You know the drill. I’ll post this Five Minute Friday contribution, link at Kate’s place on Facebook at  fiveminutefriday.com and scan through the incredible work of my fellow writers. As I always say, you should try it as well — both writing and contributing or at least visiting the sites of this talented crew.

I’ve also been sharing other takes on the value of the exercise, taken from snippets found in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat, compiled by Susan Shipe, as an added inducement to join in. Here’s Jennifer’s take.

“I remember the day I stumbled upon the FMF community. While concept of a prompt word certainly wasn’t new to me, the idea of writing in such a short time frame was. But it intrigued me and I jumped right on in. It wasn’t long until some of my favorite blog posts were born from a FMF prompt as I sat down on a whim to pound out a five minute story. A story that was often a little window into my heart.

“Today, FMF is still one of my favorite ways to blog. While the margin in my life is little and I can’t be as involved in the community as I would like, it’s always a joy to be able to  take some time to join in, link up and read all about another writer’s take on the particular word. Just one word. Just five minutes.And beautiful things happen …”

So, let’s get into this week’s word, WORTH.  The clock starts ticking now …

From the time I got married — actually before I got married — I always tried  to impress on my soon-to-be wife and later my children the importance of self-worth. It was particularly challenging for the women in my life, who often let the cynical self-doubt creep into their lives. I tried to instill in them how important they were, how integral they were in the family unit and outside the confines of our walls. I told them repeatedly — over and over again — they could do anything they wanted if they applied themselves. It wasn’t going to be given to them. They had to earn it and they had to want it.

It’s a lesson for all of use. If we’re  not happy with ourselves — flaws and all — it’s pretty hard to stay on task. It becomes too easy to give up or give in.

Unfortunately, through the years, I’ve discovered there is more less than self-worth in the world. There are too many struggling to find their identity, to find out who they are.

I’ll attempt to tell you. You were … STOP

… uniquely created  for this time and place — not 5 or 50 or 500 or 5,000 years ago; not 5 or 50 or 500 or 5,000 years in the future. Right now. Right here. With your own individual strengths and ides. With your own individual quirks and flaws. God created you and, as I often preached, God don’t make no junk.

Rather, He placed you — that’s a collective you — here for a purpose. Find your purpose. Flaunt your strengths and ideas, even if they are a little quirky. Follow your passions. Think outside the box. And — always shine the Light.

Your worth isn’t determined by you. It was instilled in you by our Creator in your mother’s womb. If you’re worth something to Him, don’t you think you should recognize that worth in yourself?

I always told my ladies — gents, too, when they fall into self-pity — “I love you … and so does God! Now it’s time to love yourself … because you’re worth it!”

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in a world they have than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it is an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, it is a dare. Impossible is temporary … Impossible is nothing. And nothing is just … nothing. — Muhammad Ali