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Five Minute Friday: Story
Yes, I know it’s Saturday morning, but sometimes Friday turns into Saturday before you know it. So, here we are. It’s still Friday somewhere…right?
I haven’t written a 5-minute Friday post in several weeks. I don’t know why exactly? I like this weeks theme of “Story” and after spending time with one of my closest friends last night, I had to join in the conversation.
Everyone has a story and for 5-minutes, here, on this page, I’m going to talk about Jill and a little bit of her story because I want you to be blessed by her life as much as I am. She’s amazing and though I don’t tell her enough, I want her to know that.
GO
I certainly cannot do Jill’s story justice in 5-minutes. But you can read more on her blog at Ramblings on Anything.
Over the last five years, Jill has walked through some of the most difficult “life events” that one can experience.
She lost her mom to cancer, longed for a baby, had a beautiful baby girl, continued grieving the loss of her mother and the reality that her daughter would not meet this incredible woman who had shaped Jill into the woman she is today.
When she and Andy decided they wanted to try for baby #2, she knew it would not be easy. She had proven that “easy” wasn’t necessary. She just needed possible.
Over the next several months, she would deal with the heartache of more than one miscarriage. She walked through it with grace and never lost faith. After a tempestuous season, she is now more than half way through her pregnancy with their second (miracle) baby.
Like I said, 5-minutes isn’t enough to write about this amazing woman and her journey, so in these last 2 minutes that I have to write I will tell you why I consider her one of my dearest friends…
~ She is one of 3 people I know I can call when I am sitting on the floor of my closet with the light off and the door closed, having a moment of mommy insanity.
~ We share a mutual love for Twilight and know that we will go see the latest movie at least three times, not caring what anyone thinks of us! We like to take arm-length pics in the theater even though we know they will be dark and grainy. It’s about memories, not perfect lighting
~ Though she is far from being a germaphobe, she knows that I am and therefore, always has hand sani at the ready.
~ She loves my daughter and treats her like a human being not an annoyance.
~ I know that I can text her at 11:00 p.m. and she will answer.
~ She is the first person I think of and will ask to join me when I want to go to the symphony.
~ She is the only person I go and have mani/pedis with. (She knows I’m weird and will only go where they clean their equipment in an autoclave.)
~ When I am struggling with either something ridiculous or significant, she will treat them both the same and respond with wise and godly counsel instead of allowing me to focus on the things that are out of my control.
~ She has given me a front row seat to her journey through pain and loss, incredible joy and thanksgiving. She lets me walk along side her, sharing the deepest parts of myself and my world while showing me what it looks like to keep a strong faith during times of uncertainty. There is no judgement, only acceptance, grace and a mutual respect for the other. My life is so much better with her in it.
STOP
Weekly Photo Challenge: Movement
The Shadows
Lord, I have cried out
pleading throughout the night
for Your provision
guidance and
serenity
I lay before you now
downtrodden
face to the ground
acutely aware of how unworthy I am
To even be in Your presence is
so much more than I deserve
and yet, You know that
it is the only thing sustaining me
God, I am afraid
though You clearly say that
I am not to fear what man can do
I tremble at the possibilities
that mere humans hold over me
I was so sure
Lord, was it too much
was it too little
was it all an illusion
I am angry
search me
and reveal what is in me
that’s being allowed to rise up and steal my joy
I am sad
fill me
replace my sorrow with
the security of Your faithfulness
I am confused
breathe clarity
into my circumstances
so that more will be revealed
What I once thought was silence
I now know is peace
I feel Your presence
as You lead me to the cross
That sacred ground where you took upon yourself all the evil of the world
as you were nailed to a tree created by your hands
how can I even think of
continuing to carry anything but forgiveness
You are good
even in the uncertainty of this life
You are the only honorable part
of the story
You alone know my heart
You see the ugliness that festers
I am unable to change that
without Your divine intervention
You are God
and
I am not
Thy will be done
1-Minute Meditation: Awareness
“God made the world for the delight of human beings–
if we could see His goodness everywhere, His concern for us,
His awareness of our needs: the phone call we’ve waited for, the ride we are offered,
the letter in the mail, just the little things He does for us throughout the day.
As we remember and notice His love for us, we just begin to fall in love with Him because He is so busy with us — you just can’t resist Him.
I believe there’s no such thing as luck in life, it’s God’s love, it’s His.”
Mother Teresa, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu (pronounced [aɡˈnɛs ˈɡɔndʒa bɔjaˈdʒiu]),
was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun who founded the
Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950.
For over forty years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying,
while guiding the Missionaries of Charity’s expansion,
first throughout India and then in other countries.
For source of information click here
Sanctuary
Father, here I am
exposed
my petitions laid out before You
as a day of uncertainty is dawning
It is You whom I trust
not I
I grow weary at the slightest task
Your strength endures
My heart is heavy with my will
it longs to delight in Yours
though You remain silent
the peace from Your faithfulness
calms my restless mind
Speak into my being
I beg You
search me
reveal where faith is lacking
I trust You
my Savior
I need You
my Deliverer
This world and all of its wickedness
has filled my dreams throughout the night
until I awoke
heart pounding
gasping for a breath of truth
Here I am
pensive
deficient
exhausted from a night of wrestling darkness
I come to this place
before dawn
between sleep and the demands of the day
my quiet sanctuary
Where else would I go
my King
my Lord
my Redeemer
You are all there is
1-Minute Meditation: Merton Prayer
In Thoughts in Solitude, Part Two,
Chapter II consists of fifteen lines that have become known as
“the Merton Prayer.”
“MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and
the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that
I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and
you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
– Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”
© Abbey of Gethsemani
Thomas Merton
1915 ~ 1968
The Merton Prayer Translated Into Other Languages
Spanish Merton Prayer
Dios, Señor Mío, no tengo idea de adónde voy. No veo el camino ante mí. No puedo saber con certeza dónde terminará. Tampoco me conozco realmente, y el hecho de pensar que estoy siguiendo tu voluntad no significa que en realidad lo esté haciendo. Creo que el deseo de agradarte, de hecho te agrada. Y espero tener ese deseo en todo lo que hago. Espero que nunca haré algo apartado de ese deseo. Y sé que si hago esto me llevarás por el camino correcto, aunque yo no sepa nada al respecto. Por lo tanto, confiaré en ti aunque parezca estar perdido a la sombra de la muerte. No tendré temor porque estás siempre conmigo, y nunca dejarás que enfrente solo mis peligros. ···
– Thomas Merton, “Pensamientos en la Soledad”
© Abbey of Gethsemani
Portuguese Merton Prayer
SENHOR, MEU DEUS, não tenho idéia para onde estou indo. Não vejo o caminho adiante de mim. Não posso saber com certeza onde terminará. Nem sequer, em verdade, me conheço. E o fato de eu pensar que estou seguindo tua vontade, não significa que realmente o esteja. Mas acredito que o desejo de te agradar te agrada, de fato. E espero ter esse desejo em tudo que estiver fazendo. Espero jamais vir a fazer alguma coisa distante desse desejo. E sei que, se agir assim, tu hás de me levar pelo caminho certo, embora eu possa nada saber sobre o mesmo. Portanto, hei de confiar sempre em ti, ainda que eu possa parecer estar perdido e sob a sombra da morte. Não hei de temer, pois tu sempre estás comigo, e nunca hás de deixar que eu enfrente meus perigos sozinho.
– Thomas Merton Na liberdade da soli
French Merton Prayer
Seigneur mon Dieu, je ne comprends pas du tout où je vais. Je ne vois pas la route devant moi. Je ne puis savoir avec certitude où elle aboutira. Je ne me connais pas non plus en réalité, et le fait que je pense me conformer à Votre volonté ne produit ni ne signifie mon obéissance effective. Mais je crois que le désir de Vous plaire Vous plaît en effet. Et j’espère avoir ce désir en toutes mes actions. J’espère ne jamais rien faire sans ce désir. Je sais que si j’agis ainsi Vous me conduirez par le droit chemin, même si je n’en sais rien. Aussi mettrai-je toujours ma confiance en Vous, même si je me crois perdu et dans l’ombre de la mort. Je ne craindrai pas, car Vous êtes toujours avec moi, et Vous ne me laisserez jamais seul en face du danger. ···
– Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”
© Abbey of Gethsemani
© by Edition d’Histoire et d”Art por la traduction française
Swahili Merton Prayer
Bwana Munga Wangu, sijui niendako, nashindwa kuiona njia mbele yangu, wala siwezi kujua kwa hakika kwanba njia hiyo itakomea wapi. Kwa kweli hata mimi mwenyewe sijifahamu, na yale ambayo nafikiri nafanya kufuatana na mapenzi yako, inaonekana sina hakika nayo. Lakini naamini kwamba tamaa ya kukupendeza wewe kwa kweli ninayao. Natumaini kwamba ninayo tamaa hiyo katika yote nifanyayo. Naamini kwamba sitafanya lolote nje ya tamaa hiyo, na kamwe sitafanya hivyo. Wewe utaniongoza katika njia iliyo sawa ingawa sijui lo lote. Kwa hiyo nitnakuamini daima ingawa naweza kuonekana kupotea katika kivuli cha mauti. Sitaogopa kamwe kwa kuwa wewe upo pamoja nami daima, na wala hutaniacha katika hatari peke yangu. Amina.
Translated from English into Swahili by Sr. Christa Kimashi & Sr. Frieda Kisaka
For more translations click here
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