Five Minute Friday: Unspoken

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Will you be my friend?

Smiling, swaying side-to-side, she looked up at his big brown eyes, her small blue ones showing pleasure, fear, and gentleness.

He bobbed his head carefully, blowing on her gently and nudging her with is soft pink nose.

Don't be afraid. I will be gentle. We will not go too fast. You will feel like you're floating on my back.

You hear me! Her eyes were pools of delight.

The Maker gave me this gift.

He is good. He always hears me, too.

"Are you ready?" asked mama, carefully lifting her up.

For a moment, she stiffened, You're so tall!

It will be all right ~ we will go gently. Yes, I will be your friend.

And she smiled.

One word. Five minutes. No editing. It's Five Minute Friday!

Aspiration

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"I long to accomplish

a great

and noble

task,

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ but ~ 

 

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 it is my chief duty

to accomplish humble tasks

 

as though

they were great

 

and noble."

 

{Helen Keller}

Speech of Sunlight

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No contrast could be greater. Outside, the wind was racing about, shooting forth such icy threats that even the clouds huddled together in dark, frightened mass, shivering off raindrops in their distress. Yet, inside, a sunshine of words permeated the air, warming the soul as the sweet cups of coffee hugged between our fingertips warmed the body. Joy, awe, and praise ~ they darted from her eyes and sparkled out of her voice as she told of Christ's leading in the past year. She marvelled aloud. She testified through doubts. She declared the LORD's works.

Greedy, I hung on every word; her pleasure to speak such praise fuelling my desire to hear. This is the mystery of the LORD's hand: that to glimpse, to share, and to know it consume one's being so fully as to render any other pursuit impossible. *"For we cannot," ejaculated Peter and John, "but speak the things which we have seen and heard." It is addiction in its untarnished state, obsession begging greater capacity, purpose worthy of our passion.

Lewis, in his Reflections on the Psalms, records his wonder at the joint compulsion and responsibility experienced in praise:

"I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought into check. The world rings with praise ~ lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside....
 

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are, the delight is incomplete till it is expressed."

Time, coffee ~ all was forgotten as excitement and awe at the ways prepared for us enveloped the room. Declaring the LORD ~ His character, His works ~ is our purpose, our "job." Yet, it is also the key to unequaled joy. What solemn privilege to us granted! What precious duty to us bestowed! Small wonder that to speak and hear of His ways deepens and fulfills every aching void within our soul.


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Yet, somehow, even so, there are rainy days. Icy moments. Weeks when blast after blast of frigid air batters the door, seeking entrance through even the smallest crevice. There are seasons when blue skies disappear. When mornings dawn shivering, and creep away in cold.

Seek sunshine.
 

Ready at every moment, waiting upon a choice, the warmth of spring and summer is always within reach ~ but it is not to be found in the frozen-silent, tight-lipped enjoyment of blessings. Sunshine abounds in the cloud of glorious words surrounding the King's throne: words of praise.

 

**"Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together."

 

Speak sunlight. Speak of the Son!

 

*Acts 4:20
**Psalm 34:3



Five Minute Friday: Here

"Johnny! Where are you?" A mother calls from the back porch, her eyes scanning the forest beyond. "Here I am, Mama!" a voice echoes back, but to the lone figure fretting over the report of a mountain lion, "here" poses no information and little comfort.

"Papa, where are you?" cries the little girl, lost in an office building black-out. "Here I am, sweetie, it's ok," comes the response, accompanied by a large, warm hand placed atop her head. Where exactly is "here"? Still unknown, but now unnecessary.

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There have been times where I have felt lost. Wondered where I was. What I was to do. How I was to be. "Where, LORD? Where? Where do you want me? Where are you sending me? Where is the pathway You are asking me down? I cannot see it - I know it not."

"Here," He says, sending His voice.

"Here," He says, comforting with His hand.

"Here," He says, standing by me.

Rarely does "here" tell me where I am. Rather, it tells me Who knows.

 



Five Minute Friday: Our "Afters"

There are the good Afters and bad Afters. (The best of the best being at the end of a story that predicts the end of all stories ~ "And they lived Happily Ever After.")

After today, I will start eating right.

After I'm finished with my book, I will help you with math.

After I practice, I'll take you to the store.

After I meet so-and-so for coffee, I'll have my devotional time.

What if our Afters flipped? What if, instead of "After me, you," our priorities were ever "After you, and you, and you, then (maybe) me?"

After I've listened and talked with you, I'll read my book.

After I've played games with you (because I really want to!) I'll re-organize my shelves.

After I've taken you on a "just us" outing, I'll return to everything I was in the middle of and try to finish.

What are your "Afters" today? Are they in the right place?

 



Make-It "Monday": Oh, Strawberries!

Last week, I took a Spring Break from teaching. For the last couple weeks, my room had turned into what I referred to as the "Spring Break Pit." Mending, sewing crocheting, books to read - they were all placed in plain view so I wouldn't forget about them during my "vacation." Of course, I bit off more than I could chew, but one of the projects I did accomplish is this wee Strawberry Dress. A few weeks ago, Maddy made some strawberry slippers for a little girl yet to be born, and mama loved it so much she bought strawberry fabric to make a go-along dress. The pattern is from Create Kids Couture ~ talk about adorable sewing projects!! :)

So yes, happy Make-It Monday on a Tuesday! :)