Five Minute Friday: Perspective

Around here we play along with Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday meme and write for five minutes--unedited.  Today's topic is perspective, so here we go:

Perspective

I've always been encouraged to see things from a different perspective:  walk a mile in the other person's shoes, see things the way God sees them.

But, mostly, I seem to wander around in an idiocentric myopia--so focused on my beloved goals and "things I need to do" that I forget to take care of the people around me.

I'm more faithful to "feeding" my blogs that to feeding my husband.  In my defense, however, he's a better cook than I am.

I'd rather read one hundred pages than hear a human voice speak one hundred words.

I'd rather trade one hundred emails than have one hundred conversations.

Hm.  Light bulb moment.

I keep people at arm's length.  I don't like synchronous communication.

Why?

Control?  Certainly.  I can wait to respond until I've formulated a proper-to-me response.

Fear?  Yup.  What if I do or say something mortifying?

Excuses?  Oh, yeah.  I'm positively swimming in them.

Remedy?


Feet.  Face.  Ears.

Go to people I love.  Face them; be present in the moment with them.  Listen to them.

That's more terrifying than anything I can imagine.

Do it anyway.

The birds may have a great view from the sky, but it's only a view.  To accomplish anything, they have to come back to earth.

Do it.

Do.  It.

Today.

Five Minute Friday: Identity

Around here we write for five minutes on Friday--unedited, unplanned.  Here's today's effort:



Who am I?

I am a mother, a sister, a wife, a disciple, a writer, a teacher, a singer--

But each of those is an action, something I do to "earn" membership in that category.

Who am I?

I am lazy; I am an overachiever on the things I enjoy.

I am easily dissuaded when obstacles crop up, but I can be determined when I think something's important.

I am solitary in a crowded world.

And I really like it.

Inside my head, it's quiet and peaceful, most of the time, while the world bangs and clangs along without really getting anywhere.

I am tired.

I am worn.

I am hopeful.

I am planning for tomorrow, next week, and next year.

I am.

Me.


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Five Minute Friday: Real

Around here we free-write for five minutes on Friday.  Here's the unvarnished result:

Real.

As in reality.

As in the stuff that happens every day.

As in the concrete block that weighs down my dreams either sending them crashing to the ground, or preventing them from floating out into the exosphere for sheer lack of planning.

Reality can be so disheartening, so concrete, so real.

Reality can be so grounding, so concrete, so real.

The possibilities of life are myriad, swirling, dizzying midway lights from the merry-go-round on a balmy spring evening.

Reality is the stuff that happens every day.

Make it purposeful.

Make it

Real.

Read other musings about real over at Gypsy Mama's:

Five Minute Friday: Community

Around here we write for five minutes on Friday--unedited, unvarnished.  Here is today's edition:






Community.


The state of communing together.


The situation of living in a sharing environment.


So, community is not a what, but a who.  A community is a group of sharing people.  But to share, they each have to have something their fellows need.  What do I have that others need?


I have information--lots of it.  I'm a veritable fountain, morass, bottomless pit of information, some of which is actually useful outside of game night or Jeopardy.


I have strategies.  After a lifetime, I've devised and adapted strategies for surviving every day in a fast-paced world.  I could share those.


I have musical talents.  They're more gifts than talents since I haven't officially worked with a coach in years.  I do share them, though, and the members of my community seem to enjoy them.


I have . . . what else?  I would have thought by this time I would have some wisdom, but, so far, I only feel like I have strategies.  So, what is wisdom?  


The Bible says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."  (Proverbs 9:10 KJV)


Perhaps that's where community starts:  communing together in the Lord, and, together, growing in wisdom.

I stink at communing, Lord, but I'm working on it.

END

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Five Minute Friday: Together

Around here we write for five minutes on Friday; here's the unvarnished result:

Together.

To get her.

Twogether

Two-or-more gether.

Any way you slice it, it's something I'm not this morning.  My brain is a clump of fuzzy drier lint:  unproductive, just there.

At the same time, I feel scattered, like tufts of a dandelion in a blustering wind, bouncing on the grass, burst apart by a gust.

It's a good thing I'm not alone.

Together,

Two gather,

Two get her,

and she's whole again.



Happy Friday!

Nancy

Five Minute Friday: Good-Bye

Around here we write for five minutes on Friday.  Here's the latest!



God be with ye.

That's what good-bye really means.  It's a blessing usually bestowed upon parting:  since I cannot, God be with you.  It's almost like a parting hug.

And it should feel like a hug because He is with me.  All the time.  To the ends of the earth.  Even when I forget it.  Even when I stumble around trying to work things out on my own because I forget that God is with me.

I can be a real dolt sometimes.

Why do I try to work things out on my own?  Um, well, I'm stubborn and independent.

But why don't I just do what He wants?  Double ummmm, could it be because I keep forgetting to actually listen??????

Could be.

Probably is.

Certainly is.

I can be a real dolt sometimes.

Thank you for loving me anyway, Lord.

I'm listening now, I promise.



Check out other Five Minute Friday writings over at GypsyMama's!

Five Minute Friday: Gift

Around here we write for five minutes straight on Fridays--no editing, no pre-writing, just raw writing.  Today's theme is gift and here's the thought of the day:

What is a gift?  In the secular sense it is something received that is not earned.  The spiritual sense goes further:  that gift given, but not earned, must be shared.  It is the paradox of the loaves and the fishes--the more there were to feed, the more the meager lunch stretched.  It is a bedrock of the faithful walk.

To each is given spiritual gifts to be used, alone or in congress with others, to be His hands and feet in the world.  Over and over again He promises me that He will supply all of my need; what prevents me from fully sharing His gift?

Disturb me, Lord, when I hide Your light within me beneath the basket of busyness, business, fatigue, ignorance, and selfishness.  Prod me, Lord, to remove the basket to let Your light beam.  Lead me, Lord, to those dark places that will be my mission field to share Your gift to me, and your one true Gift.

FINIS

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