Word Prompt

At Last, We are Done

October 31, 2019 By Annette1 8 Comments

Over the last month I have had a hoot taking part in the Write 31 days challenge. Did you take part? Did I find the time to comment on at least one of your posts? I certainly tried. 🙂 But here we are, yesterday was the last day. I can happily say “At Last, we are done!”.

At Last, We are Done
This tired one says.
It was so great to do
This challenge these days.

31 days of writing a prompt
Could she do it?
Yes, she thought.
Mixing together poetry and prose.

Some days creative thinking
Combining a word
With a review, Or a post
But mostly poetry ruled the roost.

These posts were a favourite
Sharing ones heart.
Learning how
Deep runs the well.

Miss Kate found the words
To inspire us all.
Some started strong,
Then found it better to rest.

Others persevered
Demanding to meet the test.
Work interference not withstanding
A friend this challenge kept.

Favourites I found
In 31 words
Practice, Need,
Voice, Join, and Open.

Words that bring up
Memories of past.
The joys of the present.
Opening my life.

Scary at times.
But I’m learning you see
Only I, can tell you
All about me.

But at last, We are done.
Now just Fridays remain.
Once a week poetry,
Yes, that’s my game.

Listen well

October 4, 2019 By Annette1 3 Comments

Sometimes I think we have lost this ability to listen to those around us, to deeply hear the spoken and non-spoken words around us. At times, it feels like we spend too much talking past each other. When will we listen well to what is being said?

Go

“Can you let me finish?”
I questioned my lad.
“Allow to me say everything before you answer.
Listen to what I am actually saying.”
I’ve learned the importance
of having my lad STOP and actually hear me.

Giving him that “you have to stop” moment
Seems to give him permission to not rush ahead
To ponder my words and
not worry about my gaps as I collect all my thoughts.

I’ve also needed to learn to
Stop, and as I listen to consider
the words beyond what he is physically saying.
To ask questions of clarification.
My lad often assumes that I know
what he hasn’t told me.

And so, as we pause in our communications
we discover something interesting.
We are enabled to listen well to
each other.
And in practicing that skill,
we are surprised to discover the depth
of knowledge and insight that each other has.

Conversations are wonderful
when you take the time to listen well to each other.
To catch glimpses of a heart.
To consider ideas that previously
weren’t there.
and so we learn as we listen well.

Stop

This post is part of the Write 31 days Challenge. Find a list of the rest of my posts here.

Gift

October 2, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Today’s word in the 31 days challenge is Gift. Just what is a gift? According to merriam-webster as a noun gift means

1: a notable capacity, talent, or endowment

2: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation

3: the act, right, or power of giving

But gift as a verb, or more precisely as a transitive verb means

1: to endow with some power, quality, or attribute. For instance: She’s been gifted with a beautiful voice.

2a: to make a gift of. For instance: It makes an excellent choice whether you’re gifting one bottle for the honeymoon or a case to be savored for years, or even decades, to come.— Robert Taylor

b: to present. For instance: gifted her with flowers.

Keeping those definitions in mind, where would this four letter word take us?

Go: Gift

A fine gift of oratory my husband has.
And he loves it as well.
This gifting he has of
Presenting God’s word to others.
Temporarily laid aside in his working career
Now his fine abilities to pay attention to the details
Is being exercised.
Can he safely make feed?

His original love remains.
But positions are few and far to be seen.
So on a temporary basis he finds himself
Stepping into a role
Much loved.

I miss this.
Listening to him preach.
Being glad when opportunities arise.

A small church in Westfeld
Calls him in summer months.
Once, sometimes twice a month.
Gifts used. One in preaching.
Another in a church member
Making a meal to feed 10.

Then comes Goderich, Guelph.
London and Clinton too.
Occasionally farther away
Stevensville, Kingsville
“Can you come? A pastor is needed”.
And so, my hard-working husband
Goes again.

Preaching, sharing, using a talent
A skill in him that I adore.
A gift that fills his heart.

I wonder if, those calling churches,
Realize the gift they give to him?
Not only the pay cheque
but more importantly, the filling a need
That floods his soul.
To articulate, to speak out,
the truths of who God is.

Stop: gift

Miss Kate is running this 31 day challenge, to find a list of all the words used, check back to this post. 🙂

Why write 31 days?

October 1, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Off and on for the past few years I have taken part in the write 31 days challenge. Why write 31 days? Because. I know, not a good answer eh? But seriously, one of biggest joys each week is taking the time to let one word marinate through me and see what comes out of it. Sometimes I’m quick off the mark, and other times I need to let the word marinate for a while. It’s a lovely challenge, and taking the time to meet is excellent.

If you want to take part you can, but I think at this point it’s too late to officially joy. BUT if you do join in, share your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and visit you.

We’ve been given a list of 31 days which we are free to follow OR we can do our own thing. I’m hoping to use the words provided but I might on occasion deviate.

Today’s word is WHY. So here goes five minutes. 🙂

Go… why

Why…
It’s a question I’ve asked a lot lately.

Why…
Does a simple gardening job
Take me all the blooming day to finish?

And Why…
Do I have a lad who
Gets caught up on word meanings
And gaps in conversation.
That sometimes he forgets to reason it through.

Why…
Do I have a man who loves me full well?
When I so often feel like a horrible wife.

Why….
Did God send his son to die for me?
Me, a horrible excuse for a believer.
One who persists with doubts and wonderings.

So Why…
Does love seem so hard to understand?
It often makes no sense
With what one person deems as a loving act
To another it’s just something you do

Why…
Do I love writing poetry?
Why does it speak to my heart?
Why do I want to write 31 days?

Then Why…
Do baby bunnies sometimes fail?
Is is something genetically wrong?
Or is a sign of a hidden illness,
A immune system reaction that dumbs a baby down?

Why…
Are goats so very cute
and Chickens so adorable?
When I don’t have room to raise either?

Why…
Does the cat persist in believing
That I am the one who feeds him?
When consistently it’s my lad who does so?

Why…
Do I have to run out of time
even when I’m a fast typist?

GAH.
WHY?

Stop: why write 31 days?

So these are the free writes we’ll be handling this month

See the list of other challenge accepters here.

Success

September 27, 2019 By Annette1 4 Comments

My son came home today from a day out with four of boys from his army cadet cadre. His comments about what made the day a success made me smile within. He’s learning success is all in how you look at things. It is SO good to see this growth.

How it is Measured

Success is what we look for
Day after day.
Perfection, being the best,
Winning the game.
Finishing the list.
Doing the job without mistakes.
These things we measure as
Success.

A lad comes home.
“How’d it go”? The question asked.
The answer comes with a grin
“We sucked. Mom, we did so bad!”
“Yeah?”
“But mom, it was GREAT!
I want to go again!”
I asked “Why”? Adding
“The day didn’t go as planned”.
“It was fun! I learned a lot”
This was the measure of
Success.

Not the win,
Not necessarily the loss.
The friendship and camaraderie.
The learning.
Location that surprises.
“Oh, and mom, that place is HUGE.
We had to run everywhere.”

As the night went on,
the lad expounded
The events of the day
fresh in his head.
He talked of helping.
Laughter at foolish mistakes.
Orienteering better understood.
Success.
Even in the midst of complete
Failure.

Join the Community

Miss Kate posts a word prompt almost every Friday. This week the word is Success last week it was Challenge. So take five minutes, tell me what the word success has to say to you. It would be great to hear!

Look Back

August 31, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Okay, I’m a bit late for doing my Five Minute Friday post which is hosted by Miss Kate. This week has been so full of work I’ve hardly had a chance to sit down it feels. In light of the fact that this week’s word is back, let’s look back over the week shall we? 🙂

Hard Week

Monday cleaning and painting the new bottom of the new to us truck bed. This involved lots of rags, and the lad gained skills in vehicle maintenance. He learned to put a shop vac together.

Wednesday our car was in the shop. The new to us car is causing us some mental strain with some of the issues it is having. This time it needed new wheel bearings and we need to find something called dust covers. I don’t know what they are and Jim can’t seem to find them along. We’re thinking we might have to hit up some of the junk yards.

Thursday and Friday were focused on getting the truck in working order. This necessitated some heavy lifting and a lot of team work. We replaced the old bed with a new one. The lads got the lights working again and after some intense moments of frustration got all the bolts connected. The rest of Friday, the lad and I spent gathering materials they would need for camping. I mostly had everything packed except for the kayaks and food.

Today (Saturday) I finished packing up my son and hubby up for a week of camping. I forgot to get Jim (hubs) to help me get the propane tank extensions out of the trailer. So they are missing those, but I can bring them up when I come. They have some small propane tanks with them to hold them over. I’ll join them this coming weekend for a bit.

I have to admit, it was a tough week physically. It was so hard. Lifting and moving. Having to deal with frustration seeping off my hubby, feeling his discouragement as physically as I could hold a rabbit.

In the midst of that hardness though, as I look back I see more though.

Look Back

The conversation flowed by between boy and man,
We need to do this, and then that.
“Am I doing it right dad?”
“You got it son”, the response it came.

“Dad, can I help?”
The words often came.
I love watching them work together.

MOM! Dad needs you!!!!
The call rang out
Startled I arose and quickly went outside.
Finding I’m needed,
Another strong pair, hands lifting, shifting.
Holding while bolts connected.

Work done I stayed outside.
Listening, waiting, being close at hand.
Smiling I watched my bunnies on the grass.
Then grinning as I watch
A wee little one demonstrate she’s too smart
To stay outside.
Puddle won’t stay in a pen on the grass.

Banished from the grass,
She thumps in the cage.
Waiting to end of day
For her not as smart littermates to return.

Laundry flapping.
Clear bright days.
Decent health.
Hard work possible.
I could make everything ready.
For my boys to go away.
Camping in sight.
I was pleased to pray them on their way.

Looking back I find.
A hard week… was good. 🙂

Showing Hospitality

August 16, 2019 By Annette1 8 Comments

Hospitality is the word of the week over at Miss Kate’s. Come join us won’t you?

I am always amazed at people who can anticipate needs before they are even known. That is how I see the gift that showing hospitality is.

I know that everyone is responsible for all the gifts. God grants them to some believers as gifts, abilities that naturally flow out of the abundance of goodness he gives us. But just because some are granted a gift doesn’t mean that the rest of us can ignore them. They are all fruits of the spirit. They are all part of us in one measure or other.

So here I am… able to welcome people into my home but having to stop and think my way through what I need to do.

offer coffee or a drink.
have a treat on hand.
clean the house (or at least make the effort)
a place to sit
and the list goes on.

Hospitality doesn’t flow naturally out of me.

I go and visit my sister and this gift seems to flow out of her seamlessly. She’s learned well this art of meeting the needs of those visiting. Conversation is a given on a variety of topics. I’ve visited with members of our church and observed Mrs. S do the same. Comfortable, feel at home, meet your needs and conversation as naturally as breathing.

I talk myself through everything and limit the people who come into my house by request. People who just stop in have to take me as I am. 🙂 Outside my home I have no problems. I think less about offering to help or meet a need or offer support. Yet here, maybe hospitality?

I find it odd.

This dichotomy. The having to think it think it so much when people are over, yet if I am out visiting, helping, listening, providing comes naturally.

What makes the difference?

Word Prompt

At Last, We are Done

Listen well

Go

Stop