Excuse, a Poem

Today, in the midst of a busy day, following up two weeks of not having a lot of fun with my body, when I saw the word excuse these words came to mind.   The lad and I are going through the heidelberg catechism right now and this morning we were reminded on God's command to love others as much as we love ourselves.  Not always such as easy thing to do.  To put the care of others to the same measure as yourself. So easy to make the excuses, or shift the thoughts to yourself.

The word is excuse, 

The word for the day.

I wonder I wonder

What I'll have to say.

A Dependable Trinity.

I was talking with my son the other day, he mentioned what he was learning in his devotions (about the Trinity of God) and I talked with him about what I was learning... God always having our back, minding and protecting us.    We talked about how that connected, as when I saw this word prompt late last night I've been pondering the connections between the two.

Place: Some to hold dear

Walking through life 
one comes across many a place.

Places to fear
Places to hold dear. 

One such place we recently called home for one week.

A place to camp called Grundy Lake.
Filled with many smaller places.

Like a pond filled with 
Black Crappie
Smiling Snapping turtles
Dragonflies
Pike
Frogs

A swamp biome
Home to 
Sundew
Bladderworts
Pitcher Plants
Blandings Turtles
Biting flies
and swooping birds.

Canadian Shield home to
Jack Pine
Blue Birds
Red Squirrels
White Throated Sparrows
Massassauga Rattlers

A place to
Relax
Create
Kayak
Fish
Swim
Hike
Read books in the sun
Swat Skeeters
Watch falcons soar
Meet strangers and chat
Enjoy God's creation

This is a place we enjoy full well.

Wouldn't you like to go to such a place?

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

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 This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Try

Try

These words hang in my mind tonight.
"You are definitely a boy-mom".

I ponder them.
My immediate response was to say
"I'm an easy going, don't say no more than I have to mom".
 

I feel like a lazy mom much of the time.
I care what my boy does but
I don't care what he does too.

I don't know if that makes sense.

I like him to be busy and using his brain 
(cause he's got a good one on his shoulders).

I care more for how he treats people and 
for how he shares his knowledge.

Right now he is so focused that lad of mine.
Ants and terrariums is totally where it's at.
There's a Canadian Ant Man who does videos.
He is so totally hooked and now wants to be about the raising and keeping of ants
The raising and keeping of aphids to feed to those ants.

He is SO full of telling me FAR more than I want to know about ants.
It makes my heart smile.

And then I think
Perhaps I am not as lazy and hands offish as I think I am.
Perhaps, just perhaps, I do try to be a good mom to this boy child of mine.

Watching him grow and develop.
It does this weary heart of mine good.

So I think I will continue to just

TRY.

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Precious Moments Collection

Precious Moments Collection

Precious Moments

Line the shelves.

Reminding me of 

the people I had 

In mind when I bought them

Brothers three

Sisters two

Mom 

Dad

Friends

Moments in history

Caught in the figures.

Memories.

But expenses catch up.

No more memories

Captured in figurines.

Instead

Precious Moments are captured.

In words

In pictures

Captured and

Collected.

Precious Moments.

 

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Belonging, I am comforted.

Comfort

In the stillness of the room
I sit.

I recently had a message from a friend
Needing prayer.

A loved one needing
Emergency surgery.

Comfort sought.
Prayer needed.

Fretting, worrying, 
I know it well.

It brings to mind
the worry.

Of a father 
lying ill. 

It also brings to mind
A line

From the catechism
of Heidelberg.

What is your only comfort in life and in death?
That I belong body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.

We are not our own.
That's a comfort,

A surety and
 A Knowing.

So fret I might
Worry I might.

Pray I will
Comforted I will be.

Knowing that I AM NOT
In this alone.

I have a faithful with me
Always at my side.

Belonging
I am comforted.

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Play, a poem

Play

Birthday Party

Boys arrive.

A day of fun

Let's go Live.

Swimming Pool

Diving boys

Water cold!!!!!

Let's find new joys.

Running around

Barefeet hurt

Let's go home

Get out of the dirt!

At home we find

a birthday cake

Fidgit Spinners

Slingshots Make!

Popcans set up

Board in place

Please make sure

No shots to the face.

Next in line

The nerfguns come

Watch out world

See those bullets hum!

Come home Lads

Hear the shout

Burgers are ready

Come now or eat out!!

Boys come running

Washing hands

Watermelon crackles

Finest burgers in the lands.

Time for home

Sad boys ride

In the car

BOY!  It's HOT inside

Chatter chatter 

All the way back

Boys are happy

Time to hit the sack!

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
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 Sharing over at Kym's.

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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time .

Perspective in Worthiness

I am struggling lately with perspective.

You see I'm reading a book lately called Parenting by David Tripp, and I recently finished a book called The Imperfect Disciple.   Both make me think.

Imperfect Disciple reminding me to stop and behold the Lord, to REALLY see him, and to keep walking forward in my faith even though I stumble and fall, but that God's great love for me holds me and comforts me and reminds me of whose I truly am (despite my frailties).

The parenting book is CONSTANTLY reminding of a truth I hold close.  I am a fallen person.  God has given me the job of raising a fallen person, to help him see his need for Christ and to turn out to be a man of Character for God.

These are truths I hold in my heart.  They are right there lately every time I turn around.

And yet.

I have this other perspective of

I'M TIRED.
WHY does this lad have to push my buttons today?
WHY do I want to grump at the world?
WHY do I have to have a stubborn young rabbit, due to have babies any moment now, want to not use her nestbox?
WHY does my hubby have to struggle so to fix the truck when it should have been an easy fix!!!

All these whys work hard to crowd out what I know is my worth in Christ.
Why does that perspective of my worth change?

I feel so worthless.  So beaten.   So full of struggle to remember truths I hold in my heart.
But God has, so some strange reason, chosen to call me worthy in Christ?!

Why can't I just hold God's perspective of my worth before my face even in all my struggles?

My worth in God is set.
And yet my worth in my own eyes falters so.

It's perspective right?   I don't have the answers, not today, today... today I just feel a tad weary.
My worth feels shattered.

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time .

Expect

Expect

Two weeks ago I was in a state of expectation.
A longing,
A hoping for,
A waiting for 
Time away

Holidays awaited
Time with my hubby
Time with my boy,
A time to visit with on-line friends.
I waited and hoped and foresaw good things.

We hiked.
We museumed.
We toured.
We listened. 
We even sang, and biked, and watched in amazement.

Caves, speakers, water, birds, 
Peepers busy peeping...how close can we sneak?
The thrum of a bullfrog 
The patter of rain and
The ACK of wetness on a sleeping bag unplanned.

The sorrow of no visits with on-line friends.
The delight of seeing a heron on the prowl.

Expect.
Expectations seen and exceeded.
Expectations hoped for and missed.

So what do you expect?  

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate over at Five Minute Friday.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

I'm going on a visit!

 Visit.

Did you know that next week I get to visit another country.  I've been there before this country.
Three and a half years of Bible College...getting a double major in Bible and Education, with a minor in social work.   I got to know Grand Rapids fairly well and drove through Michigan a lot. 

I also drove through a lot of the states when I was a teen heading off with Missions Outreach Int'l going to Haiti to help build a church.

In my married life I've been to Port Huron to pick up parcels. Turns into a nice day out with my sweetheart.

But this week coming...I'm going to visit Pennsylvania.  Going to do some history walking and sight seeing with my lovely 11 year old boy.  :)  Should be a good time.  Dad will be with us part of the week, but mostly he'll be hanging out at a conference.

AND while I am visiting the USofA, two members of the crew hope to visit with us.   Pretty cool eh?

and THAT's all I have in me this week for .. VISIT!

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Truth, a Poem

Truth

Truth rolls off my back

like water off a duck.

Finding places to sit in,

Places to lead others to query

Chasing away the dirt and grime

Making one be like new.

Truth

Easily discernable from a lie

Most of the time

But sometimes truth is hidden in a lie

A lie that needs light shone upon it

and suddenly.. there it is ... revealed

Truth

It demonstates a man honest

It shows a child's integrity

It displays a woman reliable

Truth

It's part of the Godhead

Seen ultimately in his son Jesus

God declared he knew how to make us right with him

And so it was done.

Truth was spoke

Truth revealed.

A people saved.

 Truth

copyright Annette V May 2017

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

Linking up at:

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Mom

Mom

My mom

Loves me

Cares deeply

Born of Dutch Blood

Transferred to Canada

Married

Six kids

Farm

Cats, Dogs, Cattle.

Large Garden.

Lover of Dad

Wife

Caretaker

Mourned his loss

Mourns him still

Loved deeply

Back rubs

Smiles

Deep respect was held.

Parent

Minder of Manners

Minder of what Girls Do

Minder of what Boys Do

Teacher

Guide

Faithful

Lover of God

Sharer of Faith

My Mom

Not Always an Easy Relationship

Gets stuck on things

Some things more important it seems

Than a daughter's feelings.

BUT always

Cares deeply

And shows always

What love is.

Love is

Patient 

Kind

Goes beyond itself

Not boastful

Protecting

Steadfast

Hopeful

This is my mom

Not perfect

But steadfast in her love.

I am Grateful.

copyright Annette V May 2017

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

The Greatest Should

I should get to bed I said.
I should get to bed on time.

But..there's this post to write.
This laundry to fold.
Some critters to care for.

And so I went to bed (after I had that all done).  :)  Leaving this particular post to wait until Friday sometime.

GO......

I sit here after a long busy day of being with my lad, of hardly seeing my hubby and finally being able to enjoy his quiet presence as we sit together, of thinking how he did a funeral for a former church member whose family didn't know the Lord and saw her faith as insignificant, and think of the word should.

Should contains so much you know?

Makes me think of all the things I "SHOULD" do and don't.  And of all the things I choose to do that leave those other shoulds unanswered.

It makes me think of how that's how life is you know? If you heed one should, you leave another should unfulfilled.  It is simply impossible to meet all the shoulds you have in life.   You just can't do it all you know?

But there is one should you need to pay heed to.
The should of knowing the Lord God.  The one who created you.  The one who didn't need to make things right between himself and us.   He didn't need to but he also knew what he SHOULD do.   He created a way for us to know him personally.

God loves us.  Making the should of his sacrifice of his lad for us.  It's what he did.

In response we need listen to that quiet call upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit.   That call that bids us answer the greatest should of all.  The "should" of having a personal relationship with the Lord God, through his son Jesus Christ the Lord. 

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

I saw the word more

 I saw the word More

I saw the word More 
and I just said NO.

No, I don't want more.
I have enough.

I don't need more to 
fill my plate.  To give me
less time for me and mine.

No .. late night blogging
No.. looking for work
No.. Can you do this?
No.. mowing the lawn 
No.. pulling the weeds.

I'm done, I don't want more.

So NO I don't want MORE.
I DON'T

I yelled this loud inside my head.
I DON'T WANT MORE.

But then my reason took hold.
Reason that said..

I do want more.
I want more walks with a talkative young man.
I want more weekends away with my beloved.
I want more depth to my relationship with God.
I want more flowers to bloom in the spring.
I want more people to not have to use the foodbank.
I want more churches filled with people deeply in love with the Lord.

So my NO, became a more quiet.. Yes.

Yes I do want more.
I want more of the right things.
And less. oh... I want less of the things.
That weigh me down.

I want more sermons preached from my hubby.
I want more grins of delight.
I want more conversations that fill me with hope.

So oh yes... I do indeed WANT MORE!
This want becomes a yell within.

I WANT MORE!!!
Indeed.
Gracious Heavenly Father GIVE ME MORE!

Copyright, Annette V, April 28, 2017

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

S-I-N-G

The Five Minute Friday word prompt of the day is the word sing.  

When I mentioned it to my hubby he immediately popped up with  S-I-N-G, the self-defense song... and once he said it... I couldn't get it out of my mind.  So with that I bring you the Self-Defense Song

Solar plexus

Instep 

Nose and

Groin 

So remember... ALL women should be able to defend themselves eh? 

While remembering that our ultimate defense is in the Lord's hands.

S-I-N-G IT OUT!!!

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.
This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

But just you wait

Empty

Surprise,
It's Thursday night
The night before we remember
God's great gift to us.

His gift.
His son.
For who
For us.

But right, at this exact moment.
We aren't there.
We are in the time before.
The time when we know something
Dreadful is about to occur.

We know a trial will come.
We know mockery will reign.
We know that sorrow and hardship
will be staring us in the face.

but right now.. 
We are just anticipating
We are seeing the sorrow
Right around the corner.

Tomorrow
Tomorrow we can be empty.
Tomorrow we can feel hopeless.
Not knowing.
Not understanding.

But you know what happens AFTER tomorrow?
Just a couple of days.
And then HOPE.
HOPE will spring.
An empty tomb will be found.
And HOPE oh Glorious hope will be here.

But here, on a Thursday night late.
Hope isn't here yet.
But just you wait.

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

God Alone is Enough

Thinking about the word enough and I'm brought back to mind these words from the Ezekiel Study that I am doing. ⁴ As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, ⁵ the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Filled the temple.   That's what God's glory did.  It FILLED the place.

Do you think that was enough?

It should be I think...but so many people don't see the enoughness of God.   They don't see the filling that he does.

They look to so many other things to fill themselves up with, things like... money, people, relationships, stuff and so much more.   

But I've observed in the people I see (and in myself as well) that when I look to anything OTHER THAN God for satisfaction, for that feeling that I have enough, nothing truly gives me that feeling.   That feeling of enough.

I see myself raising my boy and seeing how I am fairly sure that I fail him...and then seeing how God uses me to meet the needs he has, the training that he requires, and I realize that, in God I am (along with his dad), enough to lead him to making right choices for God. 
  
Still, seeing my enoughness in God, his enoughness in me, to meet that tasks that he sets before me... I still often feel the failure and the want.

It's a tough one sometimes, to believe my claim, that he is enough....Cause I know it as a surety that he is, but sometimes.. I want to trust my own abilities more than his enoughness.

Oh, that I might learn more surely.. that God is Alone is Enough. 

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  Today the word is Enough..   What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time