I’m going to deviate a little from this week’s Five Minute Friday (a day late) to expand the prompt from MEET to MEET, GREET, THANKS and PRAISE. Accordingly, it will be more than five minutes (but, hopefully, not  much more).

Be sure to visit Kate’s place ( http://katemotaung.com/2015/05/07/five-minute-friday-meet-plus-more-retreat-news-a-video/)for words of wisdom on the prompt MEET.

So, here goes …

My immediate thought when I read this week’s prompt was how appropriate. It is here where we meet and come together as sisters and brothers in faith to share our individual thoughts collectively. And it is a great venue to meet talented writers of all genres. I am proud to call many of you my FMF friends and followers. It is much, more than just weekly writing. I am honored and privileged to be part of this group.

My mind expanded to the “greet” part. I will be in the pulpit again this week and next week while our pastor takes some R&R.

My prayer request is the same as the psalmist, May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:4).

Pray the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart are indeed pleasing in His sight over these next two Sundays. It will be especially challenging this week as I try to meld a Mother’s Day message with this week’s non-Mother’s Day passages.

If you happen to be in the Finger Lakes area of New York, I welcome you to join us at 9 a.m. at West Fayette Presbyterian Church on Route 336 just east of Route 96A and a few miles south of Geneva and north of Sampson State Park. I invite you not to listen to the guy in the pulpit, but to enjoy the fellowship of the little church with the big heart.

Next comes the thanks. The April 30 blog, The Meltdown (https://wisdomfromafather.com/2015/04/30/the-meltdown/), drew considerable response. In addition to the comments, many of my friends and family reached out to me in phone calls and private messages with so much needed love, support and encouragement. Thank you all!

Ironically, I didn’t write that particular blog for support, but rather as a recognition meltdowns — spiritual and physical — are not only real, but necessary. In my particular case, it was a “time out”. Sometimes you have to break down to slow down {the Lord certainly has a quirky sense of humor} and spend time re-focusing on what is important. Hint: It’s not what is going on around you … it’s the divine presence in you.

I am fine. I believe I am grounded enough to let go and let God.

I did learn, however, especially with grief issues, you never can let your guard down. While I often look back it’s more often with fond memories. And I do look forward to a new life … one based on the promises of God.

Which brings us to praise. Praise God He is there through the ups and downs … walking with me when things are going well and lifting me up when things go wrong. From experience, I can tell you there are more of one set of footprints in the sand than two. God so loved Joe He sent His Son to make sure I will not perish but have eternal life.

I can say this with confidence because I returned from a horrific day the Jersey shore. My truck broke down in Seaside Heights (301 miles from home) and every little thing seemed to go wrong from that moment on. But as I sat on the boardwalk watching the waves roll in, there was this sense of peace. Things break. Things go wrong. Plans don’t always go as expected. But through it all, Jesus sat with me … Jesus calmed me … Jesus helped me keep things in perspective. All in the mist of the ocean breeze and rhythmic surf … and sausage and pepper sandwich.

A special thanks goes to my son for bailing me out by coming to rescue me — and, darn, I have to go back next weekend to pick up my truck.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.