Five Minutes: Together

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

Ready. Set. Write.

As a single gal, I do a lot of things alone.  I eat most meals alone. I shop alone. I make decisions independently.  And lest you begin to have pity on me, for the most part, I enjoy those things.  I attribute that ability to function solo without fear and trepidation to two parents who raised me to be an independent soul...along with the fact of being an only child.

Even though I spread my wings solo, being together with others brings joy to my heart.  Last weekend I drove to Elizabethtown to spend about five hours of girl time with my friend, Julie.  We laughed, we ate good food, we watched a train flatten a penny...we acted much younger than our ages.  Tonight four sweet friends are BYOF (Bringing Your Own Food) and coming to my house for a night of girl fun.  One of these sweet friends, Tracy, is visiting from Georgia and we get to reunite the OPC clan for a few hours of sweet togetherness.  Early in the beginning of man, God said it wasn't good for man to be alone.  He said that right before he created Woman.  And though that point was meant to create the relationships that would pro-create the earth, God knew flying solo all the time wouldn't be good.

I'll enjoy the togetherness I experience and when it's done, I'll enjoy my time alone until the next time of sweet togetherness.

I'm a Pin-Up Girl

When I was first introduced to Pinterest, I found it intriguing, but just didn't get it. Maybe I should clarify...I got it, it just didn't seem to apply to me. For those that have resided under a rock for the last six months, Pinterest is one of the fastest growing new social networks in the internet-isphere. The premise is much like online scrapbooking or those wish books you might have made in your past. You create various "boards" where you can virtually "pin" images of things you find that you want to save for future reference.

After I requested my invitation to join, I started perusing the pins of those I began following and was a bit depressed. All I saw was wedding planning (which, if that day comes won't take much planning as I've been standing on the ready for quite a while), baby and child planning/rearing (see "wedding planning"), and interior decorating (not my forte). I almost gave up until my friend, Amy, who had fallen head over heels in love with the site, gave me a short tutorial. She would say "going to Pinterest just calms me." I would roll my eyes and say, "yeah, ok, whatever." Then after explaining to me how to structure my boards to really collect what I'm interested in, the light bulb came on and I was sold. I admit I'm a sharp cookie, but sometimes I'm a few chocolate chips short of genius at times.

I now love Pinterest. When I need to go to a happy place, many times Pinterest can take me there quickly. Am I as obssessed as some? No. But what I have done is found some absolutely wonderful ideas on things that I enjoy. The collection of recipes I have is amazing. Although I don't get to cook often for more than me, I do dream of planning meals and such (see the above mention of a future husband). I've tried a couple of things from my Food board and I'll be sure to post on some of my successes so you can enjoy the goodness I found. I'm not a Fashionista or makeup artist, but I'm interested in fashion, beauty products and the lastest styles. My "Work it Girl" board and "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder" board really let me dream and find ideas and styles I want to refer to later. And, even though I'm *still* working on that first afghan, I stumbled upon a bevy of crochet patterns for afghans that made me salivate....along with all sorts of crafty things that make my heart flutter!

I'm no Marilyn Monroe, but I do enjoy being a 21st Century Pin-Up Girl!

Five Minutes: Good-Bye

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

Ready. Set. Write.

Yesterday would have been the 29th birthday of Jan Harriott, my sweet Trinidadian friend. But she went home to be with her Savior last May and I'm still not happy about having to say good-bye.

I really didn't get to say an official good-bye since she fell sick and went down very quickly. I did talk to her a week before her passing and I cherish the fact that I called...all due to winning tickets to a Michael Buble' concert wanting her to join me. That concert occured two weeks after her passing and it was bittersweet. I still hear her laugh, I still hear her funny phrases, I still long to have those spiritual conversations that sharpened me. I still don't understand, but know she is free from pain, suffering, and the struggle of finding a way to stay in the US legally.

I don't like good-byes. They are so final and I prefer the phrase "see ya later." But I know that many who cross my path I may never see again because if they leave this earth in death and don't know and follow my Savior, that is the end. Thankfully I will see Jan again, and presume she is living it up with my Mom right now and they are having more fun than I can imagine. If you don't know Jesus, if you don't have that eternal security knowing that when you die, you will live forever with Him, talk to me. I want to share with you the best news ever that will ensure that we never have to say good-bye.