WORD WEDNESDAY - Shared Joy

Today for my "Word Wednesday" post, I am excited - and honored - to share the joy of a new book that launched on Monday!!

And, not only is this shared joy a "double joy", it is a "150 times or more" joy!!




The "Five Minute Friday" Book released on Monday, September 26th!  

This collection of stories from the FMF Family is an amazing compilation of over 150 contributors - and is the first in the history of the Five Minute Friday community!

And, I am honored to be one of the 150 contributors.

Though I am familiar with many of the names of contributors from the "write31days" challenge and the weekly Five Minute Friday posts, there are still many new writers I am getting to know through their words in the book.

Each of the posts included in the book have been shared during a Five Minute Friday weekly link-up, or during a "write31days" annual challenge.

What is Five Minute Friday? you ask.  It's a weekly link-up where a word prompt is given at 10:00 pm (EST), and everyone participating writes their post using that word ... in only five minutes!

That's right!!  Only five minutes, no editing, no worries about grammar or sentence structure or  ... even making sense!!

In the Forward of the FMF book, Lisa-Jo Baker confesses that it took her more than five minutes to write the forward ... well, I also must confess to "running out of time" before "running out of words" during many of the Five Minute Friday posts I have written!!  But, that is quite alright!

Just imagine hundreds of people writing a post using the same word prompt.  The posts could go in so many directions; and, then again, they could almost mimic each other!  And that's what makes this challenge so ... challenging!

The Five Minute Friday word prompt idea joined with the write31days challenge in October 2014, using the free writes word prompt for each day's post.  This year will be my second year to join the FMF family and the third year of participating in the 31 days challenge.   

I, personally, am so very thankful to Kate Motaung and Susan Shipe for their hard work in getting the book put together and published ... and for the FMF link-up and Facebook "survivor" group!  Check out this group 31 Day Survivors/We're Better Together - a virtual "support group" for those of us who have "survived" the 31 day challenges!

I am also excited to announce that the proceeds from sales of the FMF book will be supporting two ministries in South Africa:

The Vine School and Ten Dollar Tribe

Be sure to check out these ministries at the links above; and order your copy of the "Five Minute Friday" book at Amazon.

So, pick up your pen and paper, or sit down at your computer and write on!  You might even be encouraged to join the FMF family!!

Five Minute Friday - FIVE

It has been quite a long time since I've followed the Five Minute Friday prompts; but we have been challenged by Susan Shipe at HopeHeartHome to write on this week's word .

And, since the "write31days" challenge is only a week away, I have decided to accept Susan's challenge, to get into practice for a month's worth of writing!  For this year's challenge,  I will be following the FMF "free writes" following along with Kate Motaung and the Five Minute Friday writers.

So, here goes my post for this week's word:

Five

Five?  And I thought bacon was a hard one in last year's Five Minute Friday free writes for the "write31days" challenge ...

But, it turned out to be one of my favorite prompts!

In fact, when we were invited by Susan Shipe to submit one of our posts for an upcoming book, the post on bacon was the first one I thought about ...

And, here it is!  Scheduled to be released on Monday, October 26th; and I have just received my advance copy!  How exciting is this?!

I think, perhaps, it took only FIVE days for me to receive this book ... actually, I think it was more like four - I'm stretching it here to get five minutes worth of writing in on this number!!

FIVE!

Growing up, there were five members in my family: my parents, two brothers, and myself.  My brothers and I were two years apart; I was the oldest.

When I married my second husband, and we had a child, our family grew from four to five members: my husband and I, my son and daughter from first marriage, and our daughter.

In seven days, I'll be attending a scrapbook retreat; but it will take me at least the five days leading up to the retreat just to get my stuff together!  And, then I will have four days to work on several projects, once I figure out what they will be.

I'm stretching it here, but I think I have exceeded my five minute time frame anyway; but, I wrote it!!

Challenge Accepted!

Now, won't you check out this amazing weekly challenge with the Five Minute Friday family; and the write31days that is scheduled to begin on October 1st...

Then, be sure to check out the Five Minute Friday book ... You can order one for yourself here.

Five Minute Friday - DWELL

I am linking up with Kate for Five Minute Friday; check out her blog Heading Home  to link up or read other posts.  I haven't done an FMF post since we ended the "write31days" in October...life has gotten in the way in a whirlwind of activity; and the holidays are just now starting ...

{although, with Halloween comes also my oldest grandson's birthday the next day, and my daughter's birthday on the 12th of November; so continuing to be busy even before the "other" holidays!}

So, here I am again, writing on tonight's word:

DWELL

Dwell - v. to live

Dwell on - v. to refer to at length (to a subject).

The place where I currently dwell is a two-bedroom/two-bathroom apartment; we are in the building near the back of the complex, at the back of our building, overlooking the back of a car dealership.  It is rather quiet back here, except for the occasional alarm sounding on one of the cars beyond the fence between our building and the dealership.

Our complex is surrounded by trees and a creek that runs throughout.  It is a (fairly) quiet place to dwell...

Even so, there are times when I am weak and sad and depressed and...well, just "out of sorts".  And in these moments, I dwell on what could have been; what would life be like if...

I know these types of "dwellings" are not good for me.  I should take my life for what it is, at this time and this place, because I know that God has me here for a reason!

Yet, that reason is so hard to find!  That "purpose" is getting harder and harder to find...

And, when I dwell on my circumstances too much, I do become weak and sad and depressed and..."out of sorts".

So, I know the thing for me to do is not dwell on those things!  Live with them; but don't dwell on them!

I know, easier said than done!

Found on Pinterest

Shared by mobile.twitter.com

So, today is barely beginning; but as the day goes on...and is over, I need to {try} and "let it go"...

{If I were to add a video clip here, it would be the "Frozen" version of "Let it Go"; but I will let that one go, too!  I am sure everyone will be happy I chose not to use that song - though I really do love the music from "Frozen"!}

So, as I end my Five Minute Friday post for this week, remember these verses from Ephesians (another "easier said than done" quote):

Five Minute Friday - TOMORROW

Well, it is Thursday night, almost Friday - and I am linking up with Kate for Five Minute Friday.  I haven't done an FMF post in a couple of weeks...no real reason except I have been a bit tired lately and haven't been up to "thinking" at 10:30 or so at night!!

So, here I am again, writing on tonight's word...check it out at Kate's at http://katemotaung.com/.

TOMORROW

We are told not to worry about tomorrow; God has it all covered.  But we do worry, don't we?!

And we don't always do things today because we know -

There is always tomorrow!

What I don't get done today, I can do tomorrow.

I'll wear this new dress another day; it's too nice for a regular day.

Let's save our China and Silver for a special occasion.

I need to finish my chores right now; I'll read that book to you tomorrow.

Just leaving for an "important meeting"; we can talk later when I get home.

There is always later...

There is always tomorrow.

And, if we are having a bad day, wishing it would end quickly...

Thinking to ourselves,

There is always tomorrow!  Tomorrow will be a much better day...

But...

What if tomorrow never comes?

What if...the unexpected happens and...

Tomorrow doesn't come?!

What if your opportunity to finish what you didn't get done today - never comes?

What if you never get to wear that new dress?

What if the China and Silver are never taken down from the top of that cabinet and used - at all?

What if tomorrow never comes - and you don't get that book read...or have that talk?

What if...

Tomorrow never comes?

What if your last day is your worst day ever...

And, tomorrow never comes so you can have another good day!

 

Found on Pinterest

Shared by

rosehilldesigns.blogspot.com

Tomorrow is a brand new day...

So,

Live each day as if it were your last day -

knowing that when your last day comes...

it will be your best day ever;

because on your very  last day...

you will find your way HOME.

Five Minute Friday - BREAK/BROKEN

It is almost Friday - and with that, another weekend; and another opportunity to link up with Kate for Five Minute Friday at http://katemotaung.com/ to write for only five minutes on a single word prompt!

Tonight's word is:

BREAK

(or BROKEN)

How many times have you heard - "If you break it, you will have to buy it!"

Be careful when shopping in a china shop; you don't want to find this...

Fractured pieces;

Scattered in different directions...

Tossed and turned and laying in bits and pieces.

"If you break it, you will have to..."

Broken hearts;

Torn apart by others' words or actions.

Open to the hurts another has caused.

We all have had broken hearts at one time or another...

Maybe our hearts were broken unintentionally;

Maybe it was intended to be a good thing for one ...

But turned out to be a bad thing for another.

Someone always wins...

someone always loses!

"If you break it..."

BROKEN - 

No matter how broken our heart is;

No matter what caused our heart to break...

Tonight I am still pondering this "broken heart" idea;

I am still wondering how lives will go on as if nothing had happened.  I don't know what to say to those in the middle of a broken relationship -

Except,

I still love you.

You did wrong; you hurt my family -

Yet...

You go on with your life as if...

What?

You never loved him??  After all this time...

It just changes - in a flash?  In a minute?

A person "falls in love";

do they also "fall out of love"?

I'm not sure; but tonight I am pondering:

Break - break my heart!

Broken - a broken heart!

Broken-hearted...

I am broken-hearted!

God, please mend this broken heart; and the hearts of those who are heart broken!

Five Minute Friday - REAL

It is almost Friday - and with that, another weekend; and another opportunity to link up with Kate for Five Minute Friday at http://katemotaung.com/ to write for only five minutes on a single word prompt!

Tonight's word is:

REAL

The first thing that came to mind when I read the word prompt tonight was:

The Velveteen Rabbit

There are many times I have wanted to ask myself, "What is real about me"; am I putting on a front and pretending to be someone that I am not?  Am I the person I think I am?  Do others perceive who I am; or are they just seeing the me I want them to see?

Am I one who "breaks easily", or has "sharp edges"; and perhaps won't become real at all?

Have I become real, or am I still becoming real; still trying to figure out who the real me is?

Have I been loved so much that my hair is falling out, or my eyes dropped out; am I "loose in the joints and very shabby"?

Well, I am not sure if I am real or not;

What I do know is that I am who I am...

and those who do know me - the real me -

Love me for who I am; and they understand me...

whether I have "become real", or I am still becoming!

And after all is becoming real what matters?  

Will becoming real make me the person God is shaping me to be?

He is the One who really matters; He is the One is still working on me!

And once I have become real, I will never be unreal again; I will live forever in a special place God has prepared for me...

for all of us!

And "it lasts for always!"

Five Minute Friday - PLAN

It is Friday night, just after 10:00 pm; time to link up with Kate for Five Minute Friday...join us at http://katemotaung.com/ to write for only five minutes on a single word prompt!

Tonight's word is:

PLAN

Five years ago, I would have said I had a great plan for my life!  My plan was to work at my job until I could retire; and I expected to be there until I was at least 65 years old.

Now, I didn't consult God on this plan...

And apparently he had other ideas!

In September 2010, I was let go from a job where I had been working for four years - one that I truly loved, in the beginning; but had really become stressful.

Add to that the fact that I was sick a lot - sinus infections, allergies, bronchitis - 

And I was almost 60 years old.

Who wants to hire a 60 year old??

I must have asked that question many times!  And, I did get a seasonal job doing taxes; but that didn't work for someone who needed a full time job with benefits.

Once the seasonal job ended that first year, I was hired for a full time temporary job; so, still no benefits.  I liked the job and my supervisor tried very hard to find placement for myself and the others.  But, cut-backs hit the temporary positions first; and once again, I was without a job!

And, I continued to be sick, coughing my head off every day at work or whatever I tried to do.

My job ended the first part of August, 2011.  My mother was in the hospital; but once she was settled and doing OK...

It was my turn to go to the ER - and I ended up in the hospital for two weeks!!

That is when God's plan was set in motion...

or - was all of the above circumstances His plan all along?

Long story short - and I have no idea where I am in the five minutes!! - but, while in the hospital, they helped me to file for disability; and it was approved...first try!

Now, I didn't have to worry about working!  And, once I was on disability for 2 years, Medicare kicked in...benefits!

It has been almost five years since that "fateful" day I was let go from my job...yet, was it really a "fateful" day??

No; God has put me where I needed to be in order to fulfill the plans He has for me - 

• To be covered for medical benefits;
• To be available to care for my husband;
• To be flexible so I could help my daughters with my grandchildren; and
• To be able to enjoy my life while I am still young enough and able enough to do so.

God's plans are always so much better than we could have ever imagined them to be!

And even if we do go off track from His plans, or don't "check in" with His Word to follow His plans, He manages to use our messes to put us back on the right track again!

So thankful He has a plan for me!