Five Minute Friday: “Messenger”

Messenger.  That is the word chosen this week by author, Lisa-Jo Baker, for Five Minute Friday.  And so the clock begins ticking as hundreds of bloggers participate in our weekly free writing flash mob…

Messenger brings to mind the great Pastors I have been blessed to know and receive the word from.

Dr George Tolman was the messenger of my childhood who was soft spoken, had an infectious smile, offered the best children’s sermon and had an impressive collection of Snoopy ties. He pastored my family through weddings, baptisms, funerals and everything in between.  Dr Tolman was a Godly man who shared a biblical message in everything he did.

The Reverend Frankie Oliver counseled me through a difficult adolescence. Her unwavering  love and most forgiving heart was one that my family counted on.  Frankie taught me to rely on God and helped me to truly understand and believe that ”with God all things are possible”.  She is a Pastor, a Counselor, and a Friend.

In more recent years my messengers have been two congregational Pastors.  Both with amazing gifts to share scripture through relatable stories and with engaging animation.  Pastor David Shirey was my Granddad’s best friend.  He dedicated and baptized my oldest son, baptized my husband, counseled my family through the loss of my Granddad, and officiated at our wedding.  And Pastor Brian Frederick-Gray dedicated my youngest son and continues to energetically serve our home church in Arizona.

These messengers have offered me weekly sermons, shared hugs & giggles, dried my tears and have been there in my life’s most memorable moments.

I thank God for these messengers.
– T

Five Minute Friday: “Hands”

It’s that time of the week when hundreds of bloggers log on to their computers to participate in a free writing flash mob hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker.

“Hands” is the word.  And the very first thing that came to mind when I read the Five Minute Friday prompt for this week was one of my favorite songs as a child, that I now sing daily to my little guy and one that I sang repeatedly to his big brother. 

Both my boys share my fondness for this song…

I washed my hands this morning,
O, very clean and white,
And lent them both to Jesus,
To work for Him till night.

Little feet be careful
Where you take me too,
Anything for Jesus
Only let me do.

I told my ears to listen
Quite closely all day thru,
For any act of kindness
Such little hands could do.

I told my eyes to watch them
About their work or play,
To keep them out of mischief
For Jesus’ sake all day.

 

At the start of each day when my three year old and I say our morning prayer we pray that we “make it a good day”. 

My hope is that me & my boys always remember to lend our hands to Jesus so that we may do good deeds for others which will undoubtedly make our days good. 

Might we remember the words in this song and share our hands & hearts for Jesus sake. 

And my hope for you, my readers, is not only that you be on the giving end of acts of kindness but might you also receive the giving works of others through their hands and their hearts.

Happy Friday.
– T

Note:  I copied/pasted the lyrics to the song above however I found two separate authors noted; L.M. Bateman & J.H. Rosecrans are both given credit for writing I Washed My Hands This Morning.

Five Minute Friday: “Close”

It’s Five Minute Friday and the word is “Close”.  The question: is it “close” as in physically or emotionally close OR is it “close” as in the closing of a door?

My immediate thoughts go to the photo I posted on my Instagram account for Throwback Thursday.  The picture I posted embodied “close” in all forms I question above.

One year ago, my baby boy graduated high school and closed the door on his high school years.  He graduated along with his childhood friends that he’d gone to school with since kindergarten, his best friends who shared everything, his football teammates who fought through four years of adversity and triumphed their senior year, and our sweet cousin – his very first best friend (pictured).  These two cousins were born six weeks apart and their relationship like their age is the definition of CLOSE. 

As I posted that graduation photo for #tbt my thoughts were those of the bond these two young people have.  I reflected on their infancy, and their giggles at age three, the friendship they shared at ten, and their loyalty throughout their high school years.  I thought about how close their thoughts are for the future.  Both studying to serve their community & make a difference in their own respective fields of nursing and firefighting.  And, of course, I thought of that door closing a year ago.  That night was filled with hope & so many happy memories; that night was filled with the love of close friends & family; and that night was filled with a promise of tomorrow and the friendships that were so close that different colleges, states, nor time will break them. 

Close.  To close the door.  Close.  To be close.  To the memory and to the future of both.
– T

Note:  My other baby boy is the  photo bomber in this picture.  I pray he experiences the same closeness his big brother and his favorite girl cousin share.  The ‘bigs’ most certainly adore him as much as he does them and in such a way that the sixteen year difference does not matter.