5 Minute Friday - SHARE

So I'm joining back into 5 Minute Friday.  We'll see how that goes.  :)  This week's prompt jumped out at me - and I just had to "SHARE"

Social Media.  I have a love-hate relationship with it.  Sometimes, most times, I love it.  I get to keep in touch with friends I rarely see and family that is too far flung to see even once a year and share what is going on in our lives.

I know what I share is sanitized.  I don't often share the boring days - or the frustrating ones (parenting a teen and a pre-teen anyone?).  I try not to share too much personal about my kids for risk of embarassing them.  Though, embarrassing them is part of the parental job description.  I try not to share pictures of group kid events where one friend's children aren't included and another's are.  (That doesn't include single friend sleep overs, just parties or outings).

That being said, there are the moments when I wish someone hadn't chosen to share that moment in their life.  For example, the birthday party that my daughter was the only girl in the class not invited.

Or the snow day trip to go sledding where I counted 4 women I would consider friends and 10+ kids that my kids would consider friends.  Did anyone call and invite us?  Nope.  Would we have gone.  Yep.  Does that hurt?  Definitely.

Sometimes, I wish people would stop and think about what they are sharing and who might see it and just think.  I know I do.

Sigh.

STOP.

Join the link up http://katemotaung.com/2015/01/22/five-minute-friday-share/

Five Minute Friday - Willing

Every week I (try to) participate in a Flash Mob of Writers (even though I’m not really a writer).  We write for 5 minutes on a given prompt.  No editing, no backtracking.  Link up here and then we, no ifs ands or buts, no excuses, leave a little bit of love with the person who linked up before us.

I missed the last two weeks.  I was fresh out of ideas – and completely swamped – but LisaJo mentioned something last night.  The basic gist was that if you don’t make yourself make time to write, it gets harder.  Agreed.  100%.  So, here I am with:

WILLING

I find myself prefacing a lot of my requests of people with “Would you be willing…”  I don’t know exactly why, I guess it just sounds more polite than “Can you?” 

I started thinking about whether *I* am willing to do all I am asked.  I am happy to do the easy or fun things.  But, not always willing to do the hard things.  Even if someone doesn’t ask me.  Hmmmm….

My OneWord365 for this year is “Quiet”.  This has come to mean a couple things to me over the last two months.  One, I am spending time reading His Word.  Almost every day. (sheepish grin).  Am I willing to give up some of my sleep for the Lord so it can be every day?

Quiet also means no more yelling.  I get frustrated easily.  I am a mom of 4 and I’ve been yelling a lot over the last few years.  Am I willing to change how I communicate with the kids?

Lately, I’ve been feeling a tug on my heart that I am doing too much outside of my home.  Too much volunteering.  Too much saying yes when someone asks if I am willing to help.  Ouch.  Am I willing to say no?

This, I admit, is hard.  I love to volunteer.  I love to help.  But, when I’m too tired to read His Word.  Or too tired to talk pleasantly with my children.  To discipline them appropriately and not get frustrated.

Am I willing?  

Five Minute Friday - Garden

Once a week, I participate in a flash mob of writers, called Five Minute Friday.  We write for 5 minutes on a given prompt, no editing, no backtracking, no overthinking and link up here.  Then, no ifs ands or buts, we visit those who linked up before us and share some love.  That is the rule, and the heart of the this community.

This week's word was Garden - and the words just poured out.

Go.


What immediately comes to mind are tomatoes.  Tomatoes that must be staked and carefully tended in order to produce fruit.  And how I love to keep my children close to me, so that they grow up straight and tall, producing fruit with their lives.

And how God wants us to stay close to Him.  Staked to Him.  Bound to Him by His promises.  So that we, too, grow up straight and strong.  And that they may know us by our fruit.

Why?  Why do I keep my children close to me?  Because I love them, with all my heart.  And by keeping them near me, they can learn from me.  Good.  And bad, GULP. 

Why does God desire us to be close to Him?  Because He loves us.  He loves us more than we could ever imagine.  How do I get closer to Him, though?  That’s been my struggle for years.  This year, though, it came to me.  Through my OneWord365.  Quiet.

Quiet time in His presence. Daily interactions, reading His word.  Prayer.  That’s a huge one for me.  I’m still learning “how” to pray.  But, mostly, I’m being quiet.  Listening for that still quiet voice that loves ME.


Stop.

Five Minute Friday - Hero

Every week, I join a flash mob of writers called Five Minute Friday.  We write for 5 minutes on a given word and then link up here.  Then, no ifs ands or buts, we visit the person who linked up before us and share some love. 

This weeks word was Hero.

Go.

When I think about the word HERO many things come to mind.  The first is Superman, Batman, and others like them.  I also think about our military and first responders – and how they put their lives on the line every day.  They are truly heros to many people.

But, what jumped to the front of my mind was my high school calculus teacher.  What?!?  A Calculus teacher?  Seriously?

Yes. 

I went to a high school for kids who excelled in math and science.  I was “good” at math, but learning how to navigate high school and taking challenging courses took it’s toll on my grades.  I squeaked out of Geometry with a B and Algebra II Trig wasn’t much better.  Math Analysis nearly did me in, I earned a C.  Barely.  I know now that I just didn’t know how to study for math, but back then, I just felt dumb.  Like I didn’t really belong at that school.  Like I should go back to my base school and give up. 

But, I was determined to stick it out – AND do well.  You see, I had a dream of going to the Naval Academy, so I knew I was in a good place.  I knew that I needed to take the hardest Calculus course there was, in order to prove to “them” that I could do it.  I argued and argued with my counselor about taking Calculus BC – the equivalent of College Calculus 1 and 2.  She wanted me to take Calculus AB – just Calculus 1.  I won the argument – with the strict admonition that if my grade slipped below a C+, I was going to be yanked back to AB.

Challenge issued – and accepted.

I struggled.  Oh, wow, did I struggle. 

But, Dr. Stallings was at school over an hour before the day started and his door was open.  He ate lunch in the classroom and his door was open.  He was there after school and his door was open.  It got so if he was in the classroom, so was I.  We solved problem set after problem set. 

We went over everything.  Again. And again.

And again.

I got C+s, I even got a B one quarter.  Oh, happy day!

Then, came the final exam.  2 hours.  Every topic from September to June.  My exam was the last exam of the week.  School was dismissed after 2 exams each day.  I stayed after EVERY DAY to study with Dr. Stallings. 

I finished the exam.  He graded it RIGHT THEN! 

I missed one question.  One!  ONE!!!!! 

My final grade in that class was an A.  All of the Cs and Bs were turned into As because he knew how hard I had worked.  And that I finally “got it!”  I earned that A through perseverance.

Dr. Stallings is why I am now studying to be a math teacher – 20 years later.  My desire is to be a teacher like he was – always available for a student who is struggling.

He was a hero to me – and I hope to be a hero to another student.  Paying it forward.

Stop.

Five Minute Friday - Visit

Once a week, I join a flash mob of writers.  We write for 5 minutes on a prompt, no editing, no backtracking, no overthinking.  We link up here.  Then, no ifs, ands, or buts, we visit the person who linked up before us and leave them some love. That is the rule - and the heart of this community.

This week's word was VISIT

GO:

I had to laugh when I saw the prompt for this week, as I just came back from a visit to the Emergency Room.  While setting the Stone Table on a platform as stage crew for Narnia: the Musical, I stepped/fell off the platform.  I landed badly and broke the outer bone on my left foot.  OUCH!

But, as I considered the word, I went back to the scene that was taking place on stage right after I fell.  For those who are not familiar with The Chronicles of Narnia, they are widely considered to be an allegory to Christ.  Because of my injury, I was able to watch the scene unfold, rather than getting ready for the next scene change.  In this scene, Aslan volunteers to die at the hand of the White Witch in the place of Edmund, who betrayed his family.   I was near tears myself as I watched Aslan being led meekly to the Table.

Edmund, and his two sisters, watch as Aslan is killed - and Edmund is noticeably shaken by what he has witnessed.  The girls cry and mourn their beloved lion.  Edmund, I think, realizes how undeserving he is of the sacrifice Aslan made - and rallies to support his family in their battle against the White Witch.

Wow!  Such a powerful scene.   Then, Aslan defeats death and the table cracks.

The children all rejoice when Aslan appears later in the play - and helps them to defeat the White Witch.

So much like Christ's sacrifice for us.  We, too, are undeserving, but He steps in to take the punishment that is our due.

We are broken, but He makes us whole again.

STOP.

Snow Day Quiet

Confession - I am a yeller.  Not all the time, but enough.  Enough that I want to stop.  I took a step back a month or so ago and realized that when I reach the "yell" point it is usually because I've done something wrong.  Ouch.

I am incredibly guilty of taking our days off - be they weekends, vacation days, or snow days - and using them to get "my stuff" done - rather than taking the time to "be with" the kids.  We are on the go so much with 4 kids in activities that I need to take these slow down moments and treasure them.  So, today, I tried.  I did get something done "for me," but since it didn't take an exorbitant amount of time - and it needed to be done.

But, once it was roasting in the oven, I could catch snowflakes on a dark piece of paper:

Then, I got the stock in the pot to simmer:

And, then we made microscope slides of snowflakes:

And hooked the computer up to the microscope:

And looked at the slide of the snowflake (SO COOL!!):

I went outside to take a few pictures of the snow:

And after dinner, we made snow cream:

And did a science experiment:

The jar on the left is loosely packed, the jar on the right tightly packed with snow

This is how much water was left in each jar after melting, quite the difference.

Amazingly, by engaging the children - off and on through the day - I didn't yell.  Not once.  Hmmmm.....

One Word 365 January Check-in - Quiet

I’m embarking on the OneWord train for the first time this year. My word is Quiet.  There is so much about my life that is NOT quiet, that I knew this was my word almost the second it popped into my head.

A friend of mine is on a journey with her OneWord and posted a January Check-in.  I thought it was a great idea - and a way for me to stay accountable, so here is mine - I will link up here.

What does quiet mean for me?  Right now, it is two-fold.  First, and foremost, is getting back to regular quiet time with the Lord.  I’m terrible about that.  I pretty much always have been.  (hanging my head)    But, I know that I cannot see where God wants me to be if I don’t spend time WITH Him. 

So, the alarm goes off at 5:15 during the week and I drag myself out of bed and find the coffee.   Why 5:15 and not later?  I’m a mom of 4.  I am the school bus, and it leaves at 7:15.  I need every bit of that 2 hours in the morning to get myself up and functioning, get the kids up and functioning, pack 4 lunches, fix breakfast and get everyone out the door.  Remember how I said my life wasn’t quiet?  Yep, right there.

But, now, I stop and spend some time reading His word.  I picked a pretty basic “Read the Bible in One Year” plan.  We did a Jesse Tree the last two Christmases, and I was caught off guard by how much of the Bible I hadn’t read.  This seemed like a good plan. 

I have The Bible app on my tablet – and it is amazing.  It beeps at me every morning at 5:20 to remind me to read.  I open the app and it brings me to today’s reading.  Bonus – it’s backlit so I can read in the dark!  (It’s the little things that make me happy at 5:15)  One of the great things about reading on my tablet is that Google is right there when I am done reading – and if I have a question (or 10), I can type it into Google and get an answer – or 10.  At the very least, I gain additional insight. 

So, for 21 days now, I have risen each morning and spent time with the Lord.  I missed a day or two here and there, but have caught up later in the day.  I don’t always stop to pray right after – but will mull over His word through my morning routine.  Once the kids are off to school, I take a few moments to pray. 

I’m still learning HOW to pray.  Again, I haven’t been consistent with this at all, so it’s hard for me.  I know He will meet me where I am, so my goal for next month is more consistent prayer.