Tag Archives: Friday

Story Time

I usually write on Fridays but, my computer was acting wonky yesterday.  It wouldn’t let me write without freezing up. That is not unusual, as my laptop is probably in its final days. Sigh.

 

So anyway……

 

I am attempting to type up my blog entry from yesterday. Slowly but surely.

 

On Lisa-Jo’s Five Minute Friday, the word was:  STORY

 

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English: Picture of an open book, that does no...

 

 

 

Everyone has a story.  I love to listen to stories…finding out about people,

 

how they got to be where they are…

 

and how they got to be who they are.

 

Chapters of interesting and not so interesting dialogue.

 

All stories pretty much start out the same way.  A baby, new to this world. Starting out fresh.

 

The pages of the story clean and crisp.

 

Then life happens. Pages sometimes get torn. Soiled by the day to day. Bent and dog-earred.

 

Highlighted and underlined. Pages memorized and other parts scribbled through.

 

Stained from chocolate fingers and stained from falling tears.

 

Happy parts and silly parts and sad parts and terrible parts.

 

The story continues on.

 

The chapters grow.

 

Until that last moment when the book is closed.

 

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Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22-23  NIV

 

 

 

 

 

o, now be brave, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on the word:::

Story…

GO

– See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/#sthash.tkI7zV4Z.dpuf

 

 

So, now be brave, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on the word:::

Story…

GO

– See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/#sthash.tkI7zV4Z.dpuf

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The In Between


1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in {you can grab the button code in my blog footer}.
3. Go leave some comment props for the five minute artist who linked up before you.

It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week.

OK, are you ready? Let’s see your best five minutes for the prompt:

In between

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The in between is often times the unknown.

Beginnings can be interesting, or exciting, or maybe even down right scary.

Endings can be sad, or frustrating, or maybe a relief.

It is that in between that can be difficult.

And sometimes that journey of the in between is what makes all the rest, worthwhile.

The waiting is between the beginning and the end…

 

 

Friday Harbor

 

 

28 Jun 2013

Five Minute Friday: In Between

in Five Minute Friday

Friday, time to crack open the chocolate ice cream and unscripted version of beautiful you!

DSC_0474

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s finger paint with words –>{click to tweet}.

Let’s just write and not worry if it’s just right or not. Here’s how to play along:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in {you can grab the button code in my blog footer}.

3. Go leave some comment props for the five minute artist who linked up before you.

It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week.

OK, are you ready? Let’s see your best five minutes for the prompt:

In between

– See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/#sthash.bxTJYL49.dpuf

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This Mom Of Mine

 

Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo at Tales from a Gypsy Mama.102_3854

Today’s your turn. What did your mama do that makes her your mama? Let’s unpack those memories today.

Where is your memory buried?

In just five minutes. Tell me all about what your mama did that made her yours…

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Elementary school pictures with crooked bangs, cut by a mother who with “just one more snip” thought she could straighten them out. I look back at my pictures and have to smile. My mom was good at fixing things and making me feel better. ( I was high fashion style before it was even in style:)

My mom, worried that my neck was swollen…taking me to the doctor to find out why. Holding my teenage hand, when I was scared. Telling me that thyroid disease was going to be taken care of with some medicine.

She took care of me during my bout with mono my senior year, helped get me to and from my job at the Dry Cleaners, was a huge help when filling out applications for college, sat through Lyric theater performances, encouraged me in my goal to graduate with a degree in Special Education. She went with me through the winding mountains of east Tennessee to help me move to the little town that held the first school I ever taught at.

Laughter, tears, joy, pain. Uphill battles and marathon races. Arguments and big, fat, honkin’ mistakes. Lots and lots of memories. My mom is strong and brave and smart and I know this about her. She stepped out and changed her life when it wasn’t easy. She figured things out as she went. She taught my younger sister and I that we could do anything. We were smart and strong and beautiful. She endowed me with a healthy self confidence that as I look back over the years– has served me well. She always made me feel special and loved, and is there anything better than that?

There are always times though, no matter how confident, that I need encouragement. My mom has been and still is my biggest encourager. Her cards, letters, and emails always seem to come just when I need them the most. Her words make me feel better.

Encouragement, it is her gift really.

She is a gift.

And I love her, this mom of mine.

 

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That Friday Morning…

Sherman Oaks Elementary School

Friday morning began like any other day. Parents dropped their young children off at school. Teachers arrived for another

day of workbooks, activities, chubby pencils, and pink erasers. The seconds ticked on the clock as the school hummed with the busyness that only those in an elementary school can fully understand.

He showed up, full of anger…hell bent.

Lives lost. Futures changed. Hearts broken. Tears flowing.

A large, irreparable tear in the fabric of so many lives.

People don’t understand. They want answers to the why. Why did this happen? WHY?!!! They demand someone tell them how a young man could kill? How so many young children could be dead? How teachers are now gone? How did we get to this point?

The pain is raw and gaping. The pictures of those lost, breaks our hearts.

We are indeed, broken.

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Some would say, How can we be thankful on this day? How can we give thanks in the midst of grieving?

It is when we are thankful on the other 364 days a year, that we are more prepared for that one horrible day.

God is still good. He is still here. He has not forsaken us. He gives us things everyday to be thankful for. When we walk with Him on the good days, when we see His hand in the sunshine…it gives us the ability to trust Him in the darkness. When we don’t understand the why’s, when the pain seems unbearable, when our bodies are wracked with sobs…..

We can trust Him.

But, some will say, “Why wasn’t God there?”

To them I reply, “God was there.” He is Emmanuel-God with us.

We live in a broken world, where sin happens. Evil is real. Most days, we as a people, are able to “forget” this. Push it down. Not acknowledge it…but, it is there. Always there.

It is because of that sin…that brokenness…that Jesus came. We celebrate Christ’s birth during this season. He came into this world because we needed Him. We could not, would not, get out of this sinful mess on our own. The gap was too wide, the chasm too deep…between us and God. Sin has a horrible way of doing that. It divides. It hurts. It leaves us empty. Jesus knew this. He knew we needed Him to step into this world. To take our place. To be that bridge between us and God.

God was there on Friday.

Just like He was there, the day His own son died.

For us.

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Today I am thankful for:

* God who is here in the midst

* Jesus, who came as a baby…

* that Christ is the bridge

* for He is the One that redeems

* one day when sin will be no more

* knowing He is there, even in the darkness, when I can’t see Him

* children who make me smile

* anticipation leading up to Christmas day

* movie night with friends

* early morning emails

* rainy Mondays






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The Storms

Sometimes the storms of life come hard…

Storm Clouds in OKC 6/17/2006

The sky grows dark, the winds blow

And the rain pours down.

This past week I was caught in a severe storm.

Eighty mph straight line winds, hail, thunder, lightening, and rain.

Unbearable summer heat brings on the storms…

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When the storms of life fall hard

and the winds threaten,

I am thankful that Jesus never waivers

and He can calm the storm…

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Thankful for:

* no damage during the storm on Friday

* that we weren’t hurt in the storm

* rain

* yard sales

* good deals

* eating at a local Mexican restaurant

* “I love you” from the kids

* my husband’s arm wrapped around me

* kind acts

* early morning sunshine

* getting things checked off the to do list

* unexpected good news

* the harmony of wind chimes

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Good Bye

This 16 mm spring-wound Bolex "H16" ...

Want to play Five Minute Friday? It’s easy peasy!

@The Gypsy Mama

1. Write for 5 minutes flat on the prompt- no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Meet & encourage someone who linked up before you.

OK, are you ready? Give us your best five minutes on:  Good Bye

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Okay, so the movie is kinda of corny….but, it is one of my favorites anyway.  I’m a sap when it comes to movies that pull the heart strings. Love ’em, that’s just how I roll.

One of my favorite quotes from the movie comes at the very end. The main character’s mother had died earlier that year…..

That’s what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will…

True, huh? Endings usually are sad. Good byes often hurt….especially if they are good byes with no hope of a new hello.

The reason good bye hurts is because of love.

If we don’t love, than a good bye doesn’t have the same sting.

The same longing to not go.

The want for one more minute, one more day….

one more chance.

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A Gift

Česky: Modrý budík English: Blue alarm clock

Want to play Five Minute Friday? It’s easy peasy!

the gypsy mama

1. Write for 5 minutes flat on the prompt- no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Meet & encourage someone who linked up before you.

OK, are you ready? Give us your best five minutes on:  GIFT

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As much as I sometimes complain or gripe about certain days…. time truly is a gift, no matter what kind of day I happen to be having.

Time is a most valuable gift, and sadly, most of the time I don’t appreciate it like I should.

Once minutes are gone, they cannot be recaptured….and yet, I am so cavalier in the way I spend

my precious moments.

On days when I am contemplative, I think back to the day my late husband uttered these words,

“Dawn, the vacuuming can wait. Just sit with me for awhile. I’m dying and I won’t be here forever.”

A profound moment in time,

that is forever etched in my mind.

Two weeks later, my husband was gone.

If I could say anything at all with my writing…..it would be this:

value the time you have.  Enjoy it more. Savor it more. Use it more. Appreciate it more, because once it is gone, it is gone.

God gave us a certain amount of time in this life.

He expects us to be good stewards of the gift He has given us.

 

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Trust In 5 Minutes Flat

I’ve decided to link up with The Gypsy Mama for her 5 minute Friday.

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them.

OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on:  TRUST

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Lamp in a dark room

Okay, so here goes….

Five minutes on the clock, please.

Trusting isn’t always easy, but then again, what in life ever is? Easy, I mean.

Not much. Not in this world. This life.

There have been times when I have hung on, white knuckled, not sure if I want to go on the ride…

Trusting, when I can’t see what is around the bend. Trusting, when I don’t know how it will end.

Trusting, when the questions go unanswered.

Trusting when the hurt is real. Trusting when I’m not sure how I feel.

Trusting when all is good, and all is bad.  Through the joy and when I am sad.

Believing.

Believing that He will never leave me. Never forsake me. Only wants the best for me.

Knows the plans He has for me…….

And that He will see me through.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6  NIV

 

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