Five Minute Friday : In Between

I am linking up with Lisa Jo today for 5 minutes of writing, dreaming, and sharing.  Check out more here.

5 minutes.
One word (or, today, two).
No editing.
No over thinking.
Just write.


Go.

In Between

I watch you hang the ornament and touch the one that looks like you.  All dressed up ready to go out for a Daddy/Daughter Dance.  In Between a baby and a young girl.  

Not quite yet ready for twirls on your own, but needing a hand to hold.

  The satin dress shimmers and your smile sweetens and your Daddy watches your every move.  In the same way, our Heavenly Father watches us while we dance for Him.  He takes our hands, not quite ready for life and yet trusting Him for the dance.  For the song to come and our lives to be touched. May you always hold your Daddy's hand and may you always run to your Father - the one who holds the earth in His hands. 

And may you, and may I

always twirl for Him

as we are in between these worlds of Earth and our Sweet Home.

Stop

The True Picture - Behind the Scenes

Today I am linking up with Crystal on her new link up called Behind the Scenes.  You share the photos and then you share the story.

The Photo ~

Early Blessing

The Story ~

Perfect Timing

We have about a hundred of photos similar to this.  Spanning about ten years, we have gone to Hilton Head every other year for one week of sweet refreshment and cousin fun.  All seventeen on my side of the family packs it up and drives sixteen hours to the beach.  My parents rent the house and we just have to get there.  It is a wonderful blessing and we have beautiful memories because of those vacations.

Now this sweet silhouette is hanging on the wall of our home.  It is a reminder of days filled with watching our kids play and actually sitting down and talking with loved ones.  It holds in it a hope of a new day and a dream of new beginnings.

It does not show the fact that we are not catching the sunrise because we wanted the perfect photo opportunity, but because this sweet little girl would get up at 5:00 am every. single. morning. It did not matter if we were at home or on vacation.  She was ready for the day.  And instead of waking up the rest of the family with giggles and questions on why the sand wiggles through your toes, we decided to go out for a walk and by God's sweet grace, we brought our camera and took this picture.

A little girl touching the sand.  Hopeful for some wiggles and fully expecting giggles.  Because God's grace will show up even when you are tired.  And even when you don't expect it.  And even on vacation.

And now we get up on purpose.  And we take a picture in the same spot each time.  Because now we are expecting something sweet and beautiful.  And each time, we get more than we expect.  In the same way, God blesses us more than we could ever imagine.  We might just have to get up a little earlier to see.

His timing is perfect.  What big things are you praying for right now?

Lining up with a lovely community that not only shares the photo, but shares the life. Come join us here to connect.

A Woman of Comparing ~ Chasing History

Rachel and Leah

Playing, dreaming, whispering tales

Of husbands and children to come

Not knowing that one day a choice would be made

For the beauty over one

Their story is one that is intertwined as sisters and even more so because of the husband that they share.

Leah ~  Her name means "contented one."  

Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.  Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. ~Genesis 29:16

There are several translations and thoughts on this choice of "weak."  Some define it as delicate and soft.  Other translations say the word means  weary. Some scholars say that it means Leah had light blue or light colored eyes.

(Since my daughter shares this beautiful name, I tend to lean towards the delicate and soft camp.)

In any relationship, there can be an element of comparing.  It is not what God would choose, but it is part of our sinful nature.  And these sisters were no exception   And when your dad pulls one of the world's worst bride switches, it does not help.

Jacob loved Rachel. And he told her father that he would serve him for seven years for Rachel. Her father agreed.  So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him "but a few days because of the love he had for her."

But on the night of their wedding, Jacob took his daughter, Leah, and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.  And in the morning he woke up to Leah by his side

"And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.  Genesis 29:25-28

As if sisters needed more to compare...now a husband?

And isn't that just like us to compare?  I am blessed to have a sister that I adore and we are actually very close, but we have not always been as close as we are today.  I grew up in her shadow of good grades and a blemish free reputation.  I got good grades and I was grounded for things like not wearing my coat so it isn't as if I really acted out because of my comparing, but it was there.  It was always there.

And for Jacob, it was there.  But for Laban, it was not.  He knew what was right.  He knew the relationship of the family. And I pray that we, as women, can know our relationship to our Father.  Know it so true.  Feel it so deep. Live it so much, that we little by little stop comparing ourselves to... 

the mother who is on time for camp every.single.day.

the writer who has that bok published.

the friend who just got engaged.

the new mama whose baby is "normal"

the woman in the magazine. 

the neighbor who doesn't have to work.

...and even more that the Enemy wants us to notice.

Leah had delicate eyes and yet she was passed over for the beauty of another. There will be times when we are passed over. May we dive into our beauty that comes from Him and know we are His beloved and His chosen and may we rest on that sweet truth today.

Today I am joining some writers and dreamers that desire to dig deeper into His Story knowing that each detail of every story has a Truth to be remembered for it becomes a part of our lives. Join this sweet community at It Just Takes One to hear the story of Biblical Women and the stories they lived and we are living out even today.

  

Five Minute Friday ~ RYHTHM

The call came early in the morning.  A little boy's sleepy head was still laying on my pillow. Snuggles left over from a scary dream.

The call came from my neighbor.

"Did you know your tree is on our deck?"

No. I. did. not.

I go look at the damage and wish that wind would not have come.  And after further calls, we find that insurance will not pay.  So, my husband does what he does best.  He tackles it himself.

Well, not himself. My in-laws come to help. My Daddy shows up.  Even my brother stops by to cut, haul, and clean up our mess.  This is the rhythm of family.

When my children grow up, I want them to be willing to haul wood for their siblings.  Not because they have to, but because that is just what family does.

Now, they are Popsicle slurping friends who love to jump on the trampoline together, but one day even when the Popsicles are all gone...because that day will come, I pray they will help each other out, for we each are one beautiful mess.



Enjoy your moments today, Friend!

I am linking up today with Five Minute Friday.  Hop on over to
 Lisa Jo's blog to get the whole story and check out some amazing writers who write for five minutes -  no editing, no over thinking, no kidding -  just sweet writing.  You will be blessed!

If you are visiting me here from Her.meneutics, welcome to my little space!  Please look around and I am so glad you are here!

We are on 

DAY THREE  in our SIMPLICITY SERIES.

If you want to start at the beginning with us, please click here.

Get back the Simple Joy in Gift Giving

Ahhh, summer is here and I always start off with big plans of making my own Christmas gifts when I have more time.  Yet, we all know summer can be just as busy as the school year.  So this summer, my challenge  is to keep gift giving simple, and if we can save a few bucks while doing it, well, that is just a bonus!




Tip One:  Less is More

Take this time to be creative and you will find that simple gifts can often be the favorites.  Especially for kids, make the wrapping a part of the gift, whether it is a blank campus or even just a yummy candy bar taped onto the present.

Tip Two: Make it in Multiples

If you get a great idea, do not just make one gift, make several of them.  They can be used as hostess gifts or even birthday gifts in a pinch.  If you will be doing any entertaining, they could even be used as goodies for the end of the party. Make sure to leave a tag for easy labeling.

   inspirationforhome.blogspot

Tip Three:  Bunch it up in a Basket

This is where you can make a gift even more special because you can personalize the theme as well as the individual gifts.  A perfect example, especially for teens, is the classic movie basket:

suite101.com


Other examples include:

book basket
music basket
gift card basket
art basket
crafting basket
sports basket

Tip Four:  Give Experiences

This is one of my favorite gifts to give and for my kids to get.  Instead of more toys that no one ever needs, give a gift of a movie date, a zoo visit, or tickets to a musical.  Grandparents can get into this kind of gift giving with giving bigger experiences like a class at the park district or a day at a museum.  These gifts are often the ones that are the most remembered.

ussportscamps.com

Enjoy these tips and hopefully this summer you can plan for some creative, simple, and fun gift giving ideas.  Any even more creative gifts out there?  I would love to hear them!

Five Minute Friday: Fall

This one made my heart ache and swell at the same time...

This weeks's prompt: * FALL

You picked the yellow one.  Of course you did.  The yellow one that looked like it was laughing.  You were so excited to go, but when you got on, you found "that it go so fast." And you wanted to go by yourself. And we let you, but if you look close, you will see Little Brother right next to you with Daddy holding him and an arm's length from you.  We wanted you to be able to do it on your own.  But Mama was still afraid. I didn't want to see you fall.  So I sent Daddy to watch you, to protect you as I smiled from the sidelines. 

My girl, you are getting bigger.  You are entering new merry - go rounds with a new school, new friends,  new dreams.  Oh Sunshine, it is going too fast! I will still cheer by the sidelines and watch you. And now more than ever, I trust in the fact that your Daddy in Heaven is protecting you and waiting to take you into His arms just in case you fall.

Come on now, let's take this ride together.

* Five Minute Friday -
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..