Five Minute Friday: Dance

I am linking up with Five Minute Friday today.  Five minutes of unedited, unscripted writing.  Of course, that would mean the kids are in bed! ;D  The topic today you might be asking...

D A N C E

Ready?  Set...  GO!

Right now, my mind goes directly to the dance of friendship.  The give.  The take.  The ups.  And yes, the downs.  Through our journey God directs not only our steps, but the people in our lives.  I do wonder sometimes why God has brought some people there.   Not only that, but why some do not stay longer.

It is hard because when we don't know how long some one is planning on staying, we don't know how much to let some one in.  Friendship takes time to build.  It takes to peel away layer by layer.  Also, how much we can trust some one directly affects how much we will hurt when they are gone. 

Yet, without that chance...without us opening up and letting people in...we are just cars driving in taxis yelling to each other out the window.  But, with letting people see the real you, seeing the tears falls, and the barriers break away  ....we each become a beautiful dancer in the ballet of life.

Each of us taking the lead at times.  Each of us lending support to one another.  The Dance of Friendship.  It takes each of us doing our part to make it beautiful.

STOP!

"Friendship is to be purchased only by friendship.  A man
may have authority over others, but he can never
have their hearts but by giving his own."

~  Thomas Wilson

WE ARE THE CHURCH

"As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of

 God chosen and precious,  you yourselves like living stones are being

 built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual

 sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." ~ 1 Peter 2:4-5

Isn't that beautiful?  I just keep reading it again and again.  "A living stone rejected by men."  Discared by men.  Useless to men.  Refused by man.  Yet, in the sight of God, we are precious.   We have great value.  We are dear and beloved.  But not only precious, but chosen.  We are selected and  preferred.

God chose to reside in us.  He is not in the church or temple walls.  I'm not saying God's not at your church.  But it is so much more!  God is there when we wake up in the morning walking with us while we get up and get ready.  He is there while we are driving to church.  Then, once we enter and gather together ~  God is there as well!  We don't leave Him at church once the service is over.  WE are the church.  We are the living stones that make up God's church.  God's plan gets accomplished through us.

What are we doing to further God's chuch?  Am I doing my part?  Do you remember the Casting Crown's song, 'If we are the body'?    Read the words and remember, the chuch is not a building.  The church is US.

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Beginning of Friendship

"When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him."

Psalm 91:15

These are the words of a best friend.  These are speaking of Jesus, but they should also apply to us. 

In todays technology, when is the last time you spoke to a friend?  Honestly, one-on-one or on the phone spoke to a friend.  I'm guilty as everyone here.  It's so much easier to text really quick.  Maybe shoot out a quick e-mail.  Or even post something on Facebook.  But, with that we lose something important.  We lose that connection.

Our grandparents and parents had it right.  My husband tells me stories about growing up.  His parents had about three other couples/friends.  They would take turns going to each others house to play cards while the kids played and have supper together as family.  Grandparents would visit neighbors and friends while sharing a glass of sweet tea.  (hey, we are in the south) They would bring a covered dish over for a number of reasons from sickness or babies being born.   They would stop what they are doing and go out of the way to connect and be there for one another.

Some traditions from the past need to be brought back.  Incorporate those traditions into scheduled moments to connect with one another.  We need to take those moments and savor them.  Make them not just moments, but memories.  We need to take the time to build those relationships.  Sit down and sip some tea.  Invite each other into our homes and into our lives.  We must start there, in the little things.  That's where our friendships start.  The beginning.

Girls And Attention

I look back when I was growing up and compare it to now. It's essentially the same. Once you get a certain age, it seems like fitting in and being like everyone else is SO important. The big difference is what is 'normal' for my daughter's age right now. Does anyone else have a 10 year old daughter out there?? Have you walked through that department? Have you seen the clothes or should I say lack of clothes?

 

I knew it would get worse. Honestly, when she was a toddler, the shorts would barely cover her diapers. So, I would buy her plain shorts in the boys section. They were seriously an inch or two longer. Now that she is bigger, the shorts still have not changed. They are still about an inch or maybe two (if your lucky) from the middle seam! Honestly, do we need to look at our kids in such a way?? Why does this have to be the 'normal' for our kids??

I'm a bit southern, redneck-ish maybe?, I don't know what you want to call me but I've always called those shorts....are you ready?....hoochie-momma' shorts. Yes, you read that right. You wonder why those shorts are the hot ticket right now? Because there are plenty of mom's out there willing to buy that half a yard of fabric for their girls. It is because there are plenty of mom's who think that it's fine.


There is a line that I am walking on right now. The line between being a prude and letting it all go. I tell you some things I'm firm on.  I don't like the short-shorts. I don't like seeing nine-year-olds running around in bikini's. (or 15-year-olds either actually) I also don't like the neck line on the one piece bathing suits either this year! I bought two on sale thinking it would be fine. When she tried them on, they made my daughter uncomfortable because it was cut so low. It only takes one or two little girls to wear it, then everyone else wants it as well. It is so hard to be the little girl who's different. I just don't understand why moms think this okay and buy it in the first place.


I like to think I'm on the line...yes, I may waiver a bit and be a bit wishy-washy on somethings because honestly ~ I don't know the answers to everything! I am learning as I go. I do know that we are all made in the likeness of Christ. I know that our bodies are temples for the Holy Ghost to reside. The age old question, "Why would Jesus do?" comes up. What would He want for our daughters?

"likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable

apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and

gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women

who profess godliness—with good works." 1 Timothy 2:9-10

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world
and forfeit his soul?"  Mark 8:36

Lead Me, Lord

"For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy

name's sake lead me, and guide me." Psalm 31:3

Isaiah 40:30-31 has always been my favorite Bible verse. It has gotten me through many trials. I hold those words dear to my heart. I have found another verse that has helped me. This week when I read through these verses of Psalms, I glazed over them as I continued reading. In Psalm 18, God is called a rock and fortress with whom I take refugee. So, in my head, I thought Psalm 31 was the same to get the point across and the connect the verses. But it is so much more...

"Therefore for thy name's sake..."

the NLT version says, "For the honor of your name"

For YOUR glory, Lord, I trust you.

For YOUR glory, Lord, I will submit.

For YOUR glory, Lord, not mine.

Lead me to paths that will glorify You!

Guide me to become all that I am when You look at me!

Let my life and all that I am honor and glorify you, Lord. Change me and correct me. Help my selfishness disappear. Help me to be the wife, mother, daughter, and friend that I should be. Lead me, Lord, to become more like you. And through this journey that we are taking together, forgive my whining through the painful times. I know that change is never easy. Forgive me when I go right back and do something again...even when I know I shouldn't. I am forever your child and no matter how old I get ~ I can still act like a two-year-old. Thank You, Lord, for never giving up on me.

Psalm 90

"Before the mountains were brought

forth, or ever you had formed the world,

from everlasting to everlasting

you are God." v2

"The years of our life are seventy,

or even by reason of strenght eighty;

yet their span is toil and trouble;

they are soon gone, and we fly away." v10

"So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom" v12

I think that says it all tonight. His words are all that's needed.