Joy

Five Minute Friday means writing without worrying about editing. You need not be fussy or fretful. Just say what comes to mind. Come on, don't be shy. Give it a try by clicking on the button below. The prompt this week provided by Lisa Jo is: Joy.

Start.

Joy is a choice. You can choose to find joy in the midst of whatever you are going through, if you care to look for it. Our joy as well as our strength comes from the Lord, but if we choose to find reasons to be either aggravated, agitated or down in the dumps our joy will be diminshed. The aggravations of life are around us constantly. We won't have far to look. Finding joy must be a consious effort. We must search it out. Many times I find joy in the natural world. Its beauty and serenity fills my heart and soul with joy.

One thing I have to watch out for is the tendency to get caught up in griping and carping. That leeches the joy right out of my life. When I make an effort to think about all I have to be thankful for, I find a joyous frame of mind is restored. What we say is important. Words matter. The book of Proverbs tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. It also applies to joy.

God help me to speak words of joy and encouragement rather than words that bring down the hearts and souls of those around me.

Stop.

<center><a href="http://thegypsymama.com/category/five-minute-friday/"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_lCeOMfY0_fQ/TWly2m-jN_I/AAAAAAAAFEY/k8HJ__cvkws/s200/5%20minute%20friday.jpg"/></a></center>

Here in the Real World!!

 Wow! It's Five Minute Friday time again! I didn't think there was any way I could participate this week, but here I am. Thanks for the prompt, Lisa Jo. Five minutes, more or less of writing whatever comes to mind coming right up. Start.  In real life, I catch lobsters. That's right. It's my job and I love it even though it has its days. Yesterday was a case in point. There was just enough swell to make me sick! What can I say? Its all part of the job.  I am also an author and that is more work than I ever imagined. Writing is the easy part. Creating is a real joy, but some other things are not. What I find that I like most about writing is I am the one in control of the story. I decide who does what and who lives and who dies. It's a lot like being a kid again and making up your own little world with many imaginary friends. I am beginning to like it as much as the "real world". Isn't that crazy? I hope it's not.  Sometimes the real world is much scarier than fiction because we aren't the ones in control. The best we can do is learn to control ourselves. We certainly can't control what others choose to do or not do.  I am glad that I know the One who has everything under control in this "real world". It may appear that everything is spiraling out of control, but its not. God knows all the twists and turns of the story and just like I know how my novel ends, He knows exactly how the big story ends for this"real world." For those who know and love Him, it has a very happy ending. Stop.  

Older and Wiser?

Five Minute Friday time!! Thanks Lisa Jo for the prompt this week and Happy Birthday, too, by the way. I hope you've had a lovely day. For those who have never given this a try, I would like to encourage you to jump in! It's five minutes of unedited writing, so give it a shot. I dare ya! Start. With each passing day, I become older! There's not a thing I can do about it, so I might as well enjoy each day as much as possible and try not to obsess about each and every new wrinkle I observe in the mirror. I do hope that with age I have also gained a little wisdom. I can actually tell that I have because I now have the good sense to understand that I DO NOT have all the answers! In fact, I don't even know all of the questions!  I'm always worried when I come across someone who seems to have a pat answer for every situation and these days I see people like this everywhere. They know exactly what should be done and are not the least bit shy about telling others all about it. I have become quite wary about taking what someone tells me at face value. Perhaps it has something to do with coming from the Hippie generation, but I'm not sure. I don't trust everything I hear anymore and investigate a lot more issues for myself. I never just believe something said from a pulpit for example. I have learned to search the scriptures for myself to see what the truth is! I've been subjected to a lot of malarkey over the years and that also includes television preachers with their gimmicks and scams. This is sad because people need to hear the gospel and I think a lot of this garbage is a real turn off. I never believe much of anything that proceeds out of the mouth of a politician!! This probably goes without saying. Anyway, I think we would all be wiser to search for the answers rather than being fed the answers of others. It's good to think for yourself. Stop.

New

 This Friday we were given the word new as the writing prompt for Five Minute Friday. This is that time of the week to write without editing or being particularly fussy. If you have never participated, you should consider giving this a try. Start. When I think of the word new, what comes to mind at this point in time is all the new and exciting things that have happened over the past year. The most exciting event of all happened last August 12th!! I took my daughter first by ferry ( we live on an island off the Maine coast) and then by car to the hospital where in a short time I witnessed the birth of my little grandaughter. She was born about a month early and literally flew into this world giving the doctor barely enough time to catch her! Other new events include moving to our new house, writing my first novel, beginning a second, setting up a blog and last but not least buying our new dog Magnum! I wasn't at all interested in having another dog. We had such a bad experience with the dog we had before Magnum. He was difficult in every way imagineable, so my husband had to do a lot of convincing to talk me into it, but this dog, a Brittany, has turned out to be the best pet we have ever had. He seems almost human. He even has his own Facebook fan page and a blog page. How's that for almost human? Stop.   


 

Be Still

                                         





Here I am again taking part in another Five Minute Friday! This time I really don't even have five minutes, but I just have to write something. I think I have become addicted. Thanks Gypsy Mama for another prompt: Still

Start.

Right now my life is so hectic! I have a difficult time trying to make time to just be STILL! I need calm, peace and quiet. God desires to speak with me in those still moments. It's up to me to chisel out the time to be still and listen to and for His voice.

Whenever I do just that, He speaks peace to heart. He longs to spend quality time with each of us, but sadly sometimes He would need to roar to be heard above the din we surround ourselves with.

Today, I am moving from our home of thirty-eight longs years into a house by the sea. After spending that much time in one place, it is incredible how much STUFF is accumulated. Also, my book manuscript is due to arrive via e-mail and I must begin the arduous process of conceptual editing and re-write. Hopefully, it won't be overwhelming! All this and full time lobster fishing, too. No wonder God has trouble getting through to me!

Still, I must find time each day to be STILL! It's more for my benefit than for His. I need Him! Although I try to glorify God through what I do, sometimes I need to stop doing and just rest ,calm and still and like John, lean against His breast.

Stop.

Full to the Brim

Here's another Five Minute Friday prompt from the Gyspy Mama: Full. Five minutes of unedited writing coming right up! If you would like to try it, just click on the button below this post.

Start.
The word full sums up my life right now! My life is so full, in fact, I would be hard pressed to cram much more into it. I go lobstering for a living and this is our busiest time of year now that the shedders have struck. We are fishing at a fast and furious pace.

In addition, I am in the process of moving the contents of one house into another. It's a big task to undertake. After living almost thirty-eight years in a house, you find you have accumulated a lot of STUFF!

I also have the conceptual editing of my new novel coming up on July 29th. This will be the most difficult part of the process or so I am told. I am working on the second novel when I can find a minute and blogging in the meantime. I like to use my blog to hone my writing skills, especially in the poetry department.

All of this is wonderful and I am very excited about my life at the present, but what really makes my life full and complete is my family! I have a great husband who encourages and helps me with as much as he can, two great kids and five grandchildren. Who could ask for more?

All this and a God who is far better to me than I deserve! He provides me with the health, strength and mental ability to do what I do. I am grateful and give Him all the praise. Without Him, I could do nothing, but with Him all things are possible!

Stop.

Losing and Gaining

  
Here is another Friday! This week's prompt is LOSS. It is a deep subject and I could write about a personal loss or two in my life and probably bring you to tears. I could lay it on thick enough to make it a heartrending read and you would no doubt feel sorry for me, but that isn't what I am going to do today. Instead I hope I will brighten your day and make you laugh.

Start.

When I think about the word LOSS, the first thought that shouts at me is weight loss. In my lifetime, I have lost myself about one and a half to two times.  I was a chubby teen, but at least the weight was distributed evenly. I did not have the misfortune of having excessively large boobs and a skinny butt and legs or of having a huge butt and a flat chest, so when I finally took matters into my own hands and lost weight, it came off evenly as well and I did not turnout looking freakish. In fact, I looked pretty darn good.

Then I gained some weight back and lost it again. I figured if losing twenty pounds was good losing more was better. I got carried away and lost so much that I looked like a stick with a head on top. That lasted a year or two and I stayed skinny because I severely limited my food intake and was very active. Most days I would eat one meager meal a day.

Then I got married and my husband thought I was too skinny. I began cooking up a storm and discovered I was, indeed, an excellent cook. My husband loved my cooking because I catered to his taste buds (his mother DID NOT do that. She catered to her own tastes) and I loved my cooking ,too. I liked it too much and gained weight, but not lots.

After four and a half years of marriage and some yo-yoing, I became pregnant and gained thirty-six pounds. Not bad, except for the fact that I was already a little too tubby! Long story short, after I had my beautiful daughter, I had more hard work to do. I did it and lost the weight.

Then I decided to have my second child and gained only twenty-eight pounds. Wonderful!  My work was a little easier that time and I had a bouncing baby boy as a reward!

When I hit about thirty-five, I began to feel tired and logy. I found that losing weight was much more difficult. My grandmother and mother had both had thyroid issues, so I knew what was up!  After the thyroid medication kicked in, weight loss was a snap!

I won't bore you with much more of this, but I will just say that my life has been one constant battle of the bulge. Sometimes I win and sometimes I LOSE, but I know I must never stop fighting.

Right now, I need to lose about twenty pounds and I am ready to engage the enemy.

Stop.

Take a stab at Five Minute Friday for yourself. Just click on the button above. God bless and thanks for listening to me vent!

Grateful

 Wow!! It's so hard to believe that it's time for another Five Minute Friday!! Where does the time go! It escapes me (pun intended)! Anyway, thanks to Gypsy Mama for this week's writing prompt. Let's see. Five minutes of writing off the cuff. Okay. Start. How could I possibly jam everything I'm grateful for into five measly minutes. It's just not humanly possible, so I guess I'll just try to limit myself to one, at least for today. The one thing that really pops into my mind is: I am so grateful for the wonderful people that God so graciously allows to cross my path. There are so many of them that it is hard to know where to begin. I'm thinking about a sweet lady that checks out my groceries at the store. She always seems to remember me even though she sees so many people each and every day and she always asks about my grand kids. I'm also grateful for such kind waitresses, gas station attendants and the list goes on and on. Then there's the people who have inspired me to think! I am so grateful for them! It's so easy to fall into a mental rut. After awhile it really is time to switch off auto-pilot and try something new. One in particular has inspired me through his words of wisdom to write a novel which has already blossomed into two. I am so grateful for God sending this person my way! Lastly, I'm also grateful for the few hateful individuals thrown across my path. That may sound odd, but I believe they help to grind off my rough edges a little and they have shown me areas in my own life and attitude that need work. Yes, I'm one grateful gal! Thank you, God!! Stop. 

Welcoming Angels

This is an absolutely gorgeous morning in the great state of Maine! It is a welcome change from the often foggy conditions. The Gypsy Mama has provided another writing prompt for us this week and it is: Welcome. I've even used the word once already and I haven't really gotten underway!

Here goes. Five minutes of writing without being too fussy.

Start.

What do we welcome in life? Well, it seems that we are ready to welcome the pleasing things such as praise for a job well done or appreciation for times when we've gone out of our way for someone. It's always nice to hear the words: thank you.

How do we respond to criticism though? Do we welcome or resent it? I think it depends on how the criticism is presented. Is it objective and fair or just mean spirited? If it is in fact fair, then I think it should be welcomed. I try to pause and think about any criticism before responding because I like to analyse what is being said to determine it's validity. I have grown and become much better in some areas due to criticism.

Do we welcome change? Sometimes change can be most welcome, sometimes not, but there's one truth we all must face: Nothing ever stays the same.  We must use all change as an opportunity to learn and embrace it. Through some of the most unwelcome changes in my life I have learned the most profound lessons. One was that I am not in this thing alone! God has been with me to see me through and ,yes ,at times I have sensed the presence of angels and they were welcome! I have literally felt the brush of their wings! God graciously sent His ministering spirits to bring comfort and carry me through dark times.

God has also sent an angel to bring a warning. He warned my husband and myself that we needed to rethink a plan of action we were going to take. If we had not paid heed to the warning , I am quite certain it would have been disastrous. I am so glad that we welcomed him and altered our path.

The Bible says that we may entertain angels and be unaware of it. It seems to me that it would be wise to become more welcoming and responsive to the needs of others. How do we know? We might be entertaining angels. Perhaps, God sends them across our path as a sort of test. How do we stack up? Are we passing with flying colors or are we failing?

If you enjoyed this, I would WELCOME your comments. If you didn't, I guess I'll learn another lesson and grow a little more. God bless.

Stop.

Feel free to try your hand  at this by clicking on The Gypsy Mama's button at the top of this post!

Wonder

Thanks, as always, to Gypsy Mama for providing another topic for thought. She manages to come up with something each week for us to chew on (mentally, that is). So here goes, unedited writing for five minutes more or less.

Start.

Just the very word wonder makes me wonder! These days seem to provide us with endless issues to wonder about. I wonder how people manage to get by in this economy for one thing. I just went to the grocery store today and was, as usual, shocked with how big the tab was!!

I wonder why we must be constantly bombarded with negative news for another thing! If you spend more than five minutes watching the news, you would soon be convinced that everyone is either a crook, a serial killer, a sex offender or even worse, a politician!

Then, of course, I wonder how one man (my husband) can create so much laundry! It is one of the great mysteries of life as far as I am concerned!

I wonder why people choose to be rude to each other wherever I go. Check out lines come to mind and of course driving practices! Whatever happened to the Golden Rule, people??!!

I can't begin to address all the myriad issues that cause me to wonder, but will instead just mention one more. I have always wondered what God sees in humans! I'm glad He created us and yes, I do understand that even we, as humans, love what we create, but honestly, we are quite a disappointment! Let's try with God's help to do a little bit better!

Stop.
Whew!!!

Home: Ahh!!

 

Thanks to Gypsy Mamma for this week's topic in our ongoing task of writing for five minutes without overthinking or even editing.

Home!
Start.

Home! Just the word alone brings to mind one word: Ahh!
I try to create a peaceful atmosphere in my home and make it a place of full acceptence. Do I always succeed in this effort? No. Sometimes home is chaos, but it's a good kind of chaos with everyone trying to tell their big story of the day all at once, the dog doing his crazy antics and me trying to hear everyone and get dinner on the table. Whew! How can even this seem peaceful, you ask? It is the kind of peace that you have just knowing you are loved and accepted for who you really are. Home is where everyone can let their guard down and not be concerned with how things look and sound. Family members can let their hair down and voice opinions without fear of being considered foolish and uncool.
Home is or should be a place of refuge from the insanity lurking outside it's confines. The world can be a scary and confusing place these days as well as demanding and hectic, so home should be a place of ultimate Ahh! It should feel like the relief one feels when kicking off their shoes after a long day!
Of course, someday we will go to be with the Lord when the right time comes and then we will really know what peace and Ahh! are about! As much as I may try to create that atmosphere in my earthly home, I can't imagine the home the lover of our souls has created for His children!

Stop.

Every Day Opportunity

This is the time and place for five minutes of unedited writing. To just let it go and flow without worrying about being too PERFECT. I like that. Thanks Gypsy Mamma for coming up with such great prompts. Now to begin: Every Day

Start

Every day when I wake up I am excited because I have come to know that each day presents a new opportunity. Tagging along with each new opportunity is something else. It is called challenge. Without the challenges entwined in each opportunity, life would become far too easy. If everything always went slicker than a cup of custard ( that's Downeast Yankee lingo), I would find myself not fully appreciating it when I finally manage to accomplish the goal presented by the new and exciting opportunity. The challenges make me struggle, but in the struggle comes growth. I enjoy doing new things and being forced out of my happy little comfort zone.
Of course, not all opportunity is great. That is where discernment comes into play. Knowing which new opportunity to embrace and which to lay aside. Prayer seems to help. God has a way of directing and moving me into the right place at the right time . He also puts the right ideas into my mind and that helps. He is the real problem solver.

I wonder what the next day will hold? Opportunity, no doubt about it!!

Stop

Five Minute Friday

Delivered by FeedBurner









This looks like another great topic for Five Minute Friday hosted by Gypsy Mamma.

Let me think. Oh yeah, I remember! On Forgetting!!

Start.

What can I say? I am getting older and finding that I don't always remember every little thing like I used to. Oh well, BIG DEAL!!

I think that sometimes my little problems stem from having a mind that is either cluttered with too many trivial issues or sometimes because I have too many big ideas to sweat the small stuff.

I find myself doing things and wondering why. The other day my husband came home from the grocery store with several packages of expensive cuts of meat, so I dutifully repackaged them for the freezer. I vacuumed sealed them nicely and went to put them away. I headed directly for the closet! Oh no, I backed out sheepishly and placed the meat in the freezer.

There are some things it is very important to forget, though! One is the offenses that come our way in life. It's better to forget them than to give the offenders power over us by remembering. Let it Go!!

Another good thing to forget is self-pity! Self-pity ain't pretty! No one wants to hang around someone who continually lives in the mully grubs. Whining and complaining would also be best forgotten. It gets you nowhere and makes those around wish they were not!!

Remember what's important and forget the rest!!

Five Minute Friday

I'm really enjoying Five Minute Friday and I thank Gypsy Mamma for coming up with such a wonderful tool for self-expression. It's going to be tough saying what needs to be said today in just five minutes, but here goes!

When Seasons Change

Start

Our lives are governed by the seasons. We all are aware of that. We have certain tasks to do in spring like planting. In summer it's weeding and watering. Autumn is harvest and winter is dormancy.

Sometimes in our life situations we wonder if we have somehow managed to let our seasons of productivity slip by. We feel we have missed something and whatever has been missed can not be recovered or regained.

When I was a child in the springtime of my life, I believe that a gift was placed in me by the Holy Spirit and I began to use the gift with gusto, but was reluctant to share the gift with others. The gift was writing!

When I entered the summer of my life, I became so busy with living that I neglected the gift and finally didn't use it at all. I thought that due to lack of use, the gift was gone and I had missed my chance.

Then came autumn and through many odd events I began using the gift again and now during latter years I have a novel coming out. Autumn, as we know, is the most colorful time of the year! I'm looking at this time in my life as the most colorful and creative time and I plan to make the most of it before winter sets in!

The point is: I do think that I missed a season or two, but there is always hope! You really can recover and regain!

Stop

Five Minute Friday

I tried participating in Five Minute Friday last week and thought it was so much fun that I decided to do it again this week. Thanks to Gypsy Mamma for hosting this.

Deep Breath:
Start.
I really think it would be an excellent idea for me to take a good deep breath before opening my big mouth. It would provide me, hopefully, with an adequate amount of time to try to drum up an appropriate statement that would offend no one. The only problem with that is that if I offend no one, I will probably say nothing at all because these days almost anything spoken is found to be offensive to someone! Maybe it would just be wiser to say what I really think after all and let the chips fall where they may. Of course, it is always a good idea to be respectful and somewhat tackful, but one can simply not go through life walking on eggshells so as not to be offensive. Maybe a not so deep breath would suit me better. It would give me time to check for the needed level of respectfulness, but not time enough to water down my statement to nothing but bland, meaningless swill.

STOP.

Five Minute Friday

Motherhood Should Come With...
Motherhood should come with several things. The first essential item needed is a no U turn sign. Once you are a mother there is no turning back. It is a life long job and it doesn't get any easier when your children become adults!

The next on the list is many hats. As we all know a mother is really a jack of all trades. We are the boo-boo bandagers, the cooks, cleaning ladies, drivers, shrinks and the list goes on and on.

Next we must have the patience of Job. This speaks for itself and doesn't require much elaboration from me. Just learn to bear with endless questions. They really are learning by what they ask!

Lastly, you need a straight jacket and a rubber room. No, not for the children for yourself! Mothers know that any kid worth his or her salt has as one of their greatest goals in life the need to drive you insane. Don't give in to this urge. This goal they have does worsen with age. Just ask the mother of teens!

All in all, motherhood is one our our greatest gifts from God and is our highest calling!
Stop