raising a mommy

raising a mommy

Thursday, May 1, 2014

fmf: mess

Here are the rules:
1. Write for five minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
2. Link back to Lisa Jo Baker's blog with the rest of the Five Minute Friday-ers.
3. Comment on the person who linked up before you.

Please join us!

Today's prompt: Mess

GO

"Please excuse the mess; we live here."

Someday, I will have this on a giant sign displayed proudly in my home for all to see. It will most definitely have a place of prominence.

I don't like to clean, but I hate living in a mess even more. Therefore, I will clean just enough to be passable. I may be messy, but I cannot tolerate living in "dirty." There is a difference!

Right now, however, I am dealing with a different kind of mess. I'm in the midst of the mess that comes with loss. My husband lost his dear aunt just under a week ago. She was a piece of work. She was stubborn and sometimes a little bit scattered. But she loved fiercely. Every living thing - be it one of her crazy family members (and they have more than their share of crazy in that family!) or a pregnant stray cat that got stuck under her porch and, before long, the stray's kittens. All of them.

She left behind a bit of a mess.

Her family is an extremely emotional one, and they can, at times, be a mess.

Her cats are confused as to where she is, and they are a mess.

She died too young, unprepared. Who plans for the trifecta of sickness: lungs, heart, and blood, at the age of 52? That left everyone, and many things, in a mess.

But, as she would say, you just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 23:4

We don't run. We don't crawl. We don't stand still and look around. We put one foot in front of the other. And we walk.

And we do not walk alone.

STOP


She has not aged at all...her face is exactly the same!
I wish I could take credit for the "just keep swimming" spirit of this post, but I can't. I based it on a message preached by my husband, which was based on a sermon preached by the remarkable PK, who I am honored to call my friend. The simplicity of the message is what makes it so brilliant.


Five Minute Friday

For another take on "mess" and how I'm dealing with it, click here and here.

5 comments:

  1. This is beautiful. I love the idea for your sign! And I'm so sorry about your loss. I hope you have a beautiful Friday, friend!

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  2. so sweet. love you blog title. We have the mess sign in our house by the front door. we live in mess. we are blessed by it. mother on!

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  3. Sorry for your loss.
    Beautiful message, thank you for sharing.

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  4. I just wanted to tell you to sing for Lori! Just for Lori because I'm sure she loves your beautiful voice as much as anyone!

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  5. there is no mess quite like loss is there? thats the bottom line truth about trudging through...that you just have to put one foot in front of the other...so difficult to do sometimes...but that makes each day somewhat hopeful ....all the baby steps add up. hope this season of May is hopeful for you all

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