Being Tender: Forget me not

On Fridays around these parts we stop, drop, and write.

For fun, for love of the sound of words, for play, for delight, for joy and celebration at the art of communication.

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Most important: comment and encourage the person who linked up before you.
OK, are you ready?

Tender

GO
Yesterday was a really low day. Woke up to kids jumping over me, fighting and having fun at the same time. But at the expense of putting me in a foul mood. I wasn't the cheery "Good Morning" girl I was in college. This was another face to Manju. With that kind of a day, similar experiences dragged through the day. I was also quite cranky and rude to Benjamin , my 4 year old before he went to school, not hurrying up. (I woke up late and hence the push). The guilt put me in another fowl mood. I was anything but tender with the people around me and the situations that day.

Well, there will be days such as this. Who said leading a Christian life is going to be smooth? I confessed my sins and asked God to give me a new morning full of his mercies.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

One "low day" can cloud the rest of the days that carried tender moments...
A few..
1. Mothers at our children's school(myself included)standing near the window of their classroom, and watching them.. 10 minutes into the lesson. A step back to leave.. a step forward to see them once more...

2. Elijah, my 2 year old, rubbing Benjamin's(4 years) back when he has a bout of coughing after a high fever.

3.The chorus of "my mama" at Elijah's daycare when I ring the bell. The silence up until the mama that comes in through the door ... and the run, hop and jump to my lap.

How many more have I not seen or felt because of frustrations.

Lord, you have never been not tender towards me... I thank you for that...
Open my eyes and my heart to your tender moments to pour out on others.

STOP

Vivid Imagination

On Fridays around these parts we stop, drop, and write.

For fun, for love of the sound of words, for play, for delight, for joy and celebration at the art of communication.

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Most important: comment and encourage the person who linked up before you.
OK, are you ready?

For those who would just like to read the entries, hop over to Gypsy Mama and be refreshed, touch, renewed, comforted.

Vivid…

GO

I love to dream and imagine all the good things, better things, things I would have wished I had. Vivid , lengthy imaginations of the material world.I do stop at a moment and realize, that God is watching me and sees my heart. And its not in the right place.

I have been dreaming of the perfect house for a long time. And we have been looking. But clearly don't know why we need to at this moment. We aren't from the Netherlands and have been here for more than 6 years.Living in the rented house is fine. But I could do with a bigger house. Who wouldn't? Not knowing what we will do or where we will be in a few years time, I somehow continue to dream vivid dreams. Setting myself to disaster and explosion in my mind.

Imagining vividly,may seem harmless but it steers your mind toward following and heeding to your agenda and not God's agenda.Vivid imaginations distort reality with God.

How do we put a plug on these imaginations?

When you drift off dreaming about things you wished you could have or places you wished you could go to, do different things ..... STOP and say a prayer....
God, you know what I want and need. Please help me to see and focus on your agenda. Help me to be passionate about what you want me to do.You have brought me this far and satisfied all my needs and I trust you know what is best for me and my family.

STOP

What am I awake for?

On Fridays around these parts we stop, drop, and write.

For fun, for love of the sound of words, for play, for delight, for joy and celebration at the art of communication.

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Most important: comment and encourage the person who linked up before you.
OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on:

STOP
Awake…

What Am I awake for? What do I do that can be called "productive"? How do I spend my awake moments for God? There are times when I brood over my "troubles" and then force myself to think: They are nothing compared to others. I have everything and people that I love near me healthy and well and happy. Then why cant I be grateful and move on. Somedays that pep talk: We are in a better place than others: doesn't work.

I sometimes whine and pour out the "blah" on God just because I want to and I cant do it anywhere else.

So at the end of the day tired and moody, thinking I don't achieve much, I retire to bed setting that alarm for the millionth time , only to wake up once more to another day. (Usually, with my boys screaming for breakfast. Like I don't feed them).

In that groggy moment.. walking down the stairs half eye open.. thinking what do I have for breakfast...thinking will I have your peace, joy, fulfillment for this new day... I hear a voice

.......

Be still .... and know that I am God.(Ps 46:10)

STOP

Roar moment through waiting

The first Friday of the new year.
And I am looking forward to writing every Friday for this year!

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Let your mind and your words and your heart fly free; wild – no editing, no over thinking.

Won’t you join the FMF team?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – don’t edit; don’t second-guess.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Must: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!
OK, are you ready? Give your best five minutes on:

Roar…

GO

I truly believe Lisa Jo gets her word from God meant for each and everyone of us. This holiday season I have been reading the mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers.It sets the scene in Ancient Rome during the time of the apostles and Christians in hiding. And specially of one character that changes the way you will see your Christian life. Not saying anymore but I leave it to you to read it for yourself and be touched.Shaken.Jolted.

The last Five Minute Friday of the year being OPEN touched on my theme for the year of of a OPEN MOUTH to proclaim God's Words and tell people about it as He leads me. With this ROAR it emphasizes even more on the importance and assures me that this is what God really wants me to do. I was gearing towards quieter ways of doing this. You know, through my behavior, words and how I make decisions and conduct myself for those to see and cause a change in their hearts.

Well, so much for me planning what I needed to do. Waiting on Him for more guidance and clarity doesnt mean we need to fill in that WAITING TIME with our own agenda.
A post that my Mum send this morning and I happened to read it said:There are things God is seeking to teach us about ourselves in those “blank spaces” (waiting time)where we are to be seeking Him rather than acting. Much like a person thinking he is doing the butterfly larvae a favor by cutting it free of its cocoon, we often move in to, literally, “make the kill” (do our “good” for us, deed). God has things in us and in those we are seeking to help, that He is seeking to deal with by giving us (and them) the “blank spaces”. Our natural devotion to the Lord and compassion for people are not the criteria for service to the Lord. That is to come only from Him and it is “always” worth the wait!

Picture:(Lion waiting for the ROAR moment.)
Yet again coincidentally, I am reading along with Mom's Tool Box this month The Book of Acts(Acts in 28 days), giving me the tools and wisdom during this seeking time.

So I guess I need to ponder more or rather wait on Him to lead me to what kind of a ROAR moment HE is gearing me towards.
In waiting I seek that ROAR moment HE has planned for me.

STOP

Open

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Most important: visit, comment, encourage the person before you.
This is what Five Minute Fridays are all about!Dive in!

GO

A New Year to start fresh and full of possibilities. Feels like a new school year! New books and a new bag... There is much to thank God for this past year.His provision, His gentle touch, His love and peace.
In this time where people make resolutions, I usually stay away from it, since I know there isn't any point. My resolution was always to not make any! I definitely keep that one!

But my heart moves to make one. A prayer rather. That God opens my mouth to someone about His love and grace. I want to do big things for the Lord. But I fail to see the things He has put in my path. OPEN my eyes to those You put in my path. Give me the courage to OPEN my mouth and pray for someone who isn't a believer.

During this holiday I have been reading Francine Rivers The Mark of the Lion series. I just finished the second book and cried through the last chapter. Hadassah, the main character who is a Christian in the Roman world breaks from her fear of speaking of her Lord.God breaks her free of "fear" in the gladiators arena moments before she is attacked by lions.

Thankfully, I am not living in world where Christians are persecuted for speaking of the Lord. So what stops me from opening my mouth? Its easy to speak to fellow brothers and sisters. Encouraging and teaching them come much easier. But what about those who don't know Him? What about the parents in Benjamin's school? my neighbors? My work place?

My prayer for this year is that I will be able to reflect His love in my life by the things I do and say. I pray for wisdom. I pray for courage to OPEN my mouth when I feel the Spirit nudging me to pray for someone or say a word to someone.

OPEN MY MOUTH LORD.. LET YOUR FRAGRANCE SEEP OUT...

GO