Menu
Menu

Light, Love, Hope

Light in the Darkness Surrounded by Love with Hope for those in need.

Five Minute Fridays

Five Minute Friday: Lost (and alone)

0

I have a very personal relationship with this feeling. I find myself feeling lost quite often. I look around seeing many people with someone in their life and I can only wonder what that feels like. You see I have spent the better part of my life alone.   It is easy to feel lost when you are alone. You wonder of your purpose in life. You wonder if you are making a difference. At times you wonder if anyone even notices you.

I have come to find peace and my place in life by being grateful for the things God has given me. There are many things that give me joy and I turn to those during times when I feel lost and alone.   These are gifts that God has given me to help me through these times.

You are never lost and alone because God is always with you if you let him into your heart.

Lost

, 11

There was once a time I felt safe and secure in your love.   When I used to get lost in your eyes, I’m getting lost now in wondering who you are.  For years we’ve lived this wonderful life on the outside appearing to be the most perfect couple, and everyone commented about how much you love me and how perfect our little family was.   Now I’m left wondering if after the dust has settled if we’ll even be a family at all.

I try to be a good person and do the right thing.  I’ve prayed and asked for guidance from God, and for months now I’ve heard:  “Be still …” and so I have.   As I stand in the mist of the storm raging around me, I’m getting knocked around and knocked down.   Yet each time, I get back up and try again.   Each blow that comes leaves me breathless and weak, yet through my tears, I whisper my love for you and what has been lost and know that it can be found again in each other if that is what we truly want.

I feel surrounded by lies, deceit and betrayal, and I don’t know how to get out of this pit.   I run to the far side and scream wondering if anyone hears me, can anyone come rescue me now?   No one answers, and so I run to the opposite end and cry, reaching up with all of my might for someone to hold on to in order to pull me out of this pit of depression that I’ve been living in.

And then as I fall to my knees, crumbling to the ground, as I lay there sobbing, my Jesus wipes away my tears and picks me up into His strong arms to carry me out of the darkness and into the light.  His light.   I don’t have to feel lost any more.  He has found me.   He has rescued me.   When lies fall all around me, He is truth.   When I feel unloved, He wraps me in His unconditional love.

For once I was lost, but now I’m found.

 

 

Release

, 2

I always enjoy Five Minute Friday and the writing prompts provided by Lisa Jo.  Today’s word is: Release.

Ready?

Set?

Go!

There comes a time in your life where you have to stop holding things in.  To heal, it is necessary to reveal, to come clean, to admit your shortcomings and faults.  In doing so, you release the hold that it has over you.  For so long you’ve been a prisoner.  You have been locked inside your prison cell of your own making, suffering in silence, surrounded by lies.  You’ve been unable to progress, unable to heal, and unable to forgive.  In all of this, you’ve been unable to feel as well.  The pain was so great that you became numb, and yet, you held on to it so tightly, almost with all of your might.  Once you decided that enough was enough and you came clean with those around you … with the most important person being yourself … you slowly saw the binds that held you releasing you.  The chains of this addiction could hold you no longer.  You, yourself, held the key to release yourself from this self made prison, and you did it.  You faced your fears.   You took a good, hard look in the mirror and confessed.  You, then, took it further and confessed to those closest to you as well, and in doing so you are crushing the enemy.  The one that wants to keep you locked away forever in this hell, you’re saying, “No more!”   You, yourself, have taken away the power that it held on you.  You are fighting with everything in you to be a better person, to do the right thing, to come clean once and for all.  It takes a lot of strength to do what you’re doing.   Your determination does not go unnoticed.  You are fighting this with everything in you – fighting for your life, your marriage, your family, your dignity, your self worth, for your own self respect … and you are winning!   You have taken back the power that this addiction held over you.   It cannot harm you any more.   You are strong.  You are determined.  You are a fighter.  You are a survivor.  You have found such a sweet release from the prison that you’ve known for so long.  It’s time to turn it all over to God and trust that He will see you through this.

Un-forgiveness has plagued you, tormented you, harassed you, haunted you, entrapped you.

I forgive you.

Now it is time for you to forgive yourself.

Release the chains that bind you to that lifestyle.

Rise above it all.

You are a prisoner no more.

 

STOP!

 

 

 

Hands: Five Minute Friday

, 8

Today’s prompt word for Five Minute Friday, provided by Lisa Jo, is: Hands

Ready?

Set?

GO!

They rest still now in your lap after a long day’s work. You’ve loved, you’ve cared, you’ve tended to, you’ve nurtured … and now you rest your hands for a moment. These hands, ever so strong, yet just as gentle and tender, have been the ones I’ve held on to in happy times, sad times, and memory-making-times.

These hands have held me tightly, stroked my cheek affectionately, cupped my face to look into your beautiful eyes as you’ve drawn me closer.

These hands have callouses from years of hard work and dedication. The lines show that you’ve lived, you’ve loved, you’ve held, you’ve endured … you’ve overcome.

These hands have cradled … and held … and loved … and prayed.

These hands were crafted by the Almighty God with a great plan in place for your life. God knew the work of your hands long before you were ever formed. He knew your plan and purpose and how you’d use your hands to carry out things for Him.

God has allowed your hands to touch lives and hearts …

God has allowed your hands to hold that of my own.

Stop!

When You’re Down To Nothing …

10

Today’s Five Minute Friday prompt word provided by Lisa Jo’s team is: Nothing

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Another saying that is familiar to us all is: When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something.

When you’re at your absolute lowest point in life and you feel like things are falling down around you. You feel the weight of the world on your shoulder and yet responsibilities continue to crowd in on you and threaten to steal the last little bit of sanity you had left. When you’re beat down and feel as if you can not get back up. That’s when it happens. God takes it all … He wants you to bring every care and concern to Him. He is the only one that truly has the answer any way. He knows every little thing that is troubling you even when you cannot find the words to express them. He hears your heart speaking when no words are uttered. That is when He reaches down His strong and mighty hand and turns all of your feelings of nothingness into something beautiful, magical, and beyond anything you ever thought possible. Slowly, He begins to turn things around. It may not happen over night. It may try your patience until they’ve run out or have run thin, but He’s at work in your life. When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something. Our job is to take it to God in prayer, trust and believe in Him, and He will do the rest. It’s called having Faith and Believing … give your feelings of being a nothing to Him and watch Him turn it into the most precious something you could ever imagine.

STOP!

Close – Five Minute Friday

, 7

You know what time it is, right?  It’s time for FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY!!!

Today’s prompt word is CLOSE.

Are you ready to write without regarding to getting it “just” right?  Set your timer and see where your mind takes you!

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Near or far, where ever you are … you’re always close to my heart.

Though miles may separate us and people threaten to prevent us from being together, they cannot take this from us.  Ever.  We are always together and close because of the connection of our heart.

I’ll never forget when my daughter was younger and red faced with tears streaming had to go with her dad every other weekend and weeks in the summer for visitation.   She was only a year old when we separated, and this was hard on her to be away from me just as much as it was for me to be away from her.  She was so little and didn’t understand what was going on and why we had to be apart.  As the years went by, she understood a little more, but it did not stop the tears from flowing each and every time we had to be apart.  I would lean in close to her and whisper that she was always in my heart just like I was always in her heart.  I would reassure her that no one could ever take that away from us.  Ever!   Although we weren’t allowed to talk on the phone even at that point when she had to be away, she could rest in the assurance of my love and that although we were separated by many miles between us … we were always close because of the love we have in our hearts for each other.

Now, my daughter is older … entering her Senior year in the Fall.   She will be preparing to go out into the real world after graduation.  She’ll be preparing to leave for college.   She admitted yesterday that she’s excited yet frightened for this last year of high school.   I leaned in close once more and whispered that no matter what she will always be in my heart just like I am always in her heart.  No one will ever be able to take that away from us … no miles … no distance … nothing!   We will always be close and connected at the heart because of the strong love and mother/daughter bond that we share.

STOP!

Fear

, 8

It’s Friday, y’all.

This has become a ritual for me to sit down at the computer every Friday and just focus on the writing prompt to see where my thoughts take me. However, there wasn’t a prompt word given by Lisa-Jo today for our usual Five Minute Fridays. So … I sat here staring at the screen contemplating what to write on. Seeing the disappointment on my face, my daughter strolled through the living room and threw out the prompt word “Fear” …

And so we’ll have our very own Five Minute Friday right here, right now. I’d love it if you’d join in with your comments on this prompt word, if you feel so inclined.

Let’s begin.

Ready?

Set?

GO!

There is a famous movie that I’m pretty sure you’ll all remember when I share this quote with you. But, before I do … as you read it, think of how you can relate to what is being said. let the words speak to your heart. Let it echo through your thoughts.

Me? I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of what I saw, I’m scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.

This … THIS … is a quote from Baby in the movie Dirty Dancing after she has discovered the absolute love of her life.

Can you relate to how she was scared of everything? Have you ever been afraid of the next step, the next thing you’ll be forced to face in this life?

What about what you saw? Have you ever seen something – an image – an actual event taking place – or maybe a movie of that event playing in your mind although you never saw it actually happen, yet the events of that day haunt you and play over repeatedly in your thoughts and mind when you try to sleep at night? I have experienced this.

What about the fear of what you’ve done? We all have regrets in life, but the past is the past. It can’t be un-done. It can only be forgiven.

Have you ever been afraid of who you are? Truly? Honestly? If you look yourself in the mirror, have there been times you’ve just been afraid of who you were? We all have moments when angers grips us, but does it control you? Does it make you rage out of control? Do you fear who you become in those moments?

And the biggest question of all … have you ever felt like Baby? Fearing that you’ll go the rest of your whole life without feeling the way you feel when you’re with that special person in your life? If you feel loved, sheltered, protected, treasured, cherished, and alive … do you fear never feeling any of those things again?

Do you?

I do.

STOP!

Grateful – On This Five Minute Friday

, 5

Today is Friday, and so we dive into Five Minute Friday with the prompt word of:  Grateful

Ready?

Set?

GO!

As I sit beside the pool with my daughter splashing and playing, I pause for a moment to consider all of the incredible blessings in my life.  I am blessed beyond measure, beyond what I ever dreamed possible in this life.

For some reason, God has smiled upon my life, my heart, my soul … and He has given me my heart’s desire.

I’m not speaking of anything material at all.  It isn’t about the house, the car, the pool … none of that matters.

It’s the PEOPLE that surround me in this life.

The people.  The precious people that love with their whole hearts.  They love without placing conditions or boundaries, they love … with such a greatness within them that I am undeserving of, and yet, they love me even still.

They love me despite my faults and shortcomings.

They love … me.

And I … am more grateful than any words could possibly describe whether they are spoken words or words on a screen.  They can not ever come close to a hint of how I feel about each and every person that surrounds me in this life.  They will never know how truly grateful my heart, my soul, my entire being … is …

For them!

And their unfailing, unconditional love!

Five Minute Fridays – Prompt Word “Mess”

, 4

You know what time it is, right?

FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY!!!

Our prompt word today is: Mess

The idea is to write for five whole minutes without regard to proofing … don’t worry about a thing. Just let the words FLOW!!

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Oh dear one. I see you hurting. I see all that goes on behind your smile. Your silliness tries to disguise it all, but I know you. I know your heart. I know the pain you’re silencing.

You feel like you’re a mess. But, here’s the thing. There is a message in your “mess.”

There is something good that will come from all of this. Today we’re not sure what “good” there could possibly be in ANY of this, but I am clinging to the promise that God has given in HIS word! He has a plan and a purpose for your life, dear one. He does not have plans to harm you but to prosper you, to give you a future and a hope …

Hope.

Hold on, don’t lose hope, darling. I’m here. I’ll help in whatever way I can.

I love you more than you could ever imagine. If only my love could save you. You’d never hurt again!

There’s no mess here. There’s beauty. There’s grace. There’s mercy. There’s love.

There’s something deeper developing from all of this. Your desire to help others is one … it’s a beautiful thing to think that while you’re hurting, your thoughts go to all the others “out there” that are hurting to. You want to help them, to rescue them, to help them, to guide them down a different path.

There’s much to be said about the type of person that you are.

Honey, you’re hurting, and yet you think of others!

You’re not a mess … just like you’re not any of the other things that your head is telling you. Listen to my heart speak to yours.

YOU MATTER!

You’re wanted.

You’re needed.

You’re important.

You’re loved … more than you will ever know in this lifetime or the next.

STOP!

Friend – Five Minute Friday

4

Today’s prompt word for Five Minute Friday is: Friend!

I love when Fridays roll around as it’s an opportunity to see what goodies Lisa Jo has in store for us to write about this time. It’s writing with no regard to mistakes. No editing allowed. Just write for five whole minutes. The most important thing is to get those words out!

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Friend

Do you have that one friend in your life that no matter how long it has been since you’ve seen each other, it’s like no time has passed at all when you ARE together again?

I do!

It’s been almost ten years since we’ve seen each other face-to-face. Ten LONG years.

We’ve talked on the phone, sent messages, and all of that good stuff. Nothing could ever come close to actually being in front of them, though, looking into their eyes. Talking to them, watching their every move as they talked almost nonstop, but my not minding at all because we were there … together … within arm’s length so I could just reach out and hug at any given moment, and they wouldn’t mind. They would welcome it, appreciate it, and bask in the moment with me.

This is a very special friendship that has stood the test of time. Sure, there have been bumps along the way, there have been times we did not see eye-to-eye. We are different people from different walks of life, but when we come together, it is truly a beautiful thing. I appreciate, value, and respect our differences. It makes us who we are! And I would not change a single thing.

And so, after ten very long years, we have been reunited. We hugged, we cried, we held each other tight for an extremely long time when we saw each other after all of these years. It was very sweet, much needed, and soothing for the soul.

My best friend.

My forever friend.

My heart connected friend.

My I-love-you-to-the-end-of-time-and-beyond friend.

STOP!

Paint – Five Minute Friday!

16

If you’ve been with us a while, you know it’s time for Five Minute Fridays!! We write for five whole minutes without worrying about anything in the world except getting those words out. No editing allowed! 🙂

If you haven’t participated before, I encourage you to do so either here with us below in the comments, on your own blog, or on our Facebook page. I would love to read YOUR masterpiece with words!

The prompt word for today is: PAINT!

Ready?

Set!

GO!

My daughters and I love to gather all of our painting supplies and sit down at the table to paint our grand masterpiece of the day. Whether we’re painting figurines or free-handing lighthouses and ladybugs on the canvas, painting is soothing to our souls.

My daughters love the different colors and spreading them across the canvas with the various different brushes. The smaller brushes used for the finest details, while the thicker brushes transfer beautiful colors for the bulk of the picture.

We took an art class recently where my oldest daughter and I painted a beautiful peacock. She did better than I did, of course, but it was time spent together, which we loved!

My youngest daughter really had a desire to paint as well, so we enrolled her in a class where she painted a beautiful mermaid, her absolute favorite in the entire world.

When we were all finished, we stepped back to look at the beautiful display of colors on the canvas and how it was arranged so beautifully to make the grandest picture ever … that we crafted and created with our own hands.

Then I think of how God must have felt after He created for six full days, and then stood back on the seventh day to soak in all of the beauty that He had created. All He had to do was speak, and there it appeared before Him in all of its radiant glory. He breathed life into each animal, each person, each plant and tree in the forest. He formed them all and painted the most beautiful skies … all for His glory and delight.

STOP!

lighthouse
My oldest daughter painted this lighthouse for me … for Light, Love, Hope!

“If it wasn’t for the lighthouse … where would this ship be …”

Writer – Five Minute Friday

2

It’s that time again where we write for five whole minutes without worrying about anything but getting those words out.

Today’s prompt word is: Writer

Ready?

Set!

Go!

I don’t consider myself a writer, really. I knew from a very early age that I enjoyed putting my thoughts down on paper, but never really considered that one day I would be sitting before my computer composing my very own blog posts … OR that anyone would even care to read my rambling words on the screen. But, they do! You do! That’s why you’re here. And I can’t thank you enough.

Writing was a passion of mine back in high school. My English teacher encouraged me greatly when we were to keep a journal, and it has blossomed into this.

This week I was in an accident. I have a fractured hand and fractured hip to go with it. I was worried all week about keeping this blog going as I did not want to disappoint a reader. If someone came to my page seeking a new blog post, I wanted there to be one although I knew full well that I was incapable at that point of writing anything. My desire was to keep this blog going and rush back as quickly as I could to pour my words out for anyone that may have been waiting to soak them all up.

A writer … Although I never considered myself to be, I guess I am …

STOP!

«‹ 4 5 6 7