Five Minute Friday--Opportunity

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Today's word--opportunity--could not have come at a more appropriate time.  Today a possible teaching opportunity has been presented to me.  A former graduate school professor of mine is taking a leave of absence for the spring semester this year.  He's asked me to teach one of his undergrad classes for him while he's gone.  WOW!  For me this is HUGE!  I've taught before--some in a high school setting and some training classes at my former job.  But never at the college level!  I'm intimidated to say the least!  Praying for some guidance on what to do.  If I can make child care arrangements for the twins (Olivia will be in school) then it should be possible.  Details that need to be ironed out this weekend before giving them an answer.  I'm honored and proud that he thought of me but scared out of my mind at the same time!!!  This class has 43 students signed up!  What an audience that is!  And for someone who hates the sound of her own voice, that's pretty dang intimidating!!!

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Stay

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Staying put can sometimes be a good thing.  But when you're talking about making serious life changes, staying where you are can rarely happen.

I am almost 38 years old and I'm reexamining my life as a Christian.  Studying more.  Learning more.  Praying more.  I'm trying to change some very old, not so attractive habits and character flaws in myself.  It's hard.  Change is hard.  It can be scary.  Especially when you're talking about getting yourself out of a rut.  It's tempting to just stay in this place.  Be the same old Allison I've always been.  But I realize more and more that it didn't really get me anywhere spiritually.  It's time to move on.  Move up.  Face the challenges of being more Christ-like.  And the joys.

The most important thing now is for me to stay in God's presence as much as I can.  Fully realize His presence.

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Quiet

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Today has been one of those days.  The day that every mom dreads.  Too many missed details, too many tears, too many shrieking screams from the backseat, too much disappointment.

Quiet is all I want right now.

No phones ringing
No kids whining
No cartoons blaring in the background
No babies crying
No cheesie kid music
No dogs barking
No kids fighting

I just need silence so I can hear God's voice right now.  That's all I need.  His quiet reassurance that all is going to be okay....that I am a good mom.....that's he's right here with me today, hands on my shoulders, giving me a loving pep talk.

SHHHHHHHH.........I'm listening, God!

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Roots

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When I first think of roots, I think about pulling weeds in my yard.  Why is it that the roots of weeds grow so deep?  Pulling them up seems impossible.  They twist and snap as I tug and yank and pull with all my might.  The dirt flies everywhere.

My children have planted the same kind of roots in my heart.  Impossible to remove.  But my children are not weeds.  They are the sweetest, most tender flowers of my soul.  I'm thankful that roots are strong.  I'm thankful that the rich soil of life is there to nurture them.  To make them strong.  The basis of my family tree.  One that will branch out into eternity.

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Voice

Go!

Talking
Laughing
Singing
Humming
Mumbling
Whispering
Yelling
Roaring
(Writing?)

No  matter how we do it, God wants to hear our voice.  Loud as a shout.  Soft as a whisper.  As long as we're talking to Him.

Sometimes it's hard for me remember that.  I hate the sound of my own voice.  It's nasal-y.  I could never be an award winning singer.  Forget award winning.  Just carrying a tune is difficult.  Sometimes it's hard for me to speak up, speak my mind, speak the truth.  Why do I fear the sound of my own voice?  After all, God is the one who gave it to me.  He wants me to use it.

Writing is also a way to use my voice.  One that I find a little more safe than the spoken word.  Seeing words come to life in black and white feels good to me--better than hearing them on my lips.  I hope that I can use the words that come through my fingers rather than out of my mouth to glorify God in some way.  Still searching.....

Stop!



Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Look

Go!

"What does not satisfy when we find it was not the thing we were desiring."  C.S. Lewis

Human beings spend so much time looking for things--lost car keys, a good TV show to watch on Monday evening, a new job, true love.  In all the searching, we still seem to come up empty.  Whether we never find our missing car keys or we go through life never feeling like we've met our soul mate.

Seek and ye shall find.

The best thing we can look for and that we're guaranteed to find is God and His love.  He will never leave us.  He's the one constant in our lives that we can count on.  Finding him will ensure we find all the other pieces in our lives that we cannot seem to find on our own.  What a great blessing is this!

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Race

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Race--meaning one's ethnic background--will always be of importance to me.  You see, my husband is black.  I am white.  Our children are a beautiful blend of the both of us.  Of course I think that.  I am a mother.

But how will society treat my children?  Will they grow up knowing they are loved and accepted by others for who THEY are and NOT who their parents are?  This will always be my fear.  It was my fear before I even had children with my husband.  I know the best thing I can do is remind them every day that they are children of God FIRST.  And that they were loved and accepted by Him before they were even born.  God will always be for them.  He loves them for who they are--because they are our children.  Wonderful, sweet kids.  I hope everyone takes the time to get to know them.

Stop!


Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Welcome

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Welcome means to accept somebody into your life, your home, etc with open arms.  I grew up as a child who only went to church on major holidays.  I called myself a Christian but wasn't a very faithful believer.  I went to a very large, very affluent church as a child and young adult.  Being from a single-parent household, we never had a lot so I never felt like I fit in at my church.  My insecurities kept me from feeling welcome in the house of God.  As a newly married woman, church was never high on priority list.  Then my children came along and that changed.  My family and I found a church in the town where we live and we love it.  I have always felt a sense of belonging there.  Like I was finally welcome.  What always strikes me as wonderful is that when we take communion every Sunday, our pastor says everyone is welcome at God's table.  And I know he's talking to me.  God wants to welcome me to the feast.  And for that, I am truly thankful.

Stop!

Here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Five Minute Friday--Grasp

Go!

Sofia, your sweet little hand grasped my finger.  You pulled me along saying "Come mere, Mama."  I got butterflies in my stomach b/c I was reminded of how in love with you I am.  You are my precious littlest baby.  I wanted to grasp that moment in time and freeze it.  So I would always remember it.  I don't want to forget these times when you love me so much that I am your whole world.  One day when you're a teenager and don't want to have anything to do with me, it's those tiny moments I'll grasp on to.  It will make my heart smile and hurt as I realize my baby is growing up.  Until then, I will hold onto you, Colin and Olivia with all my might.  You are my reasons for being.  That alone is an overwhelming concept to grasp!  Mind blowing!

Stop!

Here's the scoop on Five Minute Fridays from Lisa Jo herself:

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag#FiveMinuteFriday

No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.