I have a new baby. A girl. And two boys. Life feels wild. Some days I worry about failing motherhood.
But then I spend five minutes with you fine people and I remember. I remember how powerful the written word is. To encourage, to laugh, to cheer, to pray, to listen, and love. Sometimes all it takes is five minutes. Five minutes to just write, and not worry if it’s just right or not.
Kind of like how friendship should be.
Got five minutes? Here’s a great way to spend them.
1. Write for 5 minutes flat without editing your voice.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Pony up the comment love for the five minuter who linked up before you.
I love reading what you write – it’s five minute art that lasts a lifetime. And it gives me a chance to give one of you a little somethin’ somethin’ from DaySpring, who I love more than cotton candy!
Last week the God Loves You Like Crazy Wind Chime went to Martha @Gritty Grace!
This week the My Beloved Photo Frame is up for grabs.
OK, are you ready?
Give me your best five minutes for the prompt:
On Forgetting….
GO
Sometimes I worry I’m going to forget. Sometimes I worry that three and a half years can erase a lifetime’s work of my five senses. I don’t want to forget. Even before we board a plane in June I want to begin to remember.
What the veld smells like when it’s on fire in winter as we drive home from the airport through the dusk and the deep warmth of familiarity. How you all sound. How you all rush at us through customs and wave and shout and shameless hug right there where all the other passengers are trying to squeeze through to the arms waiting for them. How Jackson and Karabo and Micah three amigo it all the way to the car. How there are presents and hands holding onto pant legs because it’s so impossible to believe they’re for real.
I want to forget this ache of homesickness in the deep homecoming of remembering first hand. How you all laugh and love us a lifetime’s worth in three weeks.
STOP
{Hard to believe that photo was taken in my dad’s garden in South Africa three years ago. My new daughter is the size that my baby son was then.}
OK, your turn – show me what you’ve got.
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Pssst… I couldn’t resist posting tonight, and now I’m off to bed. The prompt is, as usual, perfect for my week. Thank you, you wonderful blogger and mom and encourager. You do it splendidly – every last bit of it.
Whoot whoot! Glad to see you’re back on your game. Heh :)
Oh, I more than love this….I FEEL this!! My hearts reaches through the screen and transplants myself into your picture and I can SEE it, SMELL it, TASTE it, and I know what you mean on so many levels….too many words to share in this simple comment…but truly….I FEEL YOU…deep in my soul!
P.S. Oh, how I love the giveaway this week!
you write me with you… you make me ache with a longing homesickness for a place i have never known simply because you love it so completely.
that’s a gift.
Can’t wait to take you with me this summer – June 27 – put it on your calendar – you’re coming with us!
I am beyond excited for you! How wonderful to have that time HOME with family. This made my Friday to read your joy in anticipating it. :)
Simply…thank you for taking me on the journey of your life and sharing your heart, your thoughts, your words and your family. Even though I’ve just met you I feel like you’ve always been a friend. May God continue to bless you and all your family, friends and blog community. You’ve made my morning brighter and the day ahead seems like a wonderful adventure.
The picture is magical (as are your words, always)!! No wonder you’re homesick–an ache I know too, too well. Happy for you and the fun you’re having in anticipation of the next togetherness!!
Oh, how time and distance can ache. But how fully we love and appreciate! I wish you a lifetime of love and laughter for your upcoming visit. I can feel your excitement and am excited for you!
I love your posts, Woman! You have such a way with words–you draw me in to your emotion and into the joys and sorrows and bittersweet feelings you share. Thank you for including me. =)
Thank you for coming along on the journey – it’s a joy to have such wonderful community!
You & Gitzen Girl inspired me. I’m joining in the 5 Minute Fun for the first time today. I kind of went a different direction with the topic, but it’s just where God led me.
http://nancyrcarter.com/?p=779165
How much do I love these friday posts?! Your posts are so inspiring and encouraging!! many blessings to you, Lisa-jo!
Aww seeing your face here in the comments always makes me smile, Kris!
forgetting is a happening I’ll never forget ha never never never
I’ll never forget the time I was running in the drive way and noticing my skin was much darker than my brother or sister’s and thinking I look good this way
never forget the ride on the bicycle where my dad held my seat all the waydown the street and then I rode all the way back up to the top of the hill, to fall down, a quarter of a mile away from him huffing and puffing behind me and sking him why weren’t you there?
never forget the trip to disneyland and the smell of the rain in the morning as the sun hit it and made misty humid memories for my eleven year old mind
never forget my first kiss back of a van staring into a new love’s eyes and wondering what the heck we were doing there
never forget my mom my human calendar who did it all for me and now
I forget everything I forget dates not on the calendar bills and all that stuff if I am so not careful and I joke about half-heimers and am still scared silly I can’t stand it
may I never forget may I always remember being pregnant the first moments with my sons and their first words for both were HI!
Lovely – thank you for writing us into your remembering!
what a powerful story you tell, history you bring, what emotion you evoke, in just 5 minutes.
absolutely beautiful.
Beautiful! I can’t wait to read and see new pictures from your next trip!
Can’t wait to share them!!
Hello!
I did the prompt! I’m excited about it! :) I tried to do the Linked Up, I’m not sure if it worked. We’ll see!
Oh my apologies! It did it twice. :(
Wonderful post again! wonderful prompt too. thanks for hosting this linky :)
11.45am. I’m new. I’m overwhelmed. I love your blog – how cool! So inspiring, and yet at the same time I’m thinking ‘holy crow; *another* blog to add to my google reader, to catch up with when I’m behind’. Merde. I know I don’t have to, but I want to. Sunday morning, and I haven’t been to Mass. I feel bad. I’m sitting in my pjs still, and the sun is out – it’s a lovely day but it was frosty this morning so whilst it may be a lovely day from behind glass, it probably won’t be when I get out there. If I make it out there – oh yes, I have to because I have a load of whites which will need hanging out soon. I can hear my eldest outside, my middle is hanging inside with me. My youngest with out riding with my DH. Life, today, is good. I’m so busy! Busy with homeschool, busy with kids’ activities, busy being upset with friends who won’t make time to spend with me. Why do I feel slighted so often? Ugh, kids’ activities are taking it out of me. How do I say no? How do you say NO to children?! I do say it often, but I’m mindful of not saying no to physical activity (eg, gymnastics, hockey) and I am mindful of they’re spending most of their days at home, just the two of them and me (youngest at preschool). What kind of adults with they become? I worry. 11.50am.
Yea, parenthood seems to be defined by that kind of stop go wondering and worrying, doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing your five minutes with us!
jo… you are such a weaver of words, and how honored i felt to find you at my place… thank you. i worry about failing motherhood all the time. every second. and while worry, i know, is wrong, i think it’s the most honest, selfless angst i’ve ever had, and one that keeps me closest to God… i love your place here, your heart.
Though the Linky is closed, I’m still gonna link to you. I’ve been on vacation for three weeks, amd want to attribute the link to you because your writing stem opens the word-gates.
Anyway, here’s my post:
http://kristawork.blogspot.com/2011/06/five-minute-friday-on-forgetting.html