Happy Friday! Happy Five Minute Friday!

You might remember the task is to write for five minutes on a specific prompt word. The initiative is to take five minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing. Our prompt is diligently supplied by Kate Motaung. After we post, we link up on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com. I hope to see some of you there. It’s a great place to mix and mingle and share ideas.

I’ve been sharing snippets taken from Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. They are a testament to the value of the exercise. This week, I’ll share some perspective from Natasha. I hope she inspires you to check us out … and maybe join in?

“Five Minute Friday is a source of strength. Through this community, I have been loved and encouraged. I have made friends that hold a special place in my heart. This community has given me the courage to say the words, ‘I am a Writer,’ confidently.”

The prompt this week is STEADY. The timer has been set for five minutes, so it’s time to let the neurons out. GO…

I’ll be honest. My reflection this week was based heavily on Kate’s pre-prompt post dealing with the vagaries of life. She posed, “…how can we be celebrating with someone one minute, and grieving with someone else the next.”-

I sympathize with her plight entirely. Life can be unpredictable, from year to year and month to month and day to day and minute to minute. So, as I see it, it’s the steady approach to life that reaps the benefits.

We all know people — especially through Facebook — who experience these wild mood swings. When things go wrong, it’s all heading toward hell in a hand basket. And you never hear of the smooth sailing.

I like to take a different approach. Life happens … the good, the bad, the laughter, the tears. If we’re going to fret about all the negatives without accentuating the positives, we’re in trouble. That’s why I like to take a steady, calm approach. It doesn’t do me any good to rant and rave {okay, maybe a little, but it doesn’t change the circumstances}.

I like to think that’s the divine … STOP

approach as well. Jesus did get angry, but I think He pretty much kept an even temperament. He was comfortable with the situation He was in. He accepted the children, the marginalized, the sinners like me. He wasn’t into the “formalities” and rank and privilege meant little to Him.

His message was simple. Praise God in all things. That sounds like a pretty steady plan.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: God never gives up on you. Don’t give up on yourself.