So, here’s the skinny: I’ve been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.
Ala-ka-zam – Five Minute Friday was born.
We’ve all got five minutes – while the kids are wrestling, while the macaroni’s boiling, while the dog is doing his business, while the plumber is resuscitating your washing machine.
Wanna just write? Without wondering if it’s just right or not. You’re welcome to play along. The rules are easy.
- Write your heart out for five minutes and show us what you’ve got.
- Tell your readers you’re linking up here and invite them to play along.
- And most importantly, go visit, read, and encourage the fellow five-minuter who linked up right before you.{I humbly beg you to turn off word verification for the day to make this easier!}
Oh and there’s always a little fun something-something in it for one five minute artist. Last week I got to give away the All Things Are Possible Water Bottle to random winner Erin @Closing Time.
This week the beautiful Victorious Life Charm Bracelet by DaySpring is up for grabs.
OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes for the prompt:
Deep Breath…
GO:
Into the fray, into the week, into the wonder of being a mom and a woman and a wife and a daughter of the King. Deep breath into the work and the calling and the words and the ways to encourage and love and laugh. Deep breath into the tears and the standing in the gap alongside friends who have lost their voices, their hearts, their way.
Deep breath into the deep heart of the Father God who made me and calls me and breathes life and grace and passion into these lungs that rise and fall with the sun and the moon and the getting up at 2am with a baby girl who breathes me in like I’m her whole world.
Deep breath with the boys and the dirt and the incomprehensible ways they find to challenge, to push, to pull, to break off all those bits of me I didn’t know I didn’t need. Deep breath as they piece me back together in a jig saw version of myself that looks nothing like the me I planned and everything like the me I dreamed.
Deep breath with the house and the laundry and the never being really cleaned up in here. Deep breath with the travel plans and the passports pending and the Kindergarten wending its way to me and taking my boy to bigger and older and wiser and reminding me of him all so much newer and smaller and safer in my arms.
Deep breath with the new week and the new season of work and the new baby and the new plans.
Deep breath.
Deep breath.
STOP.
OK, your turn – show me what you’ve got.
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“Deep breath with the boys and the dirt and the incomprehensible ways they find to challenge, to push, to pull, to break off all those bits of me I didn’t know I didn’t need. Deep breath as they piece me back together in a jig saw version of myself that looks nothing like the me I planned and everything like the me I dreamed.” I love this phrase! Beautiful. All of it.
I’m hoping to link up maybe in the morning. Blogger is unavailable due to maintenance at this time. It’s 11pm Mountain time – and I’m going to bed! :)
Ohhh yes . . . deep breath . . . Yahweh. Ohhhh yess . . . shouldn’t our deep sighs, longings and deep breaths always include Him? Thank you for sharing . . . it really struck my heart!
I almost cried when I saw your prompt, possibly because I had just finished a good hour of gut-wrenching sobs while my husband said, “Just take a deep breath.” Boy, it was one of those days…thank you for always being honest about motherhood, and sharing it so beautifully.
Love that comment about our lungs rising and falling with the sun and the moon – so lovely. Deep breaths are so good for the heart and soul – thanks for the Selah moment. Have popped over via my art blog as blogger is down!!!
Beautiful. “Deep breath with the boys and the dirt and the incomprehensible ways they find to challenge, to push, to pull, to break off all those bits of me I didn’t know I didn’t need” YES. I have 2 boys and this just resonated with me. Just YES!
Bless you, Gypsy mama!
Well, I’m not sure what I’d do with a charm bracelet, but I’m all about taking on new writing exercises – especially if they give me content for a blog post! Thanks for sharing this great series!
lisa-jo, your ending really resonated with me. i learned ccntering prayer, a type of meditation where you sit still and focus your breathing on a word or phrase offered to God, and practice being still in his presence. the phrase i use is Yahweh Shalom, peace of God.
may you breath deeply the breath of God today, friend.
Yes, deep breath into the heart of God. That is exactly what I need. Beautiful words today, Lisa-Jo.
And for me, deep breath when blogger is down and won’t let you post. Ugh!
I don’t have a blog, but know I am going to have to start breathing really deep as I watch my daughter die….her kidneys are beginning to fail now….But I know Who loves her (and our family) and He will take her to Himself and she will be whole and joyous, living the life she was created for (before the fall) and one day we will be there too.
I just don’t want to go through the next few weeks or months…..
Beverly, I’m praying for you, your daughter and your family right now. Holding you close. Shanyn
Oh Beverly,
My heart cracks just thinking about that. He does love her. He does love you. Trusting you feel it these next few weeks.
Blogger is down, here is my Five Minute Friday: DEEP Breath
Deep breath. Pray. Deep breath. Count my blessings. Deep breath. Don’t look at the toys all over, the talking books repeating like addled auctioneers, the dirt and sand tracked in by wet dogs, the sulky birds. Deep breath. No expectations except that God will provide. He has shown that provision over and over the past few months. Amazing provision, amazing blessings. So hard to see in the midst of tears, fears and knee jerking.
Deep breath. Time to read the Word. Time to blog. Time to cuddle, tickled and laugh. Time to dream. Deep breath. The world is twisting around. Secret things I know through my job, I can still pray about them. God and I know.
Deep breath. That the Lord will keep the flooding from harming more people and that He will keep the government from rash actions which will cause more harm. Deep breath. Moving. New job for hubby. Return to mine. New house. Horror of moving.
Deep breath. Building walls like in Nehemiah. Building walls that link together, that are strong together, building rebuilding creating and renewing. Deep breath. How do I reach out to someone who turns away? Deep breath. Chosen, one of 50 out of 50,000. Chosen as one of the final 6? Big sized farm mama with words and dreams but no model’s body. Deep breath. What if I am chosen? Can this show God’s love too?
Deep breath, almost out of time. One minute left. Dear Lord, let me be a child of your peace. Let me be Your Child and be a good Mama and wife to your other children. Deep breath. A brush of angel’s wings on my back. Knowing He is near, draw near, draw near…deep breath…and rest.
Oh so beautiful – yes I know those annoying toys too and the rebuilding of walls and the working hard to believe we are beautiful in the only eyes that matter.
Thank you for this!
Blogger is down. I will link up when I can. But for now… here is my 5-minute Friday:
I need to take a deep breath of patience… when my 3-year-old won’t listen as I tell her that if she would just stand still it wouldn’t hurt for me to brush her teeth.
I need to take a deep breath of love… when my heart goes to the bitter place where I forget about all of the love in my life.
I need to take a deep breath of music… when I just need to hear something that soothes my soul like nothing else can.
I need to take a deep breath of the grass of the ballpark… when I just need to remember a time when life was simple.
I need to take a deep breath of the ocean air… even when I’m not there. To close my eyes and envision that I am at my favorite place to sense God in the world.
I need to take a deep breath of kindness… when I feel overwhelmed by taking care of everyone.
I need to take a deep breath of perseverance… when I recognize that I am not “naturally wired” to be a stay-home mom.
I need to take a deep breath of trust… when we are hit with so many financial burdens and Jeff can’t go back to school when we had planned.
I need to take a deep breath of God’s goodness… when the day is hard and I have just forgotten how much He has blessed me… beyond measure.
I need to take a deep breath. And just let go.
I love this post! thank you for doing it here while blogger was down. Bright blessings!
Thanks for the encouragement! This one REALLY resonated with me!! :)
Oh wonderful wonderful – all those big deep breaths of all the most wonderful places and times and dreams – I was right there with you. And I love love LOVE the image of taking a deep breath of music!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for the encouragement! And thanks for sharing your Fridays with us!! :) This is a blessing.
I can completely relate to all your boy-mom-ness – over and over again! This prompt was just right for me today, just right!
Wow. That was incredible! “Deep breath. Yahweh.” Amazing. Probably more so, because I knew that “Yahweh” was linked to that particular post before I saw the link! I am in awe of your writing. I really am.
Since Blogger is not working, I’m pasting my five minutes here:
Stop. Slow down. Take a deep breath. These are the words we hear when we’re stressed out, upset, on the verge of a breakdown. Calm, breathe. What is it about a deep breath that provides such peace? I like to take it a step further. With that breath, I breathe a prayer. I breathe in air and breathe out “help”. I breathe in again and slowly breathe in God’s goodness. I let him fill me up, and when he does, he pushes out all the stress, all the bad. I think about playing music. A deep breath is necessary to make it through a hard piece of music. Without deep breaths, the music is weak, out of tune. Rich, powerful music comes from deep breaths. Even when playing quietly. It actually takes more air support to play quietly than loud. More air to play quietly. Is that how God works? He whispers to us, he whispers his love and support. When we hear it, it’s more powerful than when he’s yelling at us. And I can better take a deep breath and breathe in His goodness when he’s quietly whispering power into my soul.
Yay! Blogger is back up! I linked up above as well. =)
How fascinating – it takes more air to play quietly? I had no idea. Amazing how God seems to seep into our everyday everything, isn’t it? Thanks so much for this one!
That was beautiful! We mama’s need to remember those deep breath moments. Thank you for sharing!
This made me catch my breath.
Deep breath into the work and the calling and the lives of those who have lost their voice, their hearts, their way–their breath.
Beautiful.
I’m going to try to play along for awhile.
Love the post…this “column”…and your blog!
I am sorry that my post shows up eight times. I had trouble getting the post on. It was saying to resize my thumbnail over and over again and I somehow managed to have eight posts. I hope this doesn’t happen again.
Oh no worries – those linkys can be temperamental things! I’ll just take those extra copies out for you. :)
I decided to write a little story that popped into my head at your prompt. So I set my timer, typed away, stopped when it dinged, published and went on my merry way.
Until my sister wrote me and pointed out that my little story (unintentionally) includes a disappearing swimsuit.
(In case you need a little chuckle today!)
Heh – now you have me intrigued! And who doesn’t need a daily chuckle :)
I realized my body was forcing me to take deep breaths today. So long since I remembered to do it for myself…
Love this one today, as well as your take on it. Thank you for sharing with all of us.
I found this after writing mine, so it’s a bit more polished than it should be. I promise it won’t be next week. It was rambling thoughts though. Don’t kick me outta the game. :)
Never – the more the merrier! :)
Sorry, it kept saying it didn’t accept my picture, but then it looks like it posted twice anyway. :(
It’s late, but I’m reading through a slew of 5-minute entries and wanted to say that the diversity of writing from one prompt is beautiful. Thanks so much for hosting this, Lisa-Jo; now I look forward to it every week. :)
I know, right? Isn’t it amazing what beauty, creativity and talent all these five minutes add up to? I’m always just bowled over by you all!
Hey Lisa- Jo…Today is my first five minute FRIDAY POST:) loved reading thru ur post..I guess it’ll be fun to write on…here’s my post:
http://aakritimalik.blogspot.com/2011/05/deep-breath-for-happiness.html
Oh go you! Welcome and lovely and see you next week again?
Just beautiful. What a wonderful relief/release.
I’m in awe of what you were able to accomplish in just five minutes. I read about these Five Minute Friday posts on my friend @SandraHeskaKing’s blog. Her post was equally amazing.
I’ve been in a real slump with writing. I’m not brave enough to try this live on my blog but might experiment on paper. It’s a wonderful idea.
Thanks for sharing your deep breath with us!
God bless.
There’s no way to get it “wrong” Melinda – just write and don’t worry about whether it’s “right” or not! :)
Lisa-Jo, it’s scary how good you are at this!! I’m a big scaredy cat and am just a delighted spectator, but just had to poke my nose in and say, “Gosh, you’re good!!” This is really beautiful!!
God has blessed you with a way with words my friend! Looks like your 5 min friday was quite a success!
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