View

Swinging over from Lisa Jo Baker weekly five minute Friday.

Go

Two days ago, I became an aunt. For the first time. So far away from family, I get to see this new nephew of mine through Facebook. Quite a view from here. I tell, the new mother, whatever I can remember about the early days, on holding a new born, on burping , on using Vaseline to smear the bottom so black poop wont stick and hurt the sensitive skin, on the marvelous rush of energy during  the first few days and the pop in that balloon a few days later.

I remember my 'early days' with my boys. And look at them now, on how we have grown through the years. Mothering through trial and error. And they still live, strong and sound, with intact fingers and toes, although a  tooth less before the first year.

I look at them out of the corner of my eye, when they play by themselves, talking to their toys and creating a world of their own. Making sure they don’t see me looking. Occasionally, I get to film this, and watch it a few hundred times watching their mouth, eyes and hands. How a tiny squiggly  looking fetus can be transformed into this complete being, with personalities different and same in ways from their earthly maker. I picture them, growing up to be men of character, compassion, loving their wives and fathering their children. I imagine how their tiny hands, grow out ,into hands of wisdom and care.

I look down from my barely 5 foot view, and see them growing, talking, and thinking. 

I look forward to gazing up from my barely 5 foot view , to the compassion filled, wisdom and knowledge filled, God men we have had the privilege of raising. Walking proudly, with a son on each side protecting their mama. Now, that’s a view I prayerfully look forward to.

STOP

Brave

 Every week Lisa Jo Baker picks a word for a community of women to write their Five minutes worth.

And did you know there’s a whole community of writers that connect online before the prompt goes live on Friday nights? They use the Twitter hashtag #FMFParty and are about the most encouraging group around.

Are you interested to try this out? Here is a guide:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to 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..

GO

The beginnings to this blog was just for me. To write out the musings that filled my head, that needed an outlet. And once in a while, I put it on Facebook. Thinking at least 10 times about it. Don' t I want others to read my post?  What would they think about me?Am I baring my soul to the world? It's hard enough to open up and pour out to one close person . Imagine to interent world out there! Once in a while when I come across the "overview" page to my blog, I am amazed , or rather shocked to see the number of page views or the number of people who visited the blog. Even for an extrovert like me , it's a scary step to take. Being brave.

It's a choice to step out and open up, praying that this would help them a tiny bit. 

Over the past year, I have been amazingly , tremendously blessed by reading the stories of women around the world, their blogs, their podcasts. I havent communicated with them, but it's like I know their heart, I know their deepest secrets. The furrows in my grey matter are increasing the God way.

So, it was natural for me to involve the women I know here into this "gold". I wanted them to experience the same relief, the same awe. AGLOW Eindhoven and (in)courage conference was part of that. I took my church directory and added the email addresses of all the women from that thin green directory. And I waited in expectation. I expected all 50 or so women to respond and come and drink in this blessing. A step too much in "bravery" , a step out of God's plan. All He said was "invite". He definitely didn't give me the blue prints to their life. Its when no one but one turned up, I realized I took it a step further from what he asked me to. All He asked me was to "invite". He would do the rest. And this did not include them actually coming. This was a seed, He was intend on watering and letting it take root. 

He has been assuring me and encouraging me to continue. To continue to write and invite. And confirmations in ways, where people come and tell me, they could connect with a particular blog post, thanking me for putting words to their confusions and random strangers with their blessings in my comment box. That's His way of giving me a power boost , His way of pouring and mixing the fertilizers for proper growth upward and slowly. His proper dosage of "brave".

STOP