Five Minute Friday - Laundry, a labor of love

On Fridays a bunch of us gather together over at Lisa Jo's place to write about a single prompt.  We spend five delicious minutes just writing.  Won't you come over and join us?  

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word. (On your blog or in the comments).
2. Link back over at Lisa Jo's and invite others to join in.
3. Go leave some comment props for the five minute artist who linked up before you.

It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week.

"The most memorable people in life 

will be the friends who loved you 

when you weren't very lovable".

 

START

 It has been a rough couple of years.  It has been some hard times.  We have struggled.  I have struggled.  Along with the hard times, I got to battle my constant companion, depression.  I have battled it off and on for most of my life.  I have wished and prayed that it was gone.  I have hoped that it never comes back, but it always does.  

This time, it came back with a vengeance.   I work full time.  My husband works full time.  I work days, he works evenings.  That way, one of us can always be available for the kids.  It works for us, it is not always easy, but it works.  

With my depression, it took all my energy just to get to work.  And more energy than I've ever imagined to get everyone where they needed to be.  I  spent as much time as possible in bed, under to covers.  I didn't make dinner, I didn't clean the house.  I was lucky that I even found the energy to answer the phone.  

My husband, in desperation I am sure, took to doing the laundry.  Not just his own clothes either.  He washed the girls clothes, the sheets, the towels, and even my clothes.  Not only did he wash the laundry, he hung it outside on the line that he made himself between the pine trees.  

For the past two years, he has done all the laundry.  Every. Single. Piece.  

As for me, I am finally doing a little better.  And now, even with my everyday fight with depression, my husband has reminded me that love can be found, each and every day, in a little bit of laundry.   

 

STOP

Now it is your turn.  What can you write in just five short minutes?

Unplug technology. (for a set time)

 

 "Precious moments of opportunity to interact and converse with our children dissolve when we are occupied with distractions. Why not choose a time each day to disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other?
Simply turn everything off. When you do this, your home may seem quiet at first; you may even feel at a loss as to what to do or say. Then, as you give full attention to your children, a conversation will begin, and you can enjoy listening to each other."

I love this quote.  We live in this crazy-busy society.  It is non-stop movement.  We run here, there and literally everywhere.  We have appliances to make our work easier so that we have even more time to run faster.  We take the kids to dance, sports, school events, church, youth activities and even more events.  Sometimes, it seems as if it will never slow down.  Sometimes it seems as if I will never slow down.  Turning everything off seems like heaven to me right now.  Just think what it would be like to have no phone, no TV and no ipods.  I could actually hear my children when they are sitting next to me.  More important, they could actually hear me.  I think that busyness can be the curse of our society.  We get so wrapped up in so many good things, that we can't see the things that are better just around the corner.  It is harder and harder to hear the spirit of the Lord with all the noise and confusion in our lives.  So, I say, let's all turn off technology for a moment or a time or even a day.  Let's just take a few extra minutes to get acquainted again with the people around us who mean the most to us. Let's enjoy our time together and make it something really special.  

Five Minute Friday - Ordinary

On Fridays a bunch of us gather together over at Lisa Jo's place to write about a single prompt.  We spend five delicious minutes just writing.  Won't you come over and join us?  

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word. (On your blog or in the comments).
2. Link back over at Lisa Jo's and invite others to join in.
3. Go leave some comment props for the five minute artist who linked up before you.

It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week.

START

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

My name is Patricia Ann.  I have never liked it.  It sounds fancy.  It is not who I see myself as.  My mother only used that name when she was angry.  THE WHOLE ENTIRE NAME!  Just like that.  When I heard my name is always meant that I was in trouble.
My mother also called me Pat.  That was my nickname for years.  Short and simple.  Boyish.  When I was very young, I had long, blond hair.   It was curly and beautiful.  When I went to school, girls had to wear dresses and couldn't do anything fun.  I got my hair cut short, like a boy's, and wore shorts underneath my dresses.
When I was in high school, I went  by Ann.  Also short and simple, but at least partly feminine, (I thought so anyway).  Sadly, very few people called me Ann.  I guess I never managed to look like someone named Ann.
Today, I am simple Patty.  Notice it is not even spelled with an i.  I am plain, and very, very ordinary.  And, believe it or not, that is OK with me.  I have learned to accept who I am.  As well as the very ordinary life that God has placed me in.  I have learned to bloom where I am planted.  I have learned that the world is often run by seemingly ordinary people.  The ones who are mostly not in the limelight, but are definitely busy.
I have learned that it is in doing the ordinary things in life, that extraordinary things happen.
I have learned that when I am willing to be ordinary, He makes me extraordinary. 
I was never really ordinary after all.  I just had to learn to see that.
I have been blessed to see extraordinary things.
And being what He needs me to be...well....that is enough.

STOP

Now it's your turn, what can you write in you own five minutes?  Don't forget to share it with the rest of us!