Welcome to another edition of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
I hope you are staying well in the midst of the circumstances.
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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: ANOTHER
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO:
In these days of coronavirus social distancing, of lockdowns and shutdowns and stay at home orders, of layoffs and furloughs and businesses closing, it’s so easy for the days to blur together.
About a week after my kids’ school closed its doors, I started a bullet journal to “document the days,” as writing coach and podcaster Ann Kroeker puts it.
I tried to keep up and did okay for a while, but often found myself having to think back to three days ago, four days ago, five . . . And now weeks have passed and I haven’t written a thing.
The days go by, seemingly all the same — we wake up, shower, get dressed. Try to keep some semblance of a routine, even when so many activities have been canceled.
Most mornings I struggle to get up, to get going.
But once I’m up, I realize the gift of today. It’s one more day to keep living, one more day to choose life.
Another chance to thank God, another opportunity to praise Him for His goodness, His kindness, His mercy and grace.
As the saying goes, “God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.” Even during stay-at-home orders. Even in the midst of uncertainty. Even when our “normal” has been turned upside down, and we have no idea what tomorrow will bring.
He is still God, and He is still good.
STOP.
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Join this week’s link-up with your own five-minute freewrite by clicking the blue “Add Your Link” button below, or by leaving your entry in a comment.
Another day and I remain,
another day to roll the dice,
another day, well, bring the pain,
another day in paradise.
Another day, the same old answer,
another day, a bit less breath;
another day, and it’s still cancer;
another day to think on death.
Another day, please gird my soul,
another day, please make me kind;
another day, please keep me whole;
another day, and I find
another day I’ve still to live,
another day, still much to give.
Do you not love Andrew’s poem? Thank God for our dear friend! Hang in Kate, it’s going to be over SOON.
Five Minute Friday writing prompt…
Another…
I wake up. It’s another day. Another day to do what? Stay home or go to work? What day is it today? Hold up let me check.
Today is Friday. I stay home today. Another week gone by. Was it successful or no?
Yes, I had another day— another week to do what I was supposed to do, make an impact somewhere somehow. How do I know if I did that? I might not ever know. However, I know one thing… if I didn’t yesterday I have another attempt today.
Today we have another attempt to make a difference.
That’s very much how I feel and what I try to remember.
Yesterday I found myself yelling at a couple neighbors as they walked down the street with their kids on bikes. I just read how that sounded, not yelling at them, but yelling to them because my front window is set back a good distance from the sidewalk. I told them I was proud of them for being dressed and out of the house at 11am while I was still in my pajamas and robe. We all had a good laugh about it, and I knew that on another day it very well could have been them in pjs until lunch time. I find that as much as we are isolating, there is a simultaneous unification. I think of the guy who let me go into the grocery store before him. We had both been waiting a long time, and it was the nicest thing that happened to me that day. So for those of us who believe in God, these are good days because He is good.
The days do tend to run together, don’t they? But, I agree, God is good. We need to trust Him in this bewildering time.
Not Just Another Day April 17, 2020 by Katrina Arbuckle
Despite the quarantine, this wasn’t just another day. Two days ago, my best friend from high school suddenly lost her daddy. She texted me to ask for prayer and said, “I thought you would want to know.”
Her daddy was the same age as mine. During my high school years, I spent many nights at my friend’s house, and her Dad helped us with math homework, sometimes for hours. I wouldn’t have survived trigonometry without him. More than that, though, he was genuinely warm and caring, would make us laugh, and had an optimistic attitude. His smile was contagious.
We are in unprecedented times, when coming together to remember and celebrate someone’s life is not allowed, at least for now. When I pondered that, sadness crept in and held my soul prisoner for awhile.
But today, when I saw my friend’s social media post with her dad’s smiling face, I smiled too. It’s not just another day for him, because today he is fully free. Remembering him reminds me of the brevity of life, and how each day is a true gift. Even in quarantine, another day is still a gift. May I never forget it.
So sorry to hear about this loss, Katrina! Thank you for sharing.
Such beautiful thoughts. Every day, no matter how it looks, is a gift.
“He is still God, and He is still good.” Yes. A much needed reminder. Everyday. Thank you.
Well put, and a great reminder.
Amen! The days do indeed run together. But each new day is a gift. I needed that reminder. Thank You!