Stay

Back from a short break..... right into my Five minutes.

You know how it goes. Join me if you can. Say a word or two. Have a read.

GO

I have heard dog owners say"stay""sit" "heel".People comment in light conversation," You are really busy, doing so many things". So I take stock, to see what I am busy with. Usual routine stuff. It does feel that way. But it isn't. I seem to be increasing it to a factor of 5 in my head.

Last weeks word "roots"meant more to me than just the word. Where are my roots? India? Kuwait? or now here, the Netherlands? Are we meant to stay here? How long? Can we buy a house? Can we agree on a house? Is this the best place to raise my kids? Am I doing what He wants me to?

In every quiet time, there is a time to keep silent. Keep still. And listen. A season to hear and listen. And so, the voice says "Stay". In all the words that keep swirling like a hurricane in my mind, this one leaves the swirl and hits somewhere. This one makes sense. And how do I know? It doesn't allow me to move on. Or be the one swirling along. Such is the power of the soft voice.

So I sit still and wait.

Be still, my child........

STAY

STOP

Look

It's Friday... and here I am .. as hundreds of women will be.... Five Minute Friday hosted by Lisa Jo Baker. Whats the word?

LOOK

GO

Autumn break was supposed to be "look around the house and do what is required". Well its Friday now and I have just begun to look around at the things that I planned to do since Monday.
What happened?
Well, I was taking the kids out to play areas and for play dates... thats what happened? So I wasn't wasting time.

Can I look around and clear up areas that need clearing up in the next three day, before I start work,again?
Yay! Of course I can!
There will always be "clear up lists"and I dont have to "clear up" the entire 3 days.
The autumn break was for me too and not just for the kids.

Thankfully , not that bad!

Rest is as important to the body and mind as  is a "junk cleared house".

So thats what I am just about to do.
Look around to where my eyes dare go. Clear up. Choose my rest moments wisely.
Its not the end of the world, when stuff hasn't been cleared up.
Enjoy your weekend!

STOP

The welcoming gift

Every Friday, the word is released. It appears on our screen, as we wait for the word, welcoming it to hook on to our hearts and mind. I usually ponder over it throughout out the day and finally write it at the end of the day, or even sometimes Saturday. Today I awoke at 6 am , because I wanted to know what that word was. And swore I would write my 5 minutes worth as soon as I saw it. No pondering, no thinking, no editing, no back spacing , no tracing back and reading it a million times to check the sentence structure... Five minutes of pure unstoppable pouring.

 Welcome to this weeks Five minute Friday....

Welcome

GO

Those with open hearts usually have an open house. My first experience was when I was doing my Masters. And I entered the open doors of one of our campus churches. I knew quite a few from back home. Acquaintances were  renewed. This couple invited me with open arms into the service 9 years ago.The church was very welcoming. But their home(the couple's), was an open house for students to come in. A place to relax, a place to pour out burdens and struggles, a place to savor her wonderful cooking when one was homesick. Some of us even slept there. When one was sick, we went there and she would care for us. Sometimes, because of exhaustion we slept  in their room. Her poor husband would sleep on the couch.

Some who received more would trample on their love and guidance, some betrayed their trust, some left and never kept in touch. 

But they still continued to pray, guide and love us. They couldn't keep the hurt long enough. That wasn't how they were built. They were built to welcome and care, and give. Their arms were meant for hugging and caring.

They have been spiritual mentors for many. Many still keep in touch. Many still call for guidance. Many have learned to care for others through them. They helped many to recognize their purpose and their gifting. They helped guide many, when it was time to decide on a life partner.

Five minutes isn't enough to pour out here on what they mean to us, what they meant to me.

Their open house, set my heart right with God. Their open arms taught me the true meaning of the open arms nailed to that cross. 

They welcomed us in to their home and into their heart.

Jerry and Blessy, I love you guys and its been an honor to know you. 

STOP

(We meet every year when I am in India, and we call, on and off. She usually starts off,blasting me for not calling sooner, and then just begins to pour out her love.)

How it all began

It's been more than a year since I started this blog(September 18,20..)I had to stop and look back at the date to my first entry and it said September 18, 2010. How did two years just go by?

Recovering from the previous line..Phew!

I have been tempted to join Lisa -Jo in the "31 days to Write your story". But the commitment to do that this time was too much of a choice to make. But I had to put in at least a post. To settle the ramblings of my mind during my 30 minute quiet shower at 10 pm. (Note: This usually doesn't happen at all.The shower , I mean.)

How did it all start?

I loved to scribble as a child. It even extended to walls and furniture. Once, after an intense disciplining moment by my mother, the scribbling appeared to stop for a few days. During a cleaning day, when my mom pushed the couch away from the wall to hoover that area, she found out why I had stopped scribbling. The wall behind the couch was scribbled to the maximum. I had to vent it out, apparently.

My brother and I 

I signed my silly signature in every book I had. I labelled them by letters and numbers just like in a library. And I poured over my diary. Which was always locked in my study table. My brother faithfully broke open the lock everyday to read it. I think, I realized he was reading it when he couldn't stop rolling with laughter as he told my mom that I was in love with "Prince Eric" from Disney's Little Mermaid. (Gees.. was I immature or what?). So I stopped writing. And picked it up only in university. But then again carrying all of it from one place to another,  one university to another, proved to be heavy luggage in addition to all the other things I collected over the years.

Then, before I got married, I decided to put an end to all the university diaries with its silliness, secrets and worries by burning them in our "out house" in India where the wood burned. New beginnings... and also to make sure no one read it. I now wonder what the need was to burn it... Dramatics was in high fashion in those days.

I chose not to write anywhere for a long time and it clogged my mind with all the things I wanted to put down on paper. I wasn't the writer in the family. My brother wrote poems and stories. Not me. I barely could get through school. My family called my school education the "continuing saga" . I was forever stationed at my study table.

Blogs came into existence , and I casually read those of friends and strangers and swore that I couldnt possibly convert the ramblings into writing. So, two years ago, I had to vent it out somewhere. And found this space at the right moment to birth.

That stopped after a few posts and rose again when I met this wonderful person in my church called Tracey from "Control the Chaos" then and "Intend to Live" now.  She rekindled that fire that shook those ramblings live again and needed to be written.

I found "Five minute Fridays" through Tracey and this proved to be the best thing ever to systematically and casually, without hesitance, without thinking, to put my thoughts to the screen. And so began my journey with  up's and down's, but oh so joyous!

I am not a writer. But here I am.

Five Minute Friday:Grasp

Five minutes is all I have.... and thats the purpose.
Unedited writing, timed for 5 minutes only.
GO
Michelangelo's painting to me always showed how we strive to reach Him, yet we are not there yet.

A perfect day would start off at 6 am, before the kids could wake up. A " quiet time " true to its name, to enjoy His presence. Time for a shower. Pack lunch bags and work bags.7 am: wake up the kids and finish breakfast by 7:30. Get ready by 7:45. Leave for "drop off's" at day care and school 5 minutes before 8 am. Thats why its called a perfect day. This hardly ever happens. And usually involves nagging ,countdowns, and the live time teller. And of course , something is always forgotten. Especially the quiet times and showers.

No wonder, I cant reach Him.

I am just going in circles and not moving forward.

But Jesus closes that gap between me and the Father and pulls me in with a rope of grace and mercy.Speaking to Him on my behalf.

I can not grasp the idea of the need He has to have a relationship with us. Us? He wants to be our Father. If we love our earthly Father how much more our Maker loves us.

Last night, when we were in our Cell group, a friend explained what our Father does, when we sin, or disobey Him. He first wants to be in a relationship with and enjoy our presence and then discipline us. Thankfully He doesn't strike us down dead at the first instance. Oh! How we could have the privilege of actually walking in the cool of the evening in the garden conversing with our Father.

We still can. In the midst of daily routines.And that I can grasp.

STOP

Graceful

That time of the week.Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

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..

Graceful...

GO

Graceful is a better word than super mum.

A skillful, creative mum is graceful with the things she does. 

Even graceful when its dinner time. Spin to a great tune in your head when a kiddo has split milk. Hopefully a graceful mum can calm down and brace herself for some knee to floor bonding.

A graceful mum has wise words on her lips and an encouraging word at all times. 

A graceful mum also has a listening ear.. and not trot into a quick advice mode.

A graceful mum plans the day to avoid chaos and confusion in the household. 

Gracefulness also needs to make its entry when everything goes topsy turvy on an unplanned day. (Those do exist you know...)

A graceful mum teaches her children independence and responsibility.

But a graceful mum definitely places the bags gently on the school ground  when all her children dump theirs on her.She isn't a donkey!

A graceful mum speaks with a stern steady voice, with a pinch of gentleness and a splash of love  when disciplining her children.

Gracefulness .. oh .. gracefulness... every time and everywhere we go.... how do we wear it on our hearts ?

It all starts with His grace and that is definitely sufficient for us.

STOP

Joining the genealogy of Christ

What does Lisa Jo say?

Stop, drop & write. It’s #FiveMinuteFriday !

Where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes, all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here.

How to Join:

Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started and how to participate? All the details are here.

So what's the word?

Join

GO
This last year , I have been introduced to  the blogging world, starting my journey to new ideas, deepening knowledge, "how to's, and comfort and encouragement. Eventually, writing my own "little thing". 

Moms toolbox was one of them, and this year I joined her "Reading the Bible in 90 days".
It is hard staying away from the extra study comments and notes on the verses. Its Day 5, and I am on track.

What stands out is the lives of people mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. It was from  Seth's son Enosh , that the Bible says that "men began to call on the name of the Lord". Commentators say many things.But he got into the line of Christ.

Few names later Enoch , walked with God,then he was no more, because God took him away.

Noah... no need to explain...

Change of scene:

Abraham,was afraid of death at the hand of the Egyptians and declared Sarah as his sister, listened to Sarah and had Ishmael and yet is known as the Father of faith.

Issac, like father like son, did the same "sister thing"with Rebekah.

Jacob, stole his brothers birth right, tricked his father,a mama's boy wrestled with God, knew how to apologize to his brother.

Judah,suggested that they sell his brother Joseph to the Ishmaelistes, had children through his daughter in law. Her name, Tamar being mentioned and the line continuing through her son Peraz.

Rahab the prostitute

Ruth and Boaz
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife (God never forgot that) I guess david cringes every time someone reads the genealogy of Christ.

So the point is... God chose to present HIS SON to the world through a BUNCH that didn't get it right all the time. They joined the honor list with their humanness and ended up with Christ.  

We "as ourselves" with our baggage and stories continue to be mentioned in that long honor list with our starting point as Jesus.

STOP