This will be the last Five Minute Friday (or Saturday) post of the year. The group is taking the next two weeks off (sort of) … something about the hustle and bustle of the Christmas/New Year’s season. Goodness Kate, the next link up isn’t until Jan. 6. That’s NEXT year!

Seriously, since school kids get a Christmas break, I guess we adults should as well. And we do have a couple of “special” link ups at Kate’s place, http://katemotaung.com/2016/12/15/five-minute-friday-now/ if we get bored with fruitcake or Hallmark Christmas movies. Kate’s planning a link on Top Posts of 2016 next Wednesday (Dec. 21) and Books I Read in 2016 for Dec. 28. I’ll probably wade through this year’s Five Minute Friday posts and pick out YOUR favorite, but will probably pass on the books. As a writer, believe it or not, I am not much of a reader.

If you haven’t been following FMF in 2016, make it a new year’s resolution to follow — and join us — in 2017. It’s really a fun way to see how your mind reacts to a one word prompt and converts them into letters, words and sentences in just five minutes (more or less). But more important, it’s the encouragement we give to and get from our fellow writers that makes this such a valuable exercise. We get to “know” each other, support each other, lift each other up, pray for each other. It may not be in real life … but it’s certainly in real heart. It’s not just a writing group. It’s a community.

And, before we start, I want to wish each and every one of you a Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy, Holy New Year! Keep following the Son!

The final 2016 prompt is NOW. The timer is set, so let’s let the neurons out and see what they produce. GO …

Now. Too late.

Now. Missed it.

Now. Didn’t make it.

Now is the present moment. We can string the time into a extended period — like a date or holiday or event –but in reality it is now (already gone).

We’re all given so many “nows” in our life. What we do with them is up to us. We can squander them. We can use them productively. But most of all we should savor each and every one of them. We can’t go back. We can only guess at the future. All we have is now.

I hope as we move forward, we remember that. Now is now. It’s not yesterday. It’s not tomorrow.

Use the time were given wisely. This doesn’t mean we can’t slough off now and then, but even a hiatus contains “nows.” We can be still and in that now know God is God and He is in control.

I’m looking forward to living each now to its fullest. What …STOP

… about you?

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Thankfully our Savior is not Santa Claus. He gave His best to us because we were not good. – Moe Bergeron