Five Minute Friday: Messenger

Today's Five Minute Friday word is: Messenger. This is a link up with Lisa-Jo. I will write for 5 minutes with no editing. Just five minutes of my thoughts.

Go:

When I first heard the word, "Messenger", it took me a minute to figure out what I thought. In fact, I almost skipped it altogether and just didn't write today.

And then it dawned on me. Messenger. This is what I am supposed to be. This is what God has called me to.

A messenger for Him. To spread the word of God. And once again, I almost shied away.

How often does God call us to something and we are too scared...too nervous...too afraid of what others might think and it keeps us from doing the most important thing that we can do. If we are truly loving those around us, than we should be sharing God's Word. 

I often think about how excited we get to share our good news with people. Engagements, pregnancies, jobs, graduations, birthdays, promotions, new homes...etc. We should be even more excited to share THE "Good News". 

So...join me today...be a messenger. 

STOP.

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Five Minute Friday: Close

Today's Five Minute Friday word is Close. For more information on what Five Minute Friday is, check out Lisa-Jo's blog and it explains more....basically...Five minutes of unedited writing on a certain word or phrase. So here's my five minutes today:

The word close has so many different meanings to me. The first thing that comes to mind is my relationship with my children. I want to be close to them, I want them to be close to me. My hope is that they will share with me and I with them and that we will always feel comfortable in that way.

I love to be physically close to them as well...the snuggles I get daily are amazing. Baby boy LOVES to be held and often nuzzles his face into my neck and shoulder. He pulls my face to his and gives me sloppy baby kisses and I can't get enough of it. My girls each need their own snuggle time with me too. Often, we read together all snuggled up on the couch.

Sometimes I find that when they are especially grumpy or whiny, really all they need is some time on my lap.

I pray that as sisters and brother, they remain close to each other through the years and always have an encouraging relationship with each other.

Of course, I have my moments each and every day where "close" starts to feel like I am being smothered and I have to take a deep breath and remember how wonderful these snuggles really are and someday I will miss them!

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Five Minute Friday: Mess

In honor of it being Friday, I am linking up with Lisa-Jo and her 5 minute Friday link. Today's word is "mess". So here goes...my 5 minutes of un-edited writing on this word:

Mess...I think I could go on and on and on about this word for so many reasons. I am in that stage of life where sometimes I feel like messes are all around me. There are certainly days where it feels like I have it all together but it doesn't last very long! Most days, it feels like I cannot get rid of the mess! I can literally clean all day long and even have the kids help me and still....somehow...I can find a place in my house that either never got cleaned or already got messed up again. It can be frustrating.

Don't you think that is somehow how God feels. He loves us so very much but we mess up all the time. He forgives us. He gives us new life. He helps us find our way and yet, there is still so much "mess". We follow behind Him messing up the things He just cleaned....a little like my two year old. I love her more than I could ever express....but she frustrates me on a minute by minute basis with all of the things she does to disobey me. Sometimes I am shocked by the mess she can make so quickly. And what a mess I can make with my life so easily.

Don't you just love her though. haha

Well...that ends my 5 minutes of writing for the day....not sure it made any sense but I am exhausted!

Have a great weekend!

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Five Minute Friday: I'm a Writer...huh?

I'm linking up with Lisa-Jo who gives a prompt every Friday. The deal is, write for 5 minutes on the prompt that she gives and then post. No editing or anything. So, this week's word is "Writer". Go.

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When I think of myself as a writer, I have to laugh. It is probably the last thing that I would consider myself although it has become something that I love.

I am reminded of the phone call my mother received at the end of my junior year of high school letting her know that I needed to repeat eleventh grade English. When I came home that day, she asked me if I was on drugs. haha. I was not. I was miss social, not wanting to miss any youth group or school activity if at all possible.

Now, the real reason that I failed that class was because I did not turn in my Research Paper. I will not make excuses for myself, because it was my fault but I had been sick and missed a week of school due to pneumonia and my teacher was not available to help me when I had free time....so I just didn't do it. I must also admit that it was partially due to the fact that public speaking scared the living daylights out of me and I would have had to present that paper to my class.

Because of that, I NEVER would have considered myself a writer. Looking back though, my love for writing started early. I loved to journal. I loved to fill notebooks. I just didn't want anyone else to read it.

Apparently that has changed, since everything I post could be read by the world.

Ok...my 5 minutes is up but for any wondering...I passed English 11 as well as my Senior English classes with flying colors the next year. haha.

Have a Blessed Weekend!

Just a side note. If  you would take a moment to comment below, or connect with me through facebook, twitter, email or RSS feed (top right hand side of this page), I would be so grateful!

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Five Minute Friday: Mighty

Today's word for five minute Friday is "Mighty". When I think of this word, it just immediately brings songs to my head. Maybe it's because I love love love worship music. Maybe its because I feel like so much of my measly little life is Mighty compared to God. Maybe it's because I don't feel like it is even possible for me to do anything "mighty".

But God....Oh He is Mighty.

"...He is Mighty to Save"...
"...What a Mighty God we serve..."
"...Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God..."

But what does it really mean. I am not sure if this is cheating in terms of the 5 minute Friday rules of not editing but I just looked up the definition and some synonyms for the word:

Mighty
1) possessing great and impressive power or strength, esp. on account of size.
2) extremely

Fearsome, ferocious, exceedingly, enormously, immensely, tremendously, hugely.


We cannot even begin to imagine how "Mighty" our God is.

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Five Minute Friday: Choose

Today's word for 5 minute Friday is Choose...so here goes my five minutes of unedited writing!

When I think of the word Choose, I am reminded that it is in almost every moment that I make a choice. We choose how we spend our moments. We choose each thing we say to our children. We choose every food we put in our mouths. We choose what attitude we will have about the circumstances before us. We choose how we will see other people. 

On the days that I am consumed with things like a clean house, perfect children, a good attitude, what I eat, self-pity, and the like, I fail over and over again. Because we simply cannot accomplish it all. 

What we need to do is wake up every morning and choose Jesus. 

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Yes, all of those other things are all good and not bad things at all to do  in our lives, but as mommy's, I think we tend to become consumed in them....and then, we are really doing no one, including ourselves, our husbands or our children, any favors. 

So join me, in trying harder to wake up and choose Jesus each day. On the days that I consciously do this, I find that I am a more content person and all of that other stuff falls into place. 

Linked up here with Five Minute Friday

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Garden (Five Minute Friday)

Well, it's Friday and the word to write about today is Garden...so here goes.

When I think of the word "Garden" it literally makes me think of the kind of garden that you would grow in your yard. This is probably because for the last 5 years I have talked about starting a garden. I still want to. However, we have been renting and it seems like a lot of work and/or money to start a garden that we move away from and have to start all over again so for now we wait.

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On that note, it is probably good because Gardens do take a lot of work to keep up. Right now, time is something that does not come to me in plentiful supply. I do feel that in a year or two, more of my kids will be able to take on or at least be helpful in the care of a garden.

It is something that I believe we will have someday but right now, the word "Garden" represents the things in my life that I need to wait on right now....and that is ok.

We are blessed to live in a time when I can run to the store or the Farmers market and get wonderful produce for our family so that will just have to suffice for this family right now.

I could have written about the beautiful day, almost 7 years ago now that Tom proposed to me at the Botanical Gardens in D.C. when we were visiting one of my besties and her husband with some of our friends....but I guess that will wait for another time :)

This blog is liked up with Five Minute Friday!

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Write (Five Minute Friday)

Since I have successfully posted my Worship Wednesday Posts for four weeks, I thought I'd add something else on to my posting "schedule". I will be linking up on Fridays with "Five Minute Friday". The deal is that you write for five minutes on the given topic and then post...no real editing or anything. So Here goes...today's word is "write".

I like today's word because I have been thinking a lot about why I have been blogging. I think it has taken me a long time to really find my "niche" so to speak because there are so many things flying around in my head. Lately, I have actually started to get organized, WRITE down my ideas, and then have focusing on WRITING!

I have really found that I express myself best through writing. I am [almost] fearless when I write. Though sometimes I do delete entire blog posts before they post because I know that I was writing with the wrong attitude or I might really offend someone (which is NOT my intention ever). My entire goal with this blog is really to be real. Share what is REALLY going on in my life. I am someone who needs time to process before I share my opinion on a  subject and this is a great way for me to do it.

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I love to write. I don't have a lot of time to commit to it, but when I do, I absolutely love it. It really is my perfect outlet. I can write and edit (um...except on Five Minute Friday) and it makes me think more and more about the topics I choose to write.

One little secret is that I barely ever edit anything. You will probably notice that with missing words sometimes or bad punctuation or grammar but when I have time to sit down and write, I usually just spew out words in the same way that I would talk. Maybe that is bad...but that is me.

If you find yourself  overflowing with things to say but just don't have the confidence to say them or know exactly how to make your words be understood by others...I strongly encourage you to try writing them down.

I love to WRITE!

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker

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Five Minute Friday: Rest

I am teaming up with Five Minute Friday and today the topic is "Rest". So...the deal is to write for 5 minutes on the word and then stop...no editing or re-writing...here goes.


Rest

Lately I have been feeling like I can never get enough rest. Let's be honest. I have 3 girls 4 and under and another little something on the way. I am tired. I have an awesome hubby who often deals with kids that wake up in the night because he doesn't want to wake me. (And apparently I could sleep through a Hurricane right now). But...I am tired.

If I am honest, it isn't a sleep issue. It is a chaos issue. I need to find rest in the Lord. I need to cast my anxieties on Him and focus. I know that is the need, but that doesn't make it easy.

Our life is filled with wonderful things. I don't think we are too busy and I don't think we aren't doing enough. It feels balanced and good.

But still...I need to not just sleep, I need to rest in God.

I need to take time out from my little projects and such and just spend some time, even a few minutes here and there, just letting God be God in my life. Only focused on Him.

That would be rest.

That would be the rest that I need.

Opportunity Knocks

I am linking up with "5 Minute Friday" and writing on opportunity today. The deal is that  you write for 5 minutes and don't look back or edit...and then just stop....so here goes!

I like this word "opportunity" for the new year. The truth is, I do feel like this year could be filled with great opportunities to accomplish things. Pretty soon, I will be taking a couple of classes. I have the chance to teach my children, like working with my oldest to read right now. My hubby and I have recently started an at home business that seems to be a GREAT opportunity and to be quite honest, I think our lives in general are filled with so many things we can take advantage of. 

But...most importantly, I hope that this year I take the opportunity to share with everyone and anyone, my love for Christ and how important it is to have a relationship with Him, our maker and creator. That is the opportunity that I don't want to waste one minute of. It's the only thing that matters and if we really love people, we should be taking every chance we can to share that with them. We cannot live in fear about such an important thing.

Regardless, an opportunity is just that. It is a chance. It isn't something that happens on its own, it is something that comes and you need to take it and do something with it before it passes. So...don't waste the opportunities that come your way!

5 Minutes on Wonder

Today I am linking up with 5 minute Fridays. Today's topic is Wonder and this is my first time doing something like this. I will write for 5 minutes and stop...no editing. Here goes!

Wonder. When I stop and try to think about Wonder, the words amazement, admiration and awe come to mind. When I stop to think about those words, I automatically think about my beautiful family. I am in complete wonder that God would give this to me.

No matter how little money we have or how many times we aren't sure how the bills will get paid, I still have everything I ever dreamed of. It's truly amazing. On top of that...the bills always somehow get paid. Amazing!

Multiple times a day I am completely frustrated with my children for being little sinners. ha! But more times than that I realizing that I am completely admiring who they are and what they are becoming. Even the baby amazes me with her sweet personality. Wonder.

So, yes, I am in complete wonder that God would give me an amazing husband and three beautiful little girls. Just to throw out another definition of this little word, I also wonder where we will be in a few years and who my kids will choose to be as they grow. I pray for the decisions that they make and situations they will face. But I know that I will still be in Awe of where God takes our family. Blessed and in Wonder.