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.

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. 

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 _______.