

God wasn't kidding with these instructions: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16

You don't have to be hiding some scary sin for this to be relevant. Healing comes with TALKing to someone who will come alongside you and walk with you in your struggle. You don't have to be alone.

I'm here if you need me. Meanwhile, I'm praying for you.

Five Minute Free Write - ALL of October!

Five Minute Friday: PRAISE God We're Still Married!

Today's Five Minute Friday Prompt is PRAISE.

I've been pondering that word since it posted last night and honestly, all I can think of is:

PRAISE God We're Still Married!

In keeping with my commitment to transparent honesty, I've decided to be real about how freaking hard my hubby and I work to stay married.

We have fought our whole marriage. Like, our WHOLE marriage. We have windows of peace and we make each other laugh usually every day at least once, but we fight:

- How clean is "clean"
- What is important after God, each other, family and friends
- When too much is too much - time or money spent on something/someone
- Who is working the hardest - at our relationship, around the house, with the kids, etc.
- Who is in charge
- What we should spend time or money on
- Who is being too hard on the kids - we trade off, so this is always different

If there is a fight to be had, we've had it.
The main themes are: Vying for Power/Control and being Offended by each others attitudes or responses (real or perceived). This BOOK has been a huge blessing regarding being offended.

I'd love to say we'd matured enough over the years to not fight (some of the above aren't an issue anymore) but we still do. Where the maturity comes in - the recovery time. I go from. "I cannot do this for the rest of my life!" to "Well, I'm not easy to live with either!"

This verse we picked to be our life verse for our marriage has proven to be Truth in ways we never imagined we would need it to be. Guarding our hearts and minds against the pressures, temptations, pain, suffering and challenges is no small feat. When I've felt vulnerable, this verse has tucked me into God. It has saved my life at times.

Happy 27th Anniversary Erik! I'm so glad we fight together FOR our marriage. I PRAISE God for making you exactly the way you are and I am grateful you love me, exactly the way I am. I love you.

Five Minute Free Write: The Gift Of A Door

 These pictures are of DOORs. Open and closed. Focus on the DOOR? How can you? Are the people in front of it, behind it, beside it distracting you?

The point of the DOOR is who you let in and who you let out.

Unforgiveness locks the one who hurt you behind the DOOR with you. Both of you trapped inside the darkness in the closet of pain. Forgiveness opens the DOOR and makes you stronger in the choosing. You might even become a super hero if you keep up the consistent work of forgiving those who hurt you.



Sometimes, as a hero, you need a helmet. To guard your mind and your head from bonking it on a DOOR that could be closed by someone else (like a cranky mischievous brother). Protecting your mind from negative thinking when DOORs close on you, it may feel like the worst thing that happens, but likely something better is coming along. you just don't see it yet.




Sometimes a DOOR is a shield. Protecting you and others from seeing, doing or saying something that shouldn't be seen, done or said. I felt like that in a wet suit. You can't unsee it, its hard to put on and you best say nothing about how hot I look in it!

A DOOR is a gift. Don't be afraid if it's closed or if it's open. Focus on WHO matters inside and outside the DOOR. It's you and your people.