Five Minutes: Beyond

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Beyond.

Ready. Set. Write.

The most exciting things and the most frightning things are beyond. As a child on Christmas night I could barely sleep wondering what would be under the tree for me the next morning. It was beyond my imagination. When I left my first job of seven years (on my own accord for those keeping score), I cried as I drove away from what I had known as my comfort zone to a new beginning beyond what I could imagine. That next job has forever shaped and formed every job I've had since. It was beyond my dreams, and what was frightening has become some of my biggest blessings.

In my travels, I have visited both coasts...the California, Highway One view of the Pacific Ocean as it crashes against the shore while I am bundled up in the crisp, cool breezes. I looked out beyond wondering where the ocean ended and the vast expanse of it all. I peered out over the Chesapeake Bay as it feeds into the Atlantic Ocean and looked beyond my location to ships and military forces protecting me as they would enter in their ports, or be the carrier where aircrafts land. I could look beyond and my eyes would never land on the end. It seemed to go on forever.

Beyond can be scary, but it can be exciting too, especially when I focus on Ephesians 3:20, which says, "Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think." That kind of "beyond" is what I pray and long for God to do in my life daily. To His Blessings and Beyond!

Five Minutes: Catch

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Catch.

Set the timer. Ready. Set. Write.

Uttering the word "catch" exudes a feeling of suddenness in my heart. The thrill of catching a fish (nope, not done that). The accomplishment of catching a ball (yep, done that). The warm, fuzzy feeling when someone says "You are a great catch." (yep, experienced that) The sneezing and coughing of catching a cold. (we've all had one of those) Or the skeptical question asked "What's the catch?" (yep, I'm skeptical) Catch is such an interesting word that it's hard for me to focus on one aspect of "catch" to even compose a sensible post for five minutes.

My mind goes immediately to the story of Jesus and the disciples and how He taught them so much about life from their viewpoint...as fishermen. Many of them made a living catching fish, yet when Jesus asked them to follow Him, He told them, "I will now make you fishers of men." I love how Jesus meets us right where we are, using language that we understand so we just "get" it.

Jesus knows just how to catch me. And, oh how glad I am that He did.

Five Minutes: Ordinary

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Ordinary.

Set the timer. Ready. Set. Write.

I've never seen myself as an ordinary person. Just about everything in my life is just the opposite, and I rather relish that part of me. I was a miracle baby born to parents who had waited 18 years for a baby. I have a chronic illness that I'm treated for, but definitely one for the medical books in its complexities. I've never been married at 46 years of age (ok, maybe not as uncommon these days), but I long for the companionship of the man God has for me.

Yet, in many ways, I guess I am ordinary. I'm far from famous, other than the six people who read my blog. The most famous thing about me is my presidential assassin relative. I've never been published though I'd love to be...other than an article in the Courier-Journal a few years ago. Most people of the world wouldn't know my name. People would say I'm an extrovert, but there are times when I think I'm all introvert. Much to the amazement of those that don't know me well, my life isn't as glamourous as it may appear. Most days I go thru life with just me and God. But my life appears phenomenally amazing because I savor all the little things. Little things truly make me happy.

The glory of being a unique is I have a story to tell unlike anyone else. And the glory of being ordinary is knowing my God is using me in ways that are not seen by the world...or sometimes even me. Ordinary sounds like such a vanilla word...but, really, there could be wonderful flavored sprinkles hidden in the ordinary of life.

iDing

The first personal computer I used on the job was a Mac...to be specific, a Toaster Mac. It was revolutionary in 1984...and was the beginning of the era of making technology cool. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple and genius behind these Macintosh computers, died yesterday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The world has lost one of the greatest inventors, visionaries and entrepreneurs we've ever seen.

Though I'm not as "apple-fied" as some, I do own an iPod and found myself a bit misty as my smartphone dinged last night with the alert that he had passed. I've been in the technology industry for more than 20 years. Clearly, the "ding in the universe" that Jobs hoped to make has played a big part in my employment...and continued employment as technology is vital to our everyday living. I saw this in my Twitter feed last night..."My iPhone just told me that Steve Jobs passed away. Perhaps not since Gutenberg has someone's own invention announced their death." Indeed. As I watched the Today Show this morning and their memorializing of this passing of an icon, Tom Brokaw made a telling observation as only that journalistic giant can. (I heart Tom Brokaw if you couldn't tell). He said, in that steady voice of his, "When I was a kid, I was all about the jukebox....this is now my jukebox." And he held up his iPod. Yes, Steve, you did make a ding in the universe.

It seems the last few weeks have been ones of loss. People around me are losing friends and family and literally one day this week my news feed was filled with those asking for prayer regarding families that had suffered loss. Even I've been consumed with grieving the loss of our blog world's sweet Sara aka Gitz. As I was talking to my friend, Amy, last night we were discussing the passing of so many and the "changing of the guard." Who will take the places of these people in the world? People that are making a difference, that encouraged us...spiritually or just in life choices about our futures and careers. I reminded her we have to look in the mirror...it's us. But, boy, I don't know that I feel up to that challenge. We're following in the footsteps of some mighty "dingers" of the universe.

In 1993, the Wall Street Journal quoted Jobs, "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me...going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful...that matters to me." He dinged and created one of the greatest computer brands in the world. He dinged and started an animation studio that has forever changed the movie screen. He dinged and we walk around with ear buds listening to our mobile jukeboxes. He dinged and we answer a phone that is a mini touch computer that serves as an additional appendage. For generations to come, our world will be changed by the ding of Steve Jobs.