Five Minte Friday – What Mama Did

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Today at Five Minute Friday, we are remembering mama

In just five minutes. Tell me all about what your mama did that made her yours….

go

my mama took care

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when we were small

mama took care of us

Mondays she washed our clothes
Tuesdays she ironed
Wednesdays she mended

I don’t remember if she had a special task for the other days

she once said,  “I really enjoy caring for my family.’

dinner was ready the minute daddy came home

as we grew older she continued to care

a tape measure was taken to the thrift shop
to measure inseams and skirt lengths

accounting was kept for daddy’s business

as we grew older, still

she worked at home in the evenings
and in the public during the days

when she and dad owned motels,
business decisions were jointly made
she was an equal partner

when retirement came
she reaped for her labors

when Alzheimer came
she continued to care
I could not count the times I heard

‘I’m sorry.
I don’t understand what you are trying to tell me.
It is the Alzheimer’s that is causing the problem.
Let’s try again later.”

GpaTopper

“We will take care of each other because we love each other.”

today cancer grows in the brother that lives with mama

yes, you’re right, she’s caring

my mama cares so much, it makes my heart ache with pride.

I love you, mama

stop

pictures added after 5 minute ding.

Published in: on February 22, 2013 at 11:26 am  Comments (1)  
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Five Minute Friday – Afraid

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“This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here.” With Lisa

‘Writing for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking’ but I always check the spelling ( I have blame my mother for that quirk.

Prompt – AFRAID

I have been afraid of trying most of my life. As a teenager I didn’t try things for fear of how I would look, whether I could do it right or do it good enough.
I backed myself in a box.
As I grew older I would learn a skill, then degrade my abilities because I didn’t do it as well as someone else.
Then I took a basic accounting class at a junior college.We had recently started a business and I needed to brush up on my high school bookkeeping. I was 38 years old.
I got A’s on almost all of my work.
I looked at those grades.
I knew how much effort I put forth.
It was not 100% by any means.
I realized,
I was putting the bar of accomplishment ‘way higher than it needed to be.
I could do my skills well.
I was able to do ‘A’ work, I had proof.
I didn’t have to knock myself out to do it, either.
I didn’t have to be afraid to try.
I just had to be brave enough to try.

stop

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Published in: on February 1, 2013 at 11:02 am  Comments (6)  

Five Minute Friday – Again

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“This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here.” With Lisa

‘Writing for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking’ but I always check the spelling ( I have blame my mother for that quirk.

Prompt – AGAIN

start

repeat
do over
isn’t that the way of my daily life?

do it again
every day
sometimes at the same time every day.

I sometimes fall into the trap…… again

if only
things that could have been
why

but reality is here and now

life is what I have today in my hands to use, cherish and carefully handle…… again

new possibilities paired with the same responsibilities…… again

And every priest standeth daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,
Hebrews 10:11

oct 30 dishes in sink he offered again and again and again and
God was pleased again and again and again.

Please God fill my day again with your help and favor.

stop

Scripture added after stop.

Published in: on January 25, 2013 at 10:17 am  Comments (5)  

Five Minute Friday – Opportunity

It’s Friday!
So I’m setting my timer, clearing my head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right with Lisa Jo.
Go

Opportunity
Now is the time………
Now wile there is day…………….
Now while health and mental abilities are able…………
Now take firm hold on today’s opportunities………….
LOOK
SEE
HEAR
FEEL
LOVE
SPEAK
LIVE……………….BE ALIVE
Shake off the past feelings of shortcomings
Turn off the loop of tape in your head

Even if you have to turn off and shake off every morning,
so you have a clear pathway of opportunity to FOCUS on what is important today
And with your opportunity – of whatever sort it is large or small, humble or great, at home or abroad, for one or the multitude – Be Thankful.

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, unto the Lord, and not unto men;

Stop (I have to fix spelling errors)

If you click on ‘Lisa Jo,’ you’ll find others who wrote about opportunity.

Published in: on January 4, 2013 at 10:22 am  Comments (4)  
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Five Minute Friday on Saturday (coz I was shopping) – Path

 

Unscripted.

Unedited.

Real.

Write and see what comes out.

There’s no right or wrong.

On Five Minute Friday

 

Go: PATH

Path are taken one step at a time.
One decision at a time.
Sometimes with no thought of where that path might lead.

I just listened to The Winding Ways Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini.
She described the twists and turns of the quilters life’s, each decision building upon the previous, each fork in the road leading to a different end.

Thinking back on choices I deliberately made,
Situations that I experienced that were out of my control
People that influenced my life
Choices I deliberately did not make
All  have  led to where I am today.

In this season of my life…
I feel like I am wandering,
struggling
to find who I am
how do I fit in.

I have to lay aside
preconceived ideas of
what I thought it would be,
accepting what is
being thankful
and trusting
while
I take the path one step at a time.

stop.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:   Ecclesiastes 3:1

Published in: on June 16, 2012 at 11:02 am  Comments (6)  

Five Minute Friday — Perspective

Just five minutes.

Unscripted.

Unedited.

Real.

Today’s prompt:  Perspective

go . . .


This is a picture of the kitchen on Lincoln Ave, when My daughter was living there. I had a cream refrigerator with NO stuff on the front. I don’t have a picture of the kitchen when it was mine. We had to move due to financial reasons. Anyway, this was the kitchen I cooked in, laughed in and sometimes cried in, I loved it. I could have 4 work stations going at one time when we were having a party or everyone came over for dinner.


This is the kitchen I moved into. One person can cook at a time. One person can clean up at a time. Sometimes I have to share this kitchen with the Farmer. I cannot say I love it, but it does supply all I need in a kitchen.


Sometimes I use this kitchen at my neighbor’s.
And I think, “OH, LOOK AT ALL THE ROOM!

It is just a matter of perspective. . .

stop.

I found and added pictures first, then wrote. Whenever I hear the word perspective; I think of  the day I received this example.

Many other writers are sharing their experiences of perspective at Gypsymama’s click here.

Published in: on May 18, 2012 at 8:40 am  Comments (2)  

Five Minute Friday on Monday, May 14 – Identity

 

On Fridays over here a group of people
who love to throw caution to the wind
and just write gather to share
what five minutes buys them.
Just five minutes.
Unscripted.
Unedited.
Real.

Prompt: IDENTITY

Go. . .

At every season of our lives we will have identity issues.
Changes will bring issues.
We learn how to make those changes.
Sometimes graciously
Sometimes kicking and screaming
But always changing.

I – ideally

D – (full of) dreams

E – by example

N – with much nurturing

T –  always trying

I – sometimes instinctively

T – accepting truth

Y – becoming you(me)

With all the flaws and failures
Incomplete and searching
Humbly
Acknowledging
That whatever I become after
Going through His perfecting

My identity will be a vessel
to honor and good works
fit for the Master’s use.

Picture: Ray Allen Untitled vessel, 1995    umma.umich.edu

To read others’ identities, visit Gypsymama.

Published in: on May 14, 2012 at 11:27 am  Leave a Comment  

Five Minute Friday — Really

 

 

Just five minutes.

Unscripted.

Unedited.

Real.

 

 

Today’s prompt: Real

go:

REALLY!?!
Are you sure?
You want me to write about Real?
I’m a grannie.
I care for 2 year old and 8 month old sisters.
On good days writing is a challenge.
This Friday, oh, well

child: what’s this?
me: I don’t know it’s Grandpa Elmer’s.
child: Grandpa Elmer’s ?? mumble mumble
drops it and goes to next thing that catches her eyes.

That’s a sample of the real life from 6:30-4:30.
(Except for nap times 🙂 )
Question, answered, question answer, answered, repeat
Soaking it all up like a sponge.

I try to forget the day,
breaking my resolution to never say ‘shut up.’
I said it.
The next day,
she whispered while walking away,
shut up…shut up.

It’s real
what goes into the sponge
comes out.

stop.

Joining others and Gypsymama.

Published in: on May 4, 2012 at 11:49 am  Comments (3)  

Five Minute Friday on Monday April 9, 2012

On Friday I read the prompt ‘Light’ and couldn’t put my thoughts together. This scripture was read Sunday morning and my thoughts jelled.

 

 

 

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master    John 20:11-16

start:

how many times in my grief
in my busyness
in my discouragement

am I so involved in what I assume to be true
so sure of what I feel
so unbelieving in the power of the Father

that even when Jesus is standing right in front of me, saying
can I help? — I am blind and stumble along in my own weak way;
until He says my name

and my eyes are opened like Mary’s
and I can honor, accept and submit to Him.

stop.

Matthew 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Join others writing about light with Ginny here.

Published in: on April 9, 2012 at 1:23 am  Leave a Comment  

Five Minute Friday – Loud

On Fridays, many weeks I join with Ginny @ The Gypsymama and write.

I never know what will appear. sometimes it is hard to start, sometimes hare to stop. Sometimes I find myself laughing, sometimes crying. Sometimes I am please with my work and I want everyone to see what I have written. Most of the time what I write looks young and needy, waiting to grow.

Ginny says “We finger paint with words. We try to remember what it was like to just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.”

So remember finger painting can be very messy, indeed

Prompt  —  loud

start:

“When the voice in my head is so loud I can’t hear what I’m saying.”

That is the first thought that came to mind when I saw the prompt for today.

The voice in my head

Sometimes I just want to stuff a sock in it’s mouth

Be quiet

Leave me alone

Let me have a little time to find out what I need to know

I’ve listened to you over and over

And I’m still in the same place.  .  .  stuck.

There is a saying if you want different results you have to stop doing what you have been doing.

So, Voice, you need to hush!

I figure out what is good for me.

So I go to my secret place.

I leave the voice and the busyness and the cares

And I meet with the One who said,

“I am the way, the truth and the life”

And I find rest.

stop.

Published in: on March 23, 2012 at 11:50 am  Comments (1)  

Five Minute Friday on Monday — Brave

 

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.

 

Where your words are welcome, just as they are!

Prompt is Brave.

go.

Last week I commented on a blog where I have visited several times and ended with “if I were brave enough…..”

That was the prompt I needed to write about being brave. I don’t think I am.

So it  seems I missed a lot.

I was the one as a child who said we better not do that    I was afraid.

In high school I didn’t learn to play tennis because I was afraid of what I would look like  and that I wouldn’t be able to do it.

When asked what I wanted to do with my life I didn’t speak up, because I was afraid.

I said  ‘oh, I knit a little bit’ —- because i was afraid I didn’t knit as well as others, even though, I put on my children items I had made,

and that blog, just series of pictures, I can take pictures.   I have posted pictures,  I have  shared pictures on my blog and on Facebook.

I don’t take pictures for them.

I take pictures for me.

I don’t have to look over others shoulders to have fun

I don’t have to be afraid

AFRAID,       Shut up!

I can and I will be brave enough to climb the ‘afraid’ mountain.

stop.

I went over time and reading it. Afraid whispers, this isn’t smooth, it is rough, it is not as good as, why do  you think you can do this. . .

I said “Publish!”

Joining Lisa Jo at Gypsymama and many others being brave enough.

Published in: on March 19, 2012 at 10:06 am  Comments (2)  

Five Minute Friday — Empty, Yet Full

We lie down in our words and make snow angels.We try to remember what it was like to just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Snow angels come in all sizes and shapes, so our words reflect us and it is not until we get up, turn around and look – that we see. . .

Today’s prompt  —  Empty

go.

It was the last day I would ever walk in the house that had been my home for the previous 13 years.

I picked up the leavings,
the last of the remnants of the life lived

I check the closets, the drawers, the cupboards

I looked in all the rooms,
gazed up at all 12 of the skylights,
dusted the mantle of the river rock fireplace,
and finally mopped the hard wood floors for the last time.

I listened and heard

laughter and raised voices
singing and prayers
whispered dreams and loud defiance
cat purrs, dog barks, bird singing
candles, birthday cakes, Mom’s meatloaf, family nights,
thankfuls around the circle

The house was empty, quiet and still

My eyes will tears overflowing

My heart with so many memories . . . full.

stop.

To read about other’s emptiness go here

Published in: on March 9, 2012 at 11:01 am  Comments (11)  

Five Minute Friday — Ache

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.

So we take five minutes on Friday

and write like we used to finger paint

. For joy in the process

No matter how messy the result.

 

Today’s Prompt  –Ache

Go

Have you ever wanted something so badly it hurt?
Something that you knew was attainable?
Something that would do you good and not evil?
But as you counted the cost. . .it was so great.
As you check your assets. . .you had just enough.
You felt the ache
It was growing.
You looked at the pearl.
It was glowing.


As you paid the price, you felt relief.
The ache satisfied.
You had all you needed.

My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Psalms 119:20

Stop.

To read other achey-ness –  click here

Published in: on March 2, 2012 at 4:14 pm  Comments (1)  

Five Minute Friday — Grit

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays (or Saturdays).

We write because we love words and the relief it is to just write them without worrying if they’re just right or not. So we take five minutes on Friday and write like we used to run when we were kids.

Today’s prompt is GRIT, first I look up sandpaper, then I write.

From Wikipedia  —  Sandpaper, also known as glasspaper[1], is a heavy paper with abrasive material attached to its surface.

Sandpaper is part of the “coated abrasives” family of abrasive products. It is used to remove small amounts of material from surfaces, either to make them smoother (painting and wood finishing), to remove a layer of material (e.g. old paint), or sometimes to make the surface rougher (e.g. as a preparation to gluing).

Go

I wonder about the Carpenter when He looks at me.
As He checks me over for things that shouldn’t be.
How does He choose what grade of paper to make me like Himself? Sometimes I feel the raspy-ness of grit, coarse and rough.
I feel the weight of His strength and sense His muscles bulge. Those times make me cry and I feel like running far away, even as He cradles me in His other hand to steady the work to be done that day.
Sometimes the grit is medium and I can stand there like a child of His and take it.
Sometimes it feels almost soft like a caress, and I hear, ‘Yes, just a little here and some smoothing there. I think I’m just about through with this area. She’ll be a vessel of honor someday.’

Stop

More Friday Ramblings can be found here

Published in: on February 25, 2012 at 10:50 am  Comments (2)  

Five Minute Friday — Delight

We write because we want to, not because we have to. We write for fun, for joy, for discovery at how much creativity is crammed in our heads and even if we just unlock if for five minutes it can paint the world in dazzling wonder.

 

Dazzling wonder describes my delight.

Prompt  —  Delight

DELIGHT, n. a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction. 2. : something that gives great pleasure

Start:

Last week I wrote of a personality trait exposed to me by the Lord.

I wrote of my struggle to trust.

then I  prayed and cried

I asked forgiveness, determined that what ever it would take with the Lord’s help I would do all I could to change.

I was forgiven.

I didn’t have to do anything.  God did it.

He changed my thoughts from scorn to respect, from scorning to acknowledging and accepting, from scornful to appreciative.

Can you imagine my delight!?!

Stop.

Psalm 86:4-5  Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Join with other writers here.

Published in: on February 17, 2012 at 4:26 pm  Comments (3)  
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