Five Minute Friday

Fly

I’m not sure why there’s always a Jim Reeves song playing in my mind when I see the 5 Minute Friday writing prompt. {See here and here}

Well today, the song was…

I’ll fly away, oh Glory
I’ll fly away
When I die
Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away

Songs of heaven always make me feel homesick for my ever-after home. But this song also reminds me of something else that’s flying…

Time.

You see, life is fleeting… the days are flying by.

Sons who were once smaller than my forearm, now come up to my waist. I remember the terrible 2’s and 3’s when each day would drag on… and now they’re moving swifter than I can catch my breath.

I remember ringing in 2012 at church as if it was just yesterday… and already we’re winding up the year!

Somehow, in the hustle of getting the kids ready for school, my work, cooking, cleaning, teaching… there is so little time left to just sit still.

But I suppose that is something we can’t afford to not make time for. I’m sure a few minutes of sitting still in the heat of the day will do wonders for our stress levels.

I’m reminding myself again:

Less hurry,
Less worry,
Less stress…

More stillness,
More enjoying each moment,
More life…

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Here

I’m here, my mind is not.  My brain is cluttered with a million things swirling around.  I’m restless and my husband is all too aware of what I’m going through.  It’s not the first time he’s seen me like this.  He tells me to go outside and get some fresh air while he takes care of the dirty dishes.  I hesitate, but eventually comply.

I open the front door and walk onto the balcony.  I hear the kids screaming, playing, fighting inside.  I inhale the cool breeze and look at the apartments looming across the road.  I wish we lived in a bigger apartment with a gym, a pool, our own private terrace.

I hear clanging as the sons try to help my husband with the dishes.  A dishwasher would make life so much simpler.  I gather the dried laundry from the clothesline and walk inside wondering how much time a clothes dryer would save me.

I dump the clothes onto the couch and walk back outside.  My eyes fall on a small thatched house.  My perspective changes as I wonder what the lady who lives there wishes for.  Running water?  A gas stove?  A comfortable mattress?

I am humbled.  I have enough.  I walk back into the house, into reality.  I am grateful.  I am here, fully present.  Happy.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

I have Him.  He is more than enough for me.

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Rest

Does one ever get enough rest?  I was listening to a podcast by Michael Hyatt yesterday where he mentions that we should follow the “Surge – Rest – Surge – Rest” pattern.  That’s where you work intensely for a while and then take a break.  {Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life! :)}

I know well the effect of surging for too long without a break – it’s called burnout.  I also know that I’m prone to laziness if I decide to take an undeserved break.  So, I’m still working on finding the balance – the surge-rest ratio that works for me.

I’ve found, however, that when I turn to entertainment for a break – television, facebook, a movie, a game… I rarely feel rested enough.  On the other hand, a short 15 minute power nap gives me the break I need to keep me going the rest of the day.  I’ve also found that reading a good book is a wonderful way to wind down late in the day.

All that being said, I strongly believe that in this busy world we live in, we can quite forget our source of rest.  True rest can be found in one place alone – the presence of God.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” (Psalm 62:5)

Did you take some time to rest at God’s feet today?  You really do need it.  And If you’re feeling weary and burdened by the cares in your life today, take heart.  Your Father is waiting for you to run into His open arms.  In Him you will find rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

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Home

This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue,
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Oh Lord you know, I have no friend like you
If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

~ Jim Reeves

This was the song that rushed to my mind when I saw the writing prompt today. As much as I’d like to write about my own home, I am reminded that the world is not my eternal home. I have a Father who is preparing a place for me in heaven. 

Because He loves me, and I, Him… I have this hope that I’ll get to heaven one day and live with Him eternally. Oh heaven seems glorious from what I’ve read in the Bible. I can’t wait to get there someday.

But until then, I’ve got some unfinished business down here – in my earthly home. I believe I have a calling to make my home a little piece of heaven on earth.

A place where God’s presence dwells.

A place where marriage honors God.

A place where children are taught to love and follow God.

A place where friends (and at times, strangers) are encouraged.

A place where people who love God pray and work to share that love with others who haven’t experienced it.

God’s desire is for all of us to enter His home, and ours in heaven. Can we cultivate that same desire in our hearts? Can we get to work now, to share the hope of heaven to those who haven’t heard of it yet?

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My Mother

She was my rock through a troubled childhood.
She was patient through the difficult teenage years.
She supported my decisions, when many didn’t.

She read to me as a child,
Encouraged me to read,
And spared no expense for a library membership (or four)!

She pushed me further than I would’ve like to go.
She urged me to excel,
And was so proud of me when I did.

But the best thing she’s ever done for me…
She prayed.

She prays for me, my husband and my boys now,
And I know I can count on that, as long as she is able.

Thank you Mummy, for all you’ve been to me.

Friends, won’t you chime in too? Share with us, what your mama did…

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Afraid

Whenever I am afraid I will trust in You… The words of the song echo in my head. It’s easier to sing the words than practice it.

I read somewhere that the phrase “fear not” is mentioned 365 times in the Bible – one for each day of the year. I know that the best way to combat fear is with His Word. I know there’s nothing to fear when my Father is near.

And yet, fear arises unbidden. What if?

What if the kids fall sick in school? What if my husband gets hurt playing football? What if I’ve messed it up too bad? What if? What if?…

I battle my thoughts the only way I know how. I open my Bible and it falls apart to a page well-worn. The fluorescent highlighting reminds me of the first time I marked that verse when a loving grandmother quoted it to me.

“So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

I read on and the words wash over the doubts that linger.

“For I am the Lord, your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13)

The “what if’s” dissolve as my faith gets a much needed boost. I rest secure in my Father’s assurance:

“…you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4)

Today, if you are consumed with worry; afraid of what might happen… these verses are God’s assurance to you. You need not fear, He is with you and He is mighty to save.

If something is troubling you and you need a listening ear, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or shoot me an email. I’d love to pray for you.

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Again

I swipe off the dust that’s settled on our bookshelf and arrange the books back in their place. I’m so proud of myself for doing a little something each day that will contribute towards my overall goal of keeping my home organized this year.

Two days later, I pull out one of the kids’ Bibles from the same shelf and it’s hard not to notice the layer of dust that’s settled down again. I’m upset and whine about it to my husband. How can so much dust enter a home in a residential area?! I dust the shelf again, vigorously this time, making sure I don’t miss a spot. Anybody would think I was warning the shelf not to get dusty again… for at least a month!

No matter how many times I dust the shelves, sweep the floors, tidy the rooms, wash the dishes or do the laundry, I’ve got to do it all over again within a day or two. Cleaning a house full of boys is like sweeping a road during a sandstorm! It makes absolutely no difference – or so I thought…

But then I had to examine my why… Why do I want to keep my house clean? God reminded me of my ministry as keeper of my home. The same verse that inspired my word for this year ran through my mind…

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

And so I pick up a pair of dirty socks, clear up yet another shelf, shine the mirrors, throw in a load of laundry and hustle to the kitchen to do the dishes before my boys get home.

Why do I do it, over and over again? Obviously not to win any “Home of the Year” awards, or appreciation from others. I do it because I love my family. After a stressful day at work or an emotional day at school, I want my husband and boys to enter a haven of comfort and rest. Home, for me is a sanctuary where Christ is honored; and family is loved, just the way they are.

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Cherished

Once in a while, when I listen to a song like this, I feel cherished. I mean, I actually feel it, physically. It is that warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, when you know you are loved.

But that feeling doesn’t last all too often in our lives, does it? When reality buzzes in, the feeling vanishes and we tend to forget we are loved and cherished by our Father above.

All that made me think of how often I make my husband and sons feel cherished at home. Sure I cook, do their laundry, try to take care of their needs… But how often do I give my husband a proper kiss, instead of the more common 2-second peck? How often do I really hug my kids more than 5 seconds at a stretch?

So today, I am going to make my family feel cherished. I am going to kiss my husband as soon as he walks in the door… for so long, that he’s going to have to come up for air {blush!} And I’m gonna hug my boys so tight, they’ll struggle to let go. This might not happen everyday, but it sure is going to happen more often!

How are you going to make your loved ones feel cherished today?

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Dive

I remember well the two summers I spent learning to swim as a kid. I was quite content to splash around in the 2 feet deep kids pool, but the 10 feet deep divers’ pool freaked me out, always! The deep pool had two diving boards and whenever we had to dive, I would hasten to the lower one and quickly jump in. I found the lower diving board less threatening than the higher one! 🙂

One day, however, my coach caught up with me and insisted that I try the higher jump. I shivered and shook as I inched towards the edge of the diving board. As I hesitated there, I remember the coach asking me to step aside as he plunged into the water in a matter of seconds. He called out to me from the water below, and suddenly the jump wasn’t all that scary. I took a deep breath and plunged in. I already knew how to swim, so rising up to the surface and swimming to the edge of the pool was easy. The dive wasn’t as bad as I had feared.

I look back and realize what a wonderful analogy that is to our spiritual lives. God doesn’t leave us without help, asking us to live life on our own. Instead, He came down, became man and experienced our life. Now, He is on the other side urging us onward as we strive to live a meaningful life.

God is always around – to instruct us, teach us and guide us. His still, small voice is ever ready to whisper an encouraging thought in our minds. All we have to do is trust Him and dive in… go where He calls, speak His Word, walk in His precepts, follow His leading… Go on, dive in; live the life He wants you to live. God’s got your back!

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Opportunity

The start of this year has been unlike any other. I’ve been learning a lot about goal-setting over the past year, and the new year has given me an opportunity to set a few goals to be more intentional with how I want to live this year.

But a part of me wonders how long until the novelty of the new year dies down. Will I still stick to my goals a couple of months down the line? What happens when the excitement of starting afresh fizzles? And then I remind myself that each new month, each new week, each new day is an opportunity to start over.

Why wait until next month to cultivate a new habit, when I can start right now? Why wait until next week to be more organized, when I can work on it today? Why wait until tomorrow to watch what I eat, when I can start at the very next meal?

Every day brings with it several opportunities to start over. Why wait?

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

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