Five-Minute Friday: Visit



Sometimes I wish we could visit over a cup of coffee.  Or tea.  I'd totally buy your drink.  Or fluff up the pillows on my couch.  I could make some of that fancy Teavana tea I just bought.  Or I'd love to make you some organic French-pressed coffee, and I always have biscotti. 

I'd ask you how life is.  Busy I know.  We'd talk about every day things like work or school; about the kids or grandkids.  I'd tell you how much I miss running.  We'd talk about your latest Pinterest project and I'd show you the cute fuzzy wreath I made.  Yeah, I know Christmas is over, but you know ... life ... I'm a little behind on stuff!

You would probably ask me how Celine is and if she is ready for the baby.  I'd tell you that she is doing great - just moving a little more slowly and anxious to meet Jaxson.

If you ask me how I am doing I would tell you that I am a mixture of emotions.  Excited to hold and kiss my grandson.  Anxious about being her labor coach.  It will be hard to see her in pain.  I am preparing myself for the next phase:  making sure Celine stays on top of her schooling and supporting her as she navigates motherhood.  You may be sorry you asked because I may go on about how I am feeling tired and frumpy.  This momma needs a long run and a haircut.   

Enough about me.  I want to know how your "thing" is going.  You know the one.  That big decision or the last appointment.  The big test or the potty training.  The vacation or the planning for the big event.  There's so much to catch up on!

We could talk about Downton Abby, since that's about the only show I'm caught up on.  I'd tell you that the dress is white and gold and we'd laugh a lot, I know. 

The time would pass much too quickly and we would promise to not let so much time pass between visits.  I'd be sorry to see you go but I'd be smiling because it's always so nice to visit with you!

- Liv

This post is part of a link up over here.

 



Five-Minute Friday: Open



Acceptance.  We long for it.  To be included.

Acceptance into college; Accepting a proposal.
An award; recognition.
Accepting an invitation.
To a party; to dance
And what greater joy is there than to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Acceptance can also be very difficult.

Accepting that I will be a grandmother before I am 40 years old.
Accepting that my daughter will have to grow up too soon.
Accepting that my husband and I don't share the same faith.
Accepting a broken relationship; that some people may never change.
A diagnosis.
Shoot, let's just cover it all:
Accepting that life did not turn out as expected.

One thing I have learned: Acceptance does not give something your stamp of approval.  Acceptance is simply acknowledging that fact that "it is what it is".  Sounds a lot like surrender.  Surrender is not all bad,  you know.  Surrender can be sweet.  It's opening my hands and giving up my despair. It's trusting the God I know is always good.  Why is it I can accept - even expect the good from His hand, yet be so angry and doubtful when things are not so good? 

Now what?  Now that we've opened our hands in surrender what do we do next?  I know what I won't do.  I won't despair.  I won't pine.  I won't be consumed.  Accepting a situation allows me to move forward.  May God give us the wisdom to do the next right thing.  I can be joyful that God is bringing a precious little boy into our lives.  I can watch my daughter's growing belly and acknowledge that something beautiful is happening.  I can love my husband and see what a gift he is to me.  I can be thankful for the difficult things that have made me real. This. Is. Freedom.

Will there still be moments of sadness and longing?  Of course.  But we don't have to live there anymore.  May we always keep our hands open in surrender to the God who has proven Himself to be trust worthy over and over again. 

- Liv

Mistakes are welcome over here where I have linked up with other writers for five minutes (or so) of writing freely on the given prompt.

Five-Minute Friday: Ready

I don't know about you, but I'm so ready for cool nights and hot drinks; pumpkin pie and warm sweaters!  Summer has been lovely, but I'm ready for the change of seasons and snuggling up, safe and warm. 

And then there's those other changes.  The one's we're not so ready for.

Saying goodbye.
Letting go.
Sending our babies out into the world.
Growing up and aging.

We all face that one thing at some point in our lives.  You know.  The one we dread.  It rudely interrupts our blissful season without so much as asking if we are ready or not.  It just barges in, too soon.  Your one thing is probably different then mine, but we have this in common: a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).   

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

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. - Isaiah 43:18-19

And there are a hundred more promises.  Verses we know well.  They are for you, you know.  It's so much easier to quote them and believe them for someone else. I'm telling you and I'm telling me - let's believe them for ourselves in the changes we may be facing ahead.  We are never alone and we are always loved.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:6

I'm linking up with other lovely ladies over here.

Five Minute Friday: Tell

I have to tell you something.

I love you!  No really, I mean it.

Life has been crazy and it's been over a month since I've written here.  There have been some wild ups and downs.  Like a vacation and FINALLY seeing the Grand Canyon and a thrilling aerial dive.  There's saying hello and goodbye and plan changes and OH MY!  All the things.  It's so much! 

And in the midst of all that I lost the time to come to one of the places that allows me to breathe.  In the crazy I almost wondered if I would even know what to say to you.  But this morning I logged on to my computer and saw that my friend, Ashley (love her!) had a Five Minute Friday Post.  And it was like coming back home.  It is all still here - the blogging community and Five Minute Friday and YOU.  I have so much to tell you!  But not now, because well, five minutes is not enough time.  And not everything because as Ashley said in her post, there are some things that "We just need to tell the Lord, without saying a word to the world."

So I leave you with the most important:

Being here with you fills me up!  And I just wanted to tell you.

- Liv

Linked up here: