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It’s been so very long since I’ve participated in Five Minute Friday! On Kate Motaung’s blog called Heading Home,on which she hosts a brain-storming party each Friday. A meeting of blogger minds, if you will. She presents a word prompt, and we set our individual timers for five minutes, writing furiously, quickly, and not-so-grammatically (some of us – mostly me)! We then post our five minute products, and read each other’s delightful words. I’ve met friends near and far in this little Five Minute Friday group. You might say they’re my Five Minute Family, only our friendships extend much longer than that. And so today, I surprise you, my FMF sisters – woo hoo! It’s been too long.
This week, the word prompt is:
Surprise!
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She spent many a night agonizing over a school essay. Never did like keeping a journal for class.
My little surprise baby wasn’t gifted in the area of words like her brother and sisters.
She didn’t like spelling. Hated writing. We went round and round with it when I took on home schooling.
It was a struggle just to get one term paper done per year of high school.
I worried about college. She was such a perfectionist, and I didn’t know what she’d do with all those writing projects.
But one thing she did love to do: read.
C.S. Lewis, Bob Goff, poetry, fiction, science fiction, the Bible…
The kid turned into a voracious reader, nestled in her hammock between two trees many a day, book in hand.
Today she handed me a surprise. And this is what it said:
There was a little tiny man who knew he had to face the wind. He had felt it before; he knew what it was like.
For he was an air particle. His job was to be swept away, but all he wanted was to stay. There’s so much discontent in uncertainty.
Why couldn’t he just stay in one place and be happy? Or would he be happy?
He determined to find out. And what he found out was that there is a deeper discontent in staying in one place.
He’d much rather have the uncertainty of where he would land next because at least that way he would learn something new.
So he gave up his fighting of his uncertain life and began embracing the unknown and let it be his guide.
He learned a lot more than the “wise old guy” who everyone thought lived his life in ascertainment.
Because the “wise old guy” only embraced the truth around him, and never looked for more to discern.
But our tiny particle man was able to embrace every truth surrounding us because he let himself flow through every world willingly open to all other winds that could carry him into places
never known before.
And so, two years of college under her belt and nearly all straight A’s, the little girl who hated to write, much less spell, has recently surprised me with two guest blog posts (not for me – for others) and then this – which she meant as a joke in a text to her sister today.
It’s true what they say about becoming what you read.
My surprise baby will turn 20 in May.
And today, she gave me the best surprise of all – the gift of words.
Today my surprise baby gave me the best gift of all - the gift of words. #fmf Share on X
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Beautiful! Words are definitely a great gift!
I love words, don’t you, Katha?! That’s why we’re here today, isn’t it. Thanks for your kind words!
love, Love, LOVE this! I have a “surprise baby”, too, who loves to read and hates to write (which kinda makes this writer-momma a tad sad…). But this gives me hope!!
What you can churn out in 5 minutes….wow! ;-)
Love your heart, friend!
It sounds like we have even more in common than I thought, friend! Don’t give up on that baby – one day he (or she) may surprise you too! Take heart!
And my writing was only 5 minutes – but it took 5 more to copy what she wrote! :)
Thanks for reading and for the affirmation! You are the best!
Ruthie, this gives me hope for my little ones who sometimes struggle to write! What a gift to see God’s movement in your daughter’s writing and life! What would it be like to write a post with your daughter? Just a thought:) I want to write a book with each one of my kids. Have a fantabulous weekend!
Christina, I have issued a challenge to each of my children for a blog post to feature soon! They all can write – it’s the son I wonder about because boys – they just wanna have fun! (Even at almost 25 years old!)
Yes, do take heart, Christina. It will come!
It’s always great to see how they become and grow! Such a joy! Happy Friday to you!
Yes it is – one of the greatest blessings in life is to see your kids grow and develop talents completely separate from us! Great to see you, Rachel!
Ruthie what a treasured gift to see your girl giving you the gift of words. My boys can write, but they approach it in different ways (the youngest says he hates writing, but he’s got such a fun voice!). I hope they one day come to love writing as I do. Loved your post, and loved seeing you at FMF today!
It is such a precious gift! I hope your sons grow up to be writers too (and readers)! And fun voices are the best ones to read! Have a great weekend, Jeanne!
Love! Words are such a gift. Oh and I’m reading Love Does at the moment. Bob Goff is so so good. I’m in the 43 spot this week.
That’s one of my daughter’s favorites! I need to borrow the book from her – I’ve never read it, but she does love her some Bob Goff! I’m headed over to visit in a bit, Tara, thanks so much for stopping by!
Aw, how sweet! I love the ways our kids surprise us with their words and acts of service and overall maturity as they grow older. Our baby will be 23 next month, and she surprised me by asking if she could do anything for me today (she’s home for spring vacation).
Isn’t it wonderful how they bless us? After all those years of blood, sweat and tears, it just does a mama’s heart good, ya know? Enjoy your baby’s spring vacation, I’ve been enjoying my son and his crazy sense of humor all week. Middle daughter was home last week. Have a great weekend, good to connect with you again!
Oh, Ruthie, I just love your post. What a wonderful surprise from your beautiful girl! I’m rejoicing with you. So glad you shared this here to encourage us all. Blessings to you and your beautiful family!
Thank you, sweet friend! I appreciate your rejoicing with me! You know what it’s like when our children give back. So wonderful! :)