Six Word Saturday

Hurting heart + loving friends = renewed hope

Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information - or to play along, click the button!

I am still on my 21 day journey and I am starting to feel 'alive' again - somedays I am right on track, others, not so much!  I am reading scripture more, praying more, reflecting more, and creating more and all of those things are strengthening my heart, my mind and my passion.  Some days I feel quite creative (result, the new blog design) and other days my creativity is limited ('creating' a clean place in the garage), but overall, I am moving forward...even though today started out curled up in my bed sobbing like a baby, I was able to dry my tears and laugh with friends.  God is good and I am continuing on.

Five Minute Friday - Still

Today I linked up with Lisa Jo for the Five Minute Friday bloghop.

The challenge? To write for five minutes - no more, no less and then post. Today's prompt: Still

Here is what I did...in 5


Be still...no moving, no wandering, no chattering, no noise - just stillness. Quiet, reflection, prayers, turning my heart to the one who knows my heart. No distraction, just time to wonder, to think, to feel.

7 days ago I decided to complete a mini fast, based on a Bible AP's daily reading plan. I gave up TV - and I miss it. I miss the conversations - the stories - the laughs (but not the annoying commericals) but I realized this morning how much I gaining by not having it on. I had read from the gospel of Mark, and was sipping my coffee and reflecting on what I had read when I absentl mindedly reached for the TV remote...I stoped myself and understood that I had done that so many times, shortchanged my time with God by reaching out for sound - for noise - for something other than stillness.

I am so grateful for this time to be still and learn who He is without distractions.



You are welcome to come play too!

Color me

I like color. Color that is vibrant, deep, rich. I like how color affects and changes how we perceive things. I like how color elicits feelings and emotions. With imaging technology as close as our phone, we can take photos and transform them to convey stories that can provoke passion in people, trigger delightful- or painful memories for others and even cause some to spring to action. The way a photo contains – or does not contain color affects how we experience the photo, how we see it, what we think about it and how we feel about it.

Attitude is like color. It shades how we see things, people, and situations. It is how we choose to view the world. If one is looking at life through the lens of Eeyore, things will not just appear dark and dismal, but one will assume that the darkness and miserableness will overtake them and leave them to drown in a pool of despair. I work with such a person and I find their constant “Woe is me” attitude hard to handle. Everything out of her mouth is negative and depressing. I avoid her every chance I can – because being around her feels sad and powerless– always. And it doesn't make sense to me. She has raised 6 successful children, has 7 cute grandbabies, but even when she speaks of them, sour, bitter and adverse words spew from her mouth. But the saddest part of her dark color is, she can't even see the good when it is gift wrapped and handed to her.

“Oh, Susan, here, take a look at my youngest grandbaby! Isn’t he adorable? I would have had more pictures to show you but my daughter-in-law wouldn’t let me hold him, so I only have these three.”

“Susan, did I tell you my husband won a 7 day Caribbean cruise? Now, you know, I’ll have to take off time from work. And at the busiest time of the year too. I’m sure my principal will have a fit .  There is no way I will ever get caught up”

“Hey – I brought donuts for everyone. I hope you enjoy them. I can’t eat that stuff. I have problems with my blood sugar and my weight. I would just make myself sick.”

However, on the opposite side, if one has the eyes of Pollyanna – where everything is perfect, things will not just appear bright and sappy, but one will assume that beauty and joy will overtake everything, leaving them to swim in an ocean of Nirvana – and that everyone else should be floating right along with them.

“She had a miscarriage? Oh well, she’s young, she can have another.” 

“He got laid off? Well God’s just giving him time to be with his family.” 

“She has chronic pain and can’t get off the couch? Wow – how wonderful to have all of that free time to read books!”

I do not want to live life looking through lenses that are tinted with darkness – or overexposed to unrealistic brightness.  I cannot clearly see to act or respond to those around me if I view life through either extremes.  It is true that God wants us to live happy joyful lives

 "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" - John 10:10 NLT

And it is equally true that we live in a fallen world with real pain and real sorrow.

"I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain" - Psalm 73:14 NLT

But knowing the God who is in control, and knowing that He will be with us in all things.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride ... The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." - Psalm 46:1-3, 7 NASB

gives us the ‘right’ color of attitude to see the world – one that is vibrant, deep and rich!

Linking up with Jackie Sill today from Adventures in the Ordinary! 







- I just couldn't resist messing around with some photos for this blog...it really is fun! :)

Through His Eyes

Today I am linking up with the Red Writing Hood over at the red dress club and responding to the prompt – Lesson Learned

I was a new bride. Barely married for a month – still unpacking boxes and opening gifts when I decided to surprise my husband with a romantic dinner for two. I did not know much about cooking 20 plus years ago (some might say I still do not know much) but like many newlywed innocents, I had a vision of a night of fun, romance, candle light, good food and wowing the socks (and a few other items) off my husband. I planned to use my culinary graces to create a a meal he would always remember and to employ my amazing ambiance skills to lavish an intimate, romantic setting on our dining room card table. All I needed, I thought, was a good recipe, some candles and a negligée, and when he walked in the door of our little apartment, he would feel like a king.

But when my husband walked in the door that night – a kingly romantic feast was not what awaited him. I was wearing the negligée, but the table wasn’t set, the dinner was on fire, the smoke detector was going off, the kitchen was filled with smoke, and I was in tears.
My husband greeted me warmly, opened the windows, took the chicken off the stove and began to set the table. He lit the candles, turned on the stereo and graciously served us burnt chicken, crispy vegetables and lopsided strawberry cake for dessert. We talked, we laughed, and he ate every piece of the burnt, dry, tasteless, crispy chicken, every one of the cold-in-the-center-half-frozen vegetables, and never mentioned even once that the cake was geometrically challenged. The evening ended as I had planned – but we did not get there in the way I had envisioned. It wasn’t my love being poured out on him – but his love poured out on me that redeemed what could have been a quite disastrous evening.
I awoke the next morning and turned on the news to learn that the Detroit Pistons had won the Final Championship game over the Los Angeles Lakers while my husband and I ate our “dinner.” Not only did we not watch the game – but my husband never even mentioned that it was on.
Lesson Learned

Small Changes

Today I am linking up with On Your Heart Tuesdays hosted by Shanda Oakley.

I want to live a life that is full of joy - and free from chains of bondage.  I want to experience the fullness of a life that is empowered by God to share His love and His grace in a world that so desperately needs it.  And even though that is what I want, I find that that is not what I am currently experiencing.  What I am experiencing is a mundane, boring life of chores and routine.  So a few days ago I made a conscience effort - a decision, to find joy again.  I found a devotional on my Bible AP that encourages me to read, pray, and reflect on selected scriptures daily for 21 days and to listen - really listen to God.  During this time, I am also asked to fast from something.  At first, I wasn't sure what I could possibly fast from - as I thought I didn't have anything in my life to give up.  Cooking?  No, I have a family to feed.  Exercise?  No, I gave that up months ago.  Work? No, for obvious reasons...the only thing that came to mind was TV.

Really?  TV? No TV for 21 days?  But I don't actually watch TV, I argued with myself.   I just have it on.  I turn it on in the morning while I am doing my make-up and getting dressed.  It's on while I am washing dishes or folding laundry.  It's on while I am cooking dinner, eating a snack...it is just always on.  It is a companion of conversation throughout my day.  So I thought, OK, that's legit.  But it won't be a difficult sacrifice...

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have absent mindedly reached for the remote...how I actually missed the chatter this morning while getting ready for work.  I am both shocked - and embarrassed to discover that it really has been integrated into my existence...and I am glad to be able to unplug myself from it!

Two days into the 21 day journey and I was slightly amused to listen to my pastor open his sermon talking about how many of us feel like we are living mundane, boring lives of chores and routine and we are missing out on joy.  It was exactly what I needed to hear!  Although he shared several helpful ideas what resonated most with me were the ideas of making little changes - small changes that over time add up to big changes, and that when we don't follow through with our little change, to leave it with God, 'forget' about it and keep moving forward. 

"Brethren, I do not  regard  myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus " - Philippians 3:13-14 NASB

Three days in and I had accomplished all of my core goals for the day -  even though I had to get up at 4:30 this morning to make it happen. I completed the Bible reading for the day, I prayed, I 'listened' and reflected on the scripture.  Feeling confident, I decided to set another goal for the day - a small, little change that I hoped would move me in a forward direction and I determined that today, I would eat only food that is good for my body.  Breakfast - check.  Mid morning snack - check.  Lunch - oops...  But instead of berating myself and giving up on my 'little' changes, I am encouraging myself with the scriptures I read this morning and the verses posted above - and instead of quitting it all, sitting down and watching TV (Doctor Who, none the less) with my family, I am continuing with my TV fast, continuing with my small changes and celebrating the victories I did accomplished today. 

It wasn't a perfect day - but tomorrow will be day 4, and I am still pressing on.

Six Word Saturday Blog Post

Twenty-one days to retool the mundane

Yesterday I wrote a blog post - for the first time in a loooong time. For weeks now I have been feeling, well flat. Disinterested, bored with, well, everything. A friend reminded me earlier this week that I needed to write again - so out of respect for a promise I made to her, I wrote. And as I wrote, I realized that I no longer had a creative outlet in my life - no place where I could experiment and wonder and imagine, and I began to think perhaps there might, just might, be a connection! With homes and husbands and children come tasks and chores and obligations - all of which I am quite grateful for, but, if that is all I am doing...then life does tend to feel blurred, unimaginative, flat.
So, for the next 21 days (starting today) I am going to make it a priority to read, pray, write and create something- daily. I do not know what my creations will be.  Maybe a new recipe, or a new page in a long forgotten photo album, or maybe it will take the form of a poem or a blog post.  I truly do not know what it will look like but I am going to try.  And to help create space for this I am also going to fast from TV, and replace it with the sounds of silence, of the keyboard clacking, or perhaps some inspriring music but no TV, no constant chattering in the background, no fun stories to distract me, and see if I can't find some joy again.

The Challenge of Finding Joy

Beach day arrived with great anticipation of sun, good friends, cool water and a hot bonfire. The day had been on the calendar for weeks - thanks to my event planning friend, and I was ready to enjoy the day to its fullest. Unfortunately, that is not how it played out.

Instead, we left later than I wanted - but not before I had developed a rather ugly attitude which grew nastier as we sat in traffic only to discover the parking lot was full and we would have to find parking on the street, miles away. Ok, so maybe we didn't actually park miles away, but in my irritated state it sure felt like it. And, we had to put lots of money in a ravenous parking meter just for the privilege of leaving our car on the side of the road. Of course we did not have enough coins with us to to satisfy it and I set an alarm to remind me at some point I needed to hike back to the car at least once or I would get a ticket.

We grabbed our towels and chairs and sunscreen and left our cooler in the car since not only did we not have a parking spot, we also did not have a firepit. We walked through the streets, through the parking lot (which was now accepting cars) and through the sand to find our friends. We set up our chairs and towels slightly away from everyone so we could make a large circle as we needed room for others who would join us later. And then, my daughter and I made a new hike through the sand, this time to the bathroom. While on the boardwalk, I called another daughter who was circling the beach trying to find parking. She of course had no money for a meter and did not know where she was. I told her I could meet her at the signal - since I was halfway there, and that I could get her change with the dollars I had. No, she could take care of it she said. So, I hiked back through the scorching sand to my chair. But, before I could sit down, my daughter called. Could I bring her quarters, she asked. Sigh, yes, I said, and back to the car I went. It took me longer this time, as I had to stop at two different shops to get $4 in change for my $5 bill to feed yet another hungry meter.
After an eternity of walking, I settled into my chair on the sand, only to hear that a grill was arriving and we needed our cooler from the car. Up I rose from my place of pseudo rest and peace and repeated the trek to the car and back again. We had now been at the beach for two hours and I had relaxed a whole five minutes. But this time, upon arriving back to our circle of friends, I found that the circle had grown quite large in my absence - and it grew completely away from me. Sitting in my chair meant sitting all alone - unless I wanted to pack up our towels, our chairs, our food and our boards and move them to join the others - and quite frankly, I didn't.

What had begun as a day that promised to be the highlight of my summer had become a dreary day of dull, repetitive tasks that left me tired and disconnected from the relaxing, playful and beautiful environment the beach had to offer. And as the sun set and the cold wind kicked up, we left. We were too cold to enjoy the evening – so instead we made the final hike to our car and drove home through traffic. 
As I reflected on this day - I couldn't help but think how much it was becoming a metaphor of my life. Each day seems to break with promises of new adventure and joy but is seemingly interrupted by repetive dull and meaningless tasks. Although I do not spend each day hiking to and from my car, I do get up, drive the kids, clean the kitchen, drive the kids, straighten the house, drive the kids, cook dinner, drive the kids...and the tasks, over time, lose their meaning. They all blur together and my life feels meaningless, flat, depleted of energy, and disconnected from the wonder around me.   I used to long for the lazy endless days of summer, but now I find that they are slipping by filled not with fun, refreshment and joy, but chores that need to be done. Flat, dry, boring, routines that leave precious little energy to create, to dream, to plan, to hope.

So today I am challenging myself to a new task, I am daring myself to find a way to accomplish my chores and still have time to create. Still have time to delight, to laugh, to live with joy, to still have the energy at the end of the day to pick up my chair and join my circle of friends before everything becomes a blur of meaningless routine. 

Hopefully, this is a task I can find the energy to do!