Five Minute Friday: Bloom

I have been a participating member of Five Minute Friday for almost two years.  I had reached a point where I was drawing a blank every time I sat down to blog and then one morning there was Lisa Jo Baker and her Five Minute Friday.  There are a few rules to participate and none to just read what everyone else wrote.  The rules are simple"
1.  We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post here starting at 10pm EST on Thursday night and all through Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag #FMFParty (It stands for Five Minute Friday Party).
2.  There is no extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation. Unscripted. Unedited. Real. It started because Lisa Jo had been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And so she 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 -
See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/#sthash.9OiHogPc.dpuf
if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes. You can meet them over here on our Five Minute Friday Facebook page. Your words. This shared feast. It’s easy to join in, just:
1.  Check what the prompt is on my blog.
2.  Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog. {And if you don’t have a blog, no worries! Just leave your writing as a comment on my post}
3.  Link over here and invite friends to join in.
4.  Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url www.lisajobaker.com/2012/07/five-minute-friday-2/ } Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of her Five Minute Friday post enter your link. It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky. Your post will show up in our Five Minute Friday linky. Be sure and encourage the person who linked up before you! Our most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.
So, if you are ready....the word for today is BLOOM


I love flowers.  One of my favorite things to do is photograph them so I can look back and enjoy the bloom that is present in my picture long after it has faded from the plant.  Mrs. Betty Jean, Mrs. Shirley, and Mrs. Jean's houses give me constant blooming pleasure.  I have plants in my own yard now from all of them.  I am thrilled when that first bloom opens up and shows it's face. 

I am a pastor's wife and I have learned in following my husband's ministry to bloom where I am planted.  I am one of those people who has roots that run deep and so wherever we go I become part of the community, the church.  Blooming takes on many forms in my life.  When I was expecting my daughter people would tell me I was positively blooming.  I laughed because I thought they were talking about the baby bump I was growing....but I found out later they were talking about me....I was blooming.  When I held that precious bundle I watched as she bloomed and went from being a scrunchy faced little bundle to a beautifully soft open-eyed bundle.  I watched her bloom right before my eyes.  Throughout her whole life she has bloomed....and now she and her precious husband are going to bloom where they are planted.

  She and Brian will be leaving Sunday to go to Moldova.  There they will serve as full-time missionaries for Stella's Voice and work in orphanages there.  They have been doing this in the summer for the past three years.  Now....Now....they will plant themselves and begin blooming.  Growing the love of God and showing children how to bloom too.  Moldova is a depressed third world country.  The countryside is gorgeous....but it has a sad story for children....and their parents.  There is no joy blooming there.  I know that once Kat and Brian begin blooming where they are planted.....joy will be blooming abundantly.   Can I get an AMEN?

Five Minute Friday - Willing

It is that time of the week again.  My favorite time.  A time when I clear my head of cobwebs because I just write.  I don't correct, I don't rethink, I just close my eyes and let the words flow.  We write for five minutes flat.  So 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. Your words. This shared feast. It’s easy to join in, just: Check what the prompt is on Lisa Jo's blog. Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog. {And if you don’t have a blog, no worries! Just leave your writing as a comment on her post} Link over there and invite friends to join in. Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url.   Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of my Five Minute Friday post enter your link. It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky. Your post will show up in our Five Minute Friday linky. Be sure and encourage the person who linked up before you! Our most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community. The word for today is:
Willing


Go:


I have a huge problem.  I am a YES person.  I am always telling people "yes."  I am always willing.  Herein lies the problem.  I am too willing and sometimes cannot do my best because I am over-extended.  Several years ago I was asked by our District Superintendent to take a church.  For once in my life I said, "no," without a second thought.....or without even asking God for His opinion.  In 2013 while comfortably teaching Sunday School and being a pastor's wife God gave me a stronger call.  His voice came to me in the scriptures of a Sunday School lesson on Isaiah 6:8: "
⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” 
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  This is willing.  It took me several weeks to get the message and when I did, in a motel room in Panama City Beach, FL I opened to that verse, prayed, and answered to God, "Yes, Lord I am willing, use me."  A month later I was filling a pulpit at Midway United Methodist Church.  I was willing.  I did not think I was able, but if God was calling I was willing.  Let me tell you this has been a world wind of a courtship with God.  I have found that He is willing to let me lead His people then I am willing to serve.  Willingness is an adjective.  It means 1. Disposed or inclined; prepared: I am willing to overlook your mistakes.  2. Acting or ready to act gladly; eagerly compliant: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).  3. Done, given, accepted, or borne voluntarily or ungrudgingly. See Synonyms at voluntary.  4. Of or relating to exercise of the will; volitional. So, here I am, use me Lord because I am willing to do your will.  This time saying "YES" was not a bad thing.  It was the willingness thing.

Five Minute Friday - Worship

According to Lisa Jo's blog, "We make it something that must reek of Hemingway, Lewis, or Lamott before we’re brave enough to share it.  Why?  Who says?  You see I think the quiet secret is that you can be a writer and no one needs to recognize your name to make that any more or less true. I think your story matters. The one you write at midnight in 600 word blog posts. The one you scrapbook. The one you piece together for your kids as you fill them in on what grandpa and grandma were like.  You are a writer.  You actually already are.  Don’t believe me? There are over 300 brave writers who throw caution and their last names to the wind and gather here weekly to just write. With wild and loving abandon.  And today – I’ve invited that group over to my other online home, the beautiful, virtual beach house called (in)courage, where you’re always welcome – just the way you are…"  It is because of a statement much like this that I read on her blog that I actively participate in Five Minute Fridays.  I hope you will too....
How to Join: It’s easy to join in, just:
1.  Check what the prompt is.
2.  Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog (or in the comments below if you don’t have a blog).
3.  Link over here and invite friends to join in.
4.  Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url http://lisajobaker.com/2013/08/five-minute-friday-story}
4.  Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of my Five Minute Friday post enter your link.
5.  It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky.
6.  Your post will show up in our Five Minute Friday linky.
Our most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.  (As for all other rules, we like to break ‘em - just ask Gretchen).

 

So, now be brave, set your timer and 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::

Worship: 

GO: 
I ask myself this morning. as I sit to write....just what is worship?   This is what I come up with.  Worship is the feeling or expression of reverence for a deity.  In my case it is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Worship is something I do every morning and afternoon on Hwy 22 going to and from work.  I do it in song/prayer.  I look forward to my worship time then.  I usually pray half way and then celebrate with worship music the other half of the trip.  By the time I get to school I am all prayed up.  I reverse it on the way home.  I start with music and end in prayer and by the time I get home Frank does not get the brunt of a bad day. 
I truly believe that I was made to bring pleasure to God in worship.  From the first moment I stepped in a choir loft to sing God’s praises….whether it be a chancel choir….singing traditional music….or the Arbor singing contemporary songs….I am loving my God with every lyric, note, movement to the max.  When I sing on Sunday’s….it is a case of total surrender for me….for a brief shining moment….I totally abandon myself into His arms….worship for me…..is a lifestyle.  If I could only do one thing in my life…..it would be worship.  When I go to church on Sunday….or Weds….or whatever day….it is my safety zone, my happy place … a place where I can find God….when I can’t seem to find Him anywhere else.  I am refreshed here….I am revived here….I am renewed here….I am alive and I worship!  This is what it is for me.....

We Have Come Into His House

Verse 1:

We have come into His house and gathered in His name to worship Him

We have come into His house and gathered in His name to worship Him

We have come into His house and gathered in His name to worship Him

Worship Christ the Lord. Worship Him, Christ the Lord

Verse 2:

Let's forget about ourselves concentrate on Him and worship Him

Let's forget about ourselves concentrate on Him and worship Him

Let's forget about ourselves concentrate on Him and worship Him

Worship Christ the Lord. Oh Worship Him, Jesus Christ the Lord

Verse 3:

Let's forget about ourselves magnify His Name and worship Him

Let's forget about ourselves magnify His Name and worship Him

Let's forget about ourselves magnify His Name and worship Him

Worship Christ the Lord. Oh Worship Him, Jesus Christ the Lord.  Yep....worship....a feeling or expression of reverence for my Father...no matter where you might be and no matter how you choose to express yourself.  Can I get an Amen!

 
STOP:

 

Five Minute Friday - In-Betweens

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s finger paint with words.  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.
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.  If you have the verifications button on it really makes it nice if you take them off.  There are some of us out there with bi-focals who have a hard time with them.   OK, are you ready? Let’s see your best five minutes for the prompt:

In-Between

Go:
 For the past couple of days my daughter has been in-between Moldova and home.  She has been working with orphans for the past month and living on CEE time which is about 8 hours ahead of Rock Mills, AL.  Planning Skype calls in-between her being awake and me being asleep has been amusing.  She has called a few times in the wee hours...in-between night and morning....and I have too.  One afternoon I called her....and she sounded so sleepy....well yeah...it was after 1 in the morning over there.   Late Wednesday night in Alabama she was supposed to board a plan early on Thursday morning heading home.  See how confusing this gets?  On this flight she was to be flying with a group from Florida who had spent the last week with her and the little ones at the orphanage.  None of them made that flight...it was cancelled.  Kat was rebooked solo on one that was to leave several hours later(the Florida group would be leaving on Friday....and Saturday).....but now instead of landing in Atlanta at 6 pm on Thursday night....she would be landing at midnight....hopefully.  In-between point A and point B there were storms raging.  The leg from Chisinau to Munich was not a problem.  Flight made in Munich...even though she was on standby.  In-between Munich and Chicago....things went awry and the plane was diverted to Toronto to refuel.  The results were somewhere in-between Toronto and Chicago Kat missed her flight and had to spend the night in Chicago....in-between there and here.  Early Friday morning she boarded her flight and flew the in-between distance to come home.  Brian, her husband spent the night in the Atlanta area because he was in-between home and Atlanta when we learned she was not on the first plane.  Poor B.  Friday he was waiting on her when her plane touched down.  He was in-between the bottom of the escalator and the door...waiting....with a sign to let her know her homecoming was much appreciated.  I think this is the longest time they have evern been apart.  Brian is such a great guy and this is what she was met with....inbetween the tram and baggage claim.

Do you think he is happy?  Off to baggage claim, then to the car, and finally they only had one in-between left....they were still in-between Atlanta and Montgomery....two hours home.  In-betweens can be a tough place to be.  Whether you are in-between a sibling or in-between in your travels.  It is sometimes a time of stress.  I know it was for Kat, for Brian, and for her momma.  You know....your children grow up, marry, move away.....but when your adult child is in distress....the momma bear in us all rises to the occassion and wants to move heaven and earth to fix it.  "All's well that ends well"....I suppose.  Welcome Home Kat!  We will get together soon at the in-between, Auburn(1 hour each way for both of us)....and celebrate a belated birthday!

STOP

Five Minute Friday - Song

I can take a deep breath. I made it. It’s Friday.  One more week of school.  Graduation is May 24th.  I am so glad to have Five Minute Friday to chill to this morning.  Thank you Lisa-Jo for letting me have a place to freewrite/brainstorm/write/release.

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s write in shades of real and brave and unscripted.
Let’s just write and not worry if it’s just right or not.
Because:
“Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.” ~E. B. White

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Be generous and leave an encouraging comment for the person who linked up before you. That’s the best part about this community.
And if you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave your five minutes of writing as a comment. And we’ll love on you there.
Today’s prompt is one of my favorite words:

Song….

GO

I am a writer, singer, listener, and lover of songs.  Songs can lift me up (Testify to Love and Wagon Wheel I will rock on during my hour drive home each day), songs can make me cry (Walking Her Home, It Is Well, and Take My Hand Precious Lord - because they remind me of my parents) (Roads, In My Daughter's Eyes, and You Raise Me Up - because they are so powerful and just overcome me),  they can make me laugh (455 Rocket reminds me of Amanda's speedy driving....and makes me laugh.  Mighty Quinn - Kat and I call each other so we can share that song when it comes on.  I will miss that when she moves to Moldova in January).  Songs fill my heart at church sometimes and speak to me more than the message does.  I love singing songs.  Sometimes on my way to and from work I will pump up the volume and belt out songs all the way there.  It makes the drive go by so much faster.  On warm afternoons coming home I will roll down all my windows, pump up the volume, and sing to my hearts content.  When Amanda and I sit down and work on songs my heart is light.  There is nothing like the melodious harmony she shares with me.  Our hearts seem to just bust out of us and go soaring into the sky when we sing.....at least that is how it feels to me.  I love working on new songs with her, writing new songs with her, pulling out some good oldies and belting them out.  I love when we sing our songs with other people.....but you know...with Amanda....I could sing with just her and be happy.  She is the harmony to my song.  Harmony is my favorite part of a song.  I would rather sing that than lead any day.  Amanda has a powerful lead voice and it is so exciting to push our voices to the limits on any given song.  Songs are my life.  I wish I lived in a musical and could just bust out in song whenever the score tells me too.....oh wait....I do do that.  Poor Frank!   When we came home from South Carolina a couple of weeks ago....Marcie and Frank were subjected to church and a concert in the car.  I sang for probably 2 hours.  Frank gets it all the time....this was Marcie's first experience.  Wonder if she will ever ride with me again?  I hope so.  I love an audience when it comes to a song!

STOP

Five Minute Friday: Friend

Today we are all telling our stories about what it feels like to trust a friend. And not trust a friend.  Come just as you are and be encouraged.  So let’s spend our five minutes of writing today, sharing about friendship. Fight it, love it, hate it, hurt or healed by it, we were certainly built for it.
Set a timer and just write. Don’t worry about making it just right or not.
Go all in with your words.
Are you ready?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back to Lisa-Jo's blog and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.
OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on:

::
Friend…

GO:
As I began this post I cannot get past the tears.  Over the past couple of years I have lost some friends.  They were lost to me not because we had a tift....or difference of opinion.  My sweet friends are gone from this earth.....so momentarily we are separated.  When I think of the word friend. I think, "sweet!"   I think of mine.  I am so blessed with friends.  I have some I have known since I was 5 and since I just turned 59 it is safe to say I have known them a long while.  I have friends from work that I love and would do anything for and they would for me.  I have friends I act crazy with, go thrift shopping with, travel with, gave birth to, married to, and am related to.  All of my friends are there for a reason.  In the final days of my father's life and when I was losing my mother to Alzheimers I had special friends at Waverly UMC.  They held me up.  They loved me when I did not feel love and just wanted my parents.  I have friends at Rock Mills who write poems for me, surprise me, include me.....and I love them.  When my mom died and I was sinking fast they were there to lift me up.  I have friends I sing with....in the car or on a stage.  I love having friends and being one.  Some people go through their whole lives and never have one single friends.  I am blessed with a multitude of them.  My momma used to sing about her best friend all the time and everytime I hear this song I smile.  "What a friend we have in Jesus.  All our sins and griefs to bear.  What a priviledge to carry.  Everything to God in prayer."  She believed the words of this song.....and so do I.  Yes, I am blessed with friends....are you?

STOP:

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