I think by Friday often we only have about five minutes worth of writing left in us.
So, around here, we spend them wisely. On lots of words and layers of meaning that haven’t been edited. We just write. For five minutes flat. That’s how Five Minute Friday was born. Want to play? It’s fun. And it’s never too late to link up. Also? My friend Sara whipped up this super awesome button for the occasion! You can grab the code over there in the right side bar.
1. Write for only five minutes.
2. Link back here and invite others to play along.
3. Go salute the five minute artist who linked up before you.
It’s fun, creative, and challenging. And there’s a beautiful leather journal in it for one of you from DaySpring. (Tara won the tote from last week).
OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on the prompt:
When I look in the mirror, I see…
GO:
I see a belly that can’t possibly be mine and a baby I can’t believe we’re about to have. A girl. Will she learn to love her womanhood or will she get lost in the labyrinth en route like her mother did? I see a face both older and younger than I feel and a missing tooth. I see the roots of harmony and hair dye and the pale skin both my sons inherited. I see very little space left for breath below my rib cage, so full as it is with baby’s toes.
I see a woman. I see a wife. I see a mother.
I see my mother in my crooked smile that curves always higher up to the left than the right.
I see contentment hard won and joy that layers over the worry. I see the blue eyes I inherited from my Grandpa and the eyebrow quirk I got from my dad. I see tired and happy at the same time. I wonder what Jesus sees as he grows this life with me and we count the days down to meeting the baby girl that still surprises me.
I see life.
Both inside and out.
STOP
(That was five minutes flat and I added the links in afterwards.)
OK, show me what you got:
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
there is something about knowing that your smile curves higher on one side that makes me feel more like we’ve met in person now. i like knowing a quirk of yours i can put in my brain as i read your words and hear your voice in my mind and now see your smile in my head. the quirks of long distance friendship.
all because you chose a topic and let your mind wander…
I am always in awe of what your mind sees when it wanders, Sara. You teach me so much.
I really almost did not write. But, I took a deep breath . . . and typed . . . for five minutes. And then I reluctantly pushed publish. Ewwww . . . stepping out of my comfort zone!
LOVE your picture and the adorable baby belly!
Good for you! There’s no “wrong way” to play this game
I have a goofy crooked smile too. and it drives me nuts. Not that your smile is goofy, of course. I’m sure it’s PERFECTION
- and I agree with Loni – love the picture!
I, too, have a crooked smile.
Your girl? She’ll leave you breathless. Both inside and out.
So true Sidnie! My daughters are my heart. Period. They are grown up now and they STILL take my breath away. Precious!
The more she kicks these days, the more excited I get! Thanks for the encouragement, ladies!
Hey Lisa-Jo!
I try not to read your posts before I write and funny we sort of went the same way with what we saw in our faces…
Can’t wait to hear your news in a few very short weeks! Praying for you and your fam!
Thank you – we’re waddling our way to the big count down
This is a great writing exercise, very thought provoking. Hopefully, I’ll be a little chipper next time.
A girl sure brings joy to your life….and I have a crooked smile too.
Crooked smiles add character, right?
I am so loving these posts!
That picture is beautiful. Such a beautiful season for you!
Cxx
Hard won contentment…I love that! I joined in for the first time today, and I must say I was pretty nervous to hit the ‘publish’ button.
So glad you played along, Jamie!
Hi Lisa-Jo,
Just want to tell you how much I enjoy your blogs and Five-Minute-Friday. I have linked up several times and love the prompts you are giving. Your post about the maternity tour was great–funny and insightful from my perspective as an L&D nurse.
Blessings on the birth of your precious baby girl!
Thanks Carol! And I gotta say – L&D nurses are my HEROES! They have always been like ministering angels in my opinion. We actually sent them all flowers after my last (very difficult) delivery. You guys have no idea how much a compassionate nurse means to a mama in the throws of labor. Thank you THANK YOU!
You are adorable in that photo! Great prompt this week, Lisa-Jo. Really got me thinking but in such a freeing, good way. Thank you.
Great post! Amazing how what we see in the mirror can tell us a lot about our history.
I linked up today for the first time in a long time. I actually had 5 minutes to sit and write! =)
What a great post! This is such a fun exercise–so glad you have it here every Friday. My post ended up being kind of dark, but hey, I guess we all have those days.
Love the post. Love the button.
Sending hugs from one big-bellied lady to another.
I FINALLY remembered to do this before too late!
And, oh, my…it was HARD for me. I read yours and I’m like, “How does she DO that so well and quickly?” Does it get easier with practice?
Maybe I made it harder because I did NOT go with my initial response; I knew that was waaaaay too deep and could not be contained in five minutes
.
Thanks for creating this fun little diversion, Lisa-Jo. In this case, I love seeing what YOU see when you look in a mirror, I hear such a pensiveness to your thoughts. And I can almost hear you speaking these words, which I doubly love.
Ohh, and I couldn’t upload the cell pic I have in my post so I added a funny little troll instead
. When I saw it as I was searching for SOMETHING to include, it made me grin cause goodness knows, some days that’s just how I feel!!
xo
Sometimes by Friday I feel like more troll than anything else myself
So fun to have you playing along Robin. And yes, I try to always write the first thing that comes into my head. And I still think that Gitz is the best at this because she manages to come up with so much and mine are always pretty short. But it’s fun. And liberating. And reminds me of teaching community college English. Those were great times. Happy Friday my friend!
Thanks for hosting, this is my first time to join.
Thanks for playing along – the more the merrier!
I took the plunge and jumped right in this week. I tried to not think too hard and just write what came to the tip of my fingertips as I listened to my four Littles playing around me. Maybe next week I will write while they are resting and see if I can make a more cohesive piece! Thanks for hosting this fun little shin-dig!
…and see a face no longer young but not old yet, hair that’s seen gray more on than off over the years, and is currently falling out post partum. The mouth that’s developed chapping is busy being filled with coconut ice cream, a newly rediscovered treat now that I am no longer consuming regular ice cream by the pint due to son #2 following older brother’s footsteps in lactose intolerance. Or whatever it is called. Short eyelashes frame my Mom’s hazel eyes, and one eyebrow is up, because I’m looking at myself still in shock at my ability to put away so much frozen treat in so short a period of time, and relish it so much that I look forward to the chance of ice cream headache. I’m also still in shock that I’ve shed 30 pounds since the baby was born almost 6 months ago (it didn’t matter, i was so overweight it was a give-and-take during both pregnancies – I gained a couple and lost it the whole time, so that totally I gained 8 pounds, I think. Probably 30, but two or three pounds over and over and …) My skin is not creamy like my sons; like their eyelashes, I envy them that, too. That and their ability to sleep.
Well, if there’s a timer, then know that I nursed my baby boy back to sleep. Twice. : ) Fun!
Love this. And I have the exact same super powers when it comes to consuming ice cream!
My first time joining in! It’s really short, but I didn’t read anyone’s before I wrote. Can’t wait to stroll through the list.
I love the beauty that is the pregnant body for the very reason you so eloquently captured — life breathes on both the inside and the outside. Pregnancy leaves me in quiet amazement and wonder of a God who has given us such lovliness in physically sharing our bodies. The parallels of pregnancy to our walks in faith amaze me.
Yes, me too! It’s one of my favorite things to think, read, write and process.
So beautiful!! Congrats on the little girl growing within, they truly are precious!