Gift

I'm linking up with Lisa-Jo again this week... It's funny because her topic today is 'Gift'. And I had something all in my head that goes with this perfectly. Anyway... the rules are simple~ you write for 5 minutes. No editing, no over-thinking, no back tracking... just write. Go.

Offering.

She holds in her hands a great gift. Tells me it's her 'greatest treasure'... and she's willing to give it to me. To give it up. She holds loosely to the things she values most because she wants me to tresure them too. And there's a lesson in that.

And approaching Easter, I am reminded how He gave Himself up. How Abba Father opened His palms and poured out His heart and Greatest Treasure.

So why do I hang on? Why do I clench fists and try to cling to weeds but miss that the real gift, the reall offering of heart and soul is in the outpouring?

I take the dandelions and put them into a bowl on our table. A centerpiece. And I see them and remember.

Better Writer Day 14~ Loud

Happy Friday! I'm so thankful I've made it this far this week... Spring break has been hard and frankly has me a little fearful of summer. Who knew that once Remy was in school it would be difficult to have both littles at home all day for a week?! Is this some mom secret craziness that no one bothered to fill me in on?  Anyway...

On to today's challenge. Today we are supposed to go over to The Gypsy Mama's blog and write about whatever prompt she has... her 'Five Minute Friday'. You write for 5 minutes, 'no editing, no over-thinking, no back-tracking'. And this terrifies me. But I'll push forward... Today's word is 'Loud'... Go.

Loud.

My mom always defined me as one with a 'voice that carries'. Even last weekend a the Hearts at Home conference, one of my friends told me that she knew I was there working, in a room full of literally hundreds of women, because she heard my 'y'all' above the crowd. Seriously?!  I am loud.

I was surprised once my littles became old enough to need correction how loud I am. I am a screamer. It kind of shocked me, but yelling 'No!' just sort of poured out of me at crazy volume from the time Remy was old enough to reach for things he shouldn't or head for something hot.

But this is not necessarily a quality I have wanted. And I fear that my loudness, perhaps to the point of being abrasive, is getting in the way of my being effective. (Yes, I once caught myself screaming 'DO NOT YELL!' Insanity!) In meeting and spending just a few minutes with and around Michelle Duggar last weekend at Hearts at Home, I was struck deeply by the gentleness with which she carried herself. She exudes peace and calm. One of her parenting principles is that she never raises her voice. Did you hear that? In a house of 19 children she NEVER raises her voice!!

I have found myself in the last few weeks praying for gentleness in the way that I deal with my family. And even more so since last weekend, I have been trying to catch myself before raising my voice. What good does it do? Yelling only adds to the craziness of a situation... So I am praying the words of Paul in Colossians 3, that I would 'put on... gentleness'. So, I am loud. But getting softer. Gentler. As He makes me more like Him.