BE

The “To be, or not to be” speech by Hamlet was not about suicide, but about being true to oneself.

And it is just as hard today as it was then.

I find myself reeling from thousands of people telling me how I should be, what I should think, what I should wear for my age, what I should eat to be healthier/happier/live longer … and my craft suffers from all the advice I see … and once I read it, I can’t UnRead it … I wish I could …

I wish I could un-remember things, un-think them, un-do the stupid mistakes (like paying for things I thought would further my career and make me happy) …

Why do I continually fall for it?

I think Hamlet went through the same thing. He was supposed to be king, after all, so he had a lot of pressure to be like his dad, or his grandfather, or other famous kings that he learned about …

But he just wanted to BE.

Hamlet only had a handful of people giving him their opinion of what he should do, who he should be. Today I have thousands, millions even … and daily I give them permission to pull me away from the plans I had already made for the day and move toward the plans they think I should have.

I need Brain Independence.

Daily I need to write down my priorities, save them, post them all over the house and ground myself and my day in them.

Daily I need to say no to media, Facebook, Instagram, Google news, articles that catch my interest (but never deliver what they promise).

I haven’t found the perfect balance of my priorities and others’ ideas. Maybe I need a media fast. Maybe I should shut out the world and focus on my responsibilities as they stand right now. Perhaps I need to build an imaginary wall that includes a gate that is locked. I unlock that gate for family and friends. I unlock that gate at specific times each day … or each week … or each month …

Maybe, even though I have been working hard to protect my own inner self, I am still a people pleaser and perhaps will always be. Knowing that, I might be able to catch myself when I feel the draw, the desire, the joy at the New Bright Shiny.

Maybe it’s still about self-discipline.

Hmmm… Your thoughts, Holmes?

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FMF Writing Prompt Link-up :: Be - Five Minute Friday

CHANCE

Give me a chance.

Got to chance it.

What were the chances?

It was a chance meeting.

How do humans define chance?

Do animals even worry about chance?

We know they took a chance.

Unforeseen chance -

A chance of friendship -

And chance at love -

Take a chance on me.

Chance of a lifetime -

Are you Chanced Out?

Brave enough to take a chance -

The rare chance that comes around once in a lifetime -

I love my chance -

Chance Out (you are out of chances)

Chance Envy (jealousy that rears its ugly head when someone gets the chance that you wanted, but you passed up the chance)

With God there are no chances. He puts opportunities in your path. If He wants you to do a certain thing and you pass it up or miss it somehow He will give you another opportunity to do the same service, to learn the same lesson, to get closer to Him.

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Come join the writing fun at FMF Writing Prompt Link-up :: Chance - Five Minute Friday

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PROPOSE

I would like to propose a toast:

To the independent thinkers, taking their time making decisions, sticking to them when they become unpopular and the subject of ridicule

To the people that stick to their morals when they are called “old fashioned” or “antiquated” or when they are laughed at or made fun of or shunned

To the artists that do their art in secret, invisible to Facebook, Instagram, and all other social media, working to create the thing in their minds and hearts, the thing that needs to BE

To the persecuted

To the secret prayers

To the writers who are true to themselves, unwilling to sell out, unable to write someone else’s story, happy to remain in the shadows, filling hundreds of notebooks, blogging, printing to folders, saving the best, sending to friends for encouragement, listening to conscience, doing the work

To the day laborers with aching feet, sore backs, grateful eaters, thankful buyers, blessed sleepers, happy family members, content in their place, doing the work God gave them to do

To the retail workers who take verbal abuse from the selfish, the entitled, the unhappy over-spenders, the con-artists and thieves, as they smile and wish them a good day – and mean it

To the young moms surviving each day and loving their children

To the young wives serving their husbands even when they are frequently unnoticed

To the people who have given up expectations and look to Jesus for the scope of their day

To the forgotten

To the forgiven

To the invisible

 

I propose a toast to you, Dear Reader

May the small blessings of your day be sweet.

20

20 Thousand blessings and more

19 ways to praise God with all my heart

18 jobs, babysitting, retail, reporting, editing, tutoring, teaching, playing organ and piano for church, directing choir, substituting, barista-ing, ad design, serving, writing, all great learning experiences,

17, my favorite age, so much freedom in driving, living, friends, school, band, choir, dances, dates, hanging out with friends, pool parties, joys and sorrows shared, new experiences, new challenges

16 places I’ve lived, wonderful homes with my parents, on my own, with my husband, with my family, full of love and joy

15 more states to visit to reach my goal of visiting all 50

14 different methods of writing and learning more

13, my lucky number, if I believed in lucky numbers, which I don’t

12 prayer partners, ready to pray with me at any time

11 mentors, all caring for my well-being, my faith journey, my decisions, my life, to whom I am forever grateful

10 reps, strengthening my body for the job ahead

9 babies, 2 in heaven, 7 living their lives to the fullest

8 go-to preachers, challenging how I look at God, the Bible, my salvation, my responsibilities

7 children raised and grown, growing in love, experience, trials, successes, family

6 projects waiting to be completed. Actually, there’s way more, I just needed something for number 6.

5 garden beds rebuilt, reworked, recycled, some successful, some complete failures

4 states of residence, each with its unique flavor, laws, ways of speaking, words, culture

3 in 1 – Father, Son, Holy Spirit, forever and ever, my Father, my Savior, my Guide and Comforter

2 are stronger than one, for when one falls the other can help, 2 people, 1 marriage

1 God, 1 husband for life, 1 faith, 1 baptism, 1 destination, 1 purpose

Coming Soon!

 My newest book has been lovingly published by Snow Dragon Publishing. It will be released soon!

The Porch