Thursday, October 31, 2013

FMF: Grace

Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday.  This week's prompt:  GRACE.

GO.
How do you write about something so intangible yet so crucial in our lives as "grace"?
I've been using up much of my 5 minutes pondering.....what IS grace?
I know what grace is....when I taught religion, I helped my students understand that it is free, undeserved help from God.
It's the allowance God gives us in our weak, human state.
It's the allowance we extend to others because we can relate to where they are, what's going on.  It's not making excuses for another, but extending to them the care, concern, help we would hope to receive in a similar situation.
Free, undeserved help from God.  I'm sure there's a more theological definition of it.  But when I pray for grace, when I pray to be graceful (filled with grace), when I pray to be able to share grace with others, I am grateful for this gift God so freely gives.
I needed this moment of grace in an otherwise busy, frazzled week.  These moments to stop and reflect and rejoice in what God always provides.
STOP

Friday, October 25, 2013

Five Minute Friday: Together

Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker and others for Five Minute Friday.
Today's prompt: Together.
Five minutes starts............
NOW!

I have been looking forward to today for several weeks.
Why, you ask?
Well, for one thing, we don't have school.  It's a much-welcome day for fall break, for students AND teachers.  And as much as the kids always like having a day off, the longer I'm in teaching, I think these days off are as much (if not more!) for the teachers as for the kids.
But, also, I get to be together with some friends.
Several weeks ago when a friend came over to visit, we talked about trying to find a time to get together to do some papercrafting, either scrapbooking or card-making.  She had been talking with a mutual friend of ours, Christina, who lives a short distance away.  We checked calendars, Jenny did some emails and phone calls, and voila!  We were set for today and tomorrow.
I can't tell you how excited I am to just be together with these two ladies.
They're staying here at our home, and that adds to my excitement.  I love having guests, whether it's for a few minutes, or several hours.  Fresh towels are in their bathroom downstairs, bedding is freshly washed, pillows are plumped.
The rest of the house?  It's presentable.  And you know what?  For once, I'm completely OK with that.  Because I know they're not coming over to inspect the house, to tsk-tsk about crumbs on the floor (which there are), the layer of dust that's covering most of the furniture (which it is, but, hey, we live in the country and it's harvest season!), or the laundry that will continue to be done in the utility room while we work in the basement.
We need this time together.  To share life, to laugh, to chat, to reflect, to ponder, to pray, possibly to cry, definitely to eat chocolate, to drink sangria.....to just.be.together.
Oh, yes, and we'll hopefully get some cards made too.

STOP!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Five Minute Friday: WRITE

Partnering up with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday, where we write, unedited, for five minutes on a given prompt.  This week: WRITE. 
Ready? Go!

Do I think of myself as a writer?
No.
Do I think of myself as a blogger?
Not really.  Other than the fact that I claim a spot on Blogger.
But do I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts and sharing my heart through writing?
Oh, heavens yes.
I can be a talker.  Just ask my husband.  Or any of my sisters.  Or my friends.  Or my students.  I am a teacher, so by nature, I am a talker.
I'm also a speaker.  Give me a podium and a room of 100 people, and watch me shine.
But do I feel comfortable walking into a party where I only know the host?  Especially if I'm by myself?
Oh, heavens no.
I'm glad to have an outlet where I am able to write.  Whether people read my writing or not is....well, I'd like to say it's irrelevant.  But the truth?  I want people to read what I'm writing.  I want people to relate to what I'm saying. I want to feel like I belong, like what I'm thinking and feeling isn't unique just to me.
I'm grateful that I can write.
And if you're reading this, I'm grateful, oh so grateful, to you!!
STOP.
(With a few seconds to spare!)