Welcome to this week’s Five Minute Friday writing prompt link-up!
If you’re new to the community, you can learn more about the link-up and how it works here.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: DEFEAT
Thanks to FMF community member Annette Vellenga for the prompt suggestion!
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
The other day, I sent my sister a text message and asked, “Why is being an adult so HARD?!”
I followed up my text with a voice note in which I basically spent two full minutes complaining about all the random things that had gone wrong or had been unnecessarily difficult in the past week.
Little things, like when I tried to take something out of the fridge and instead spilled an entire container of yogurt all over the kitchen floor, then managed to knock over my garbage can in the process of cleaning up the mess and had a brand new mess to clean up.
Or like when I broke a glass inside my dishwasher while trying to empty the clean dishes (which is actually my daughter’s chore but she was working a double shift so I was trying to be nice), and the glass broke into a million little shards so I had to go get my vacuum cleaner and vacuum the inside of my dishwasher.
My sister lamented with me, then later in the day she sent me this:
It’s definitely another, right?
And yet I really can’t focus on these minor inconveniences when I have so much to be grateful for.
For just as many frustrations I experience, I can count infinitely more mercies from my Father.
Yes, I get caught up in the complaints at times and feel as if I could admit defeat in this broken world, but in Christ I know I have the ultimate victory.
STOP.
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Don’t forget to save your spot in our next
happening in September!
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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, DEFEAT, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:
They done thought it suited me,
that darn All-State track meet,
but ‘stead of thrill of victory,
I got agony of de feet.
I do shot-put real, real good,
and I make that discus fly,
but coach Ahmed thought I should
give two-mile a try
against those long-limb skinny guys
who look all anorexic,
but to their extreme surprise,
I did not do pathetic,
for once a truck gets some speed on,
he really don’t wanna slow down.
Three minutes. Personal beast. Best. Whatever.
Did you try high jump? Do you still run or was that fiction?! Always enjoy the cadence of your writing!
Bethany, I did try the high jump. And the pole vault- once. Overshot the pit and landed in a sitting position, legs extended. That hurt, but I did clear the bar.
I did eventually transition to long races, but I’m still built like a gorilla.
None of that now, though. Cancer, etc. Most tiresome!
Amen! And adulting doesn’t get easier when the kids move out either (like I thought it would). You have reminded me it’s time to work in my gratitude journal. It changes the way I see my life. Thank you!
Defeat. Defeated. Something I wanted to happen, didn’t happen! My ability isn’t matching the capability needed! I have been proven incorrect. I’m not as healed as I thought I was. So many ways the feeling of defeat laps at our brain asking us to take a swim. We always have a choice. I feel the water. It’s getting to my knees. Lord Jesus come. The water feels so warm and cozy. Defeat is a nice blanket sometimes. I’m used to it. It’s up to my belly button now. But it feels so nice and warm. And floating in warm water sounds better than struggling to get out. It’s up to my neck! All I need to do is yell out – HELP! But I let it take me under. It’s normal. I cannot breathe. Who can save me from this defeat – thanks be to God through Jesus Christ (Romans 7:24) for in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Five minutes goes fast!
It’s funny how we can’t make the little things into big things! I’m trying to laugh through them these days but I must confess there are days where the camel’s back breaks and tears fall. Such a comfort to remember all our blessings!