Five Minutes: Color

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

Ready. Set. Write.

Over the years, my favorite color has changed. For many years it was blue. But for the past few years, I have moved to purple and pink, quite interchangeably. When I think about my choice in favorite colors, I realize that it tells a story of my ever-evolving personality.

Blue was safe. It is the color of the sky but carries a warmth with it. Blue isn't risky. It's solid, sure and always the constant blanket above me. That was me for a majority of my younger life. Safe, solid, not a risk taker.

Purple is fun. Just saying the word purple makes me giggle. It's the color of grape kool-aid and a vibrant, striking hue that is commanding. Purple also represents royalty (ok, so maybe I'm a Diva). This became my favorite color when life became more footloose and fancy free and I love the bright and bold of a vibrant life.

Pink is girly. It can be as loud as fuchsia or as quiet as a baby soft pink. It also carries with it the spontaneity of purple, but with the tinge of femininity. Pink is rarely worn by men (although my Dad can rock a pink sport coat like a champion), so the color pink truly represents being a girl. That is me. All girl. But fun and giggly and vibrant. I'm a pink with a purple outline.

Funny how colors truly reflect our personality. Now, where is my box of crayons?

A Deer in Headlights...Literally

It was a cold and dark night just a few weeks ago when I was enjoying some long-awaited girl time with my friend, Beth. It's amazing that even though she lives just minutes from my house, finding time to get together is difficult. But on this Friday night, we finally made it happen...and we made the most of it...to the detriment of Brock's bedtime. It was a great evening...and then I headed home.

As I was driving down the two-lane road from the highway to my house, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, a deer right at my passenger door. My first thought was "this can't be good" so I slowed Bluebelle (my car...folks, I name everything) down in hopes the deer would run on. But, alas, she didn't and took that opportunity to dart in front of me, causing her to smack right into my grill and headlights and go spinning down the center of the road. All these guys who sit in deer stands and wait hours to shoot a deer are nuts. People, just drive down the road and you can hit them square between the eyes.

After the impact, which thankfully didn't deploy my air bags, I found myself in the middle of this two-lane road. There were some cars coming the other direction, but thankfully, far enough away that they didn't hit me head on. I directed my car off to the left and thankfully there was a gravel drive that lead into a gravel lot. Now, I've traveled this road a ga-zillion times and never remembered that being there. I circled around, caught my breath, and as I was getting ready to pull out, a man in a truck pulled in. "Are you ok?" I told him I was, just a bit shaken up. He replied, "Well, at least you are safe, that's what is important." He took a look at my front end and said it was pretty banged up, but thankfully, my car was still drive-able. I cautiously pulled back out on the road to head home and passed the poor deer lying lifeless in the road. It was not the way I'd hoped the night would end, but I was so thankful it wasn't worse.

When I got home, I couldn't sleep. Not because I was hurt, but because I was in a state of awe over the protective hand of God. Look at my paragraph above. Count the number of "thankful" words. I think there are five. Five. Honestly 5000 wouldn't be enough. When I recounted the event (which I do so well in my reflective mind), it completely amazed me how God's Timing was perfect. I came upon the deer and saw it before it darted, causing me to slow down to lower the impact. I have a CRV, which sits higher than a car, and coupled with the low impact, didn't cause the deer to flip up and come through my windshield, possibly causing me harm. The cars coming in the opposite direction were far enough away that a residual head-on collision wasn't imminent. The exact spot where it happened allowed me an easy escape to a gravel lot. Most of the that roadside is merely gullys or ditches. My car is drive-able and because of my insurance, I'll be able to get it fixed. My mind was reeling with all these things that were complete reminders that God was protecting me every step of the way.

For you naysayers out there, you might immediately respond, "If God was truly protecting you, He would have kept that deer from even hitting you." Though I believe that God could pick that deer right up and plop him in a neighboring field, I know that God allowed this for a reason. The last few months have been tough. After my company was acquired, it was somewhat like going through a mourning period. One company ends and another one begins, though some of the players are the same, others have departed. It has been a pretty dramatic change and many times during the initial transition, it was hard to see God, though I clung to the fact that He was always there. Hitting this deer and all the circumstances around it was exactly what I needed to tangibly see the presence of God, alive and well as I always knew. But because I'm much like Thomas, I have to 'see' to believe. I'm safe and that deer gave up his life so I could see the One that gave His Son so that I could have life.

My car still isn't fixed yet....parts are on order. And I'm still a bit gun shy when driving at night. But there is one thing I know. God never sleeps and is always protecting me.

Five Minutes: Tired

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

Ready. Set. Write.

There is a line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off that I love that goes something like this..."Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop once in a while, you'll miss it." That movie is always a fun reminder to me that taking a day off and playing "hooky" is sometimes good for the soul.

In this holiday season when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, I'm amazed at how each year life gets busier. And, I'm a single gal with no children so I cannot fathom the hoopla that ensues with families of multiple children. It's as though we have about 6-8 weeks to crunch in all the Christmasy goodness we can from parties to food to musical presentations to theater productions to shopping to watching those classic Christmas specials and movies to decking the halls with boughs of whatever looks good in our homes to....well, you get the picture.

I find myself tired during this season and that somewhat saddens me. I should be rejoicing...ho-ho-ho-ing, singing glory, alleluia to the celebration of the One who came to save me, yet I'm swirling around like the Tazmanian Devil trying to be all things to all people and longing for my recliner, a good book, a cup of java, and Christmas music in the background.

When I grow weary and tired during this time of year, I stop. I set boundaries. And I reflect back on that memorable scene in Charlie Brown's Christmas when Linus says "Lights, please..." and recounts the Christmas story....because "Charlie Brown, that's what Christmas is all about." Indeed, Linus, indeed.

Five Minutes: Grow

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

Ready. Set. Write.

In the brisk of the cold this morning, the beauty of it all was seeing the sun shining brightly. It's November 18 and we're on the cusp of the winter season where days are short, the air is cold and sometimes snowy and the creation outside dies off and prepares for re-birth in the Spring. Oddly our word today is grow, which isn't something I'm thinking about in this season.

But, if I look at myself, I know that there is growing going on. Over the past three months my work life has been turned upside down. I am ever so thankful for a job, but it truly has consumed almost every waking moment as one company merges into another and good-byes to folks are said and hellos are made to new co-workers. This isn't my first rodeo but no matter how many times you go through this, there are always new things to experience...new areas of growth.

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas around the corner as my focus is truly off the reason for the coming season. Yet, I know that even in the midst of that my God is growing me. Teaching me He is always in control. Reminding me that nothing takes Him by surprise. Revealing Himself to me through circumstances in my life, the words from His Scripture and from the encouragement and counsel from sweet friends that comes right on time. Yes, it's cold and wintry weather is blowing in, turning all green things brown. But I rest in knowing that when nature is sleeping and waiting to grow, I am still growing.

Five Minutes: Unexpected

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

Ready. Set. Write.

Last Saturday I headed off to a baby shower on a beautifully crisp Autumn afternoon. As I was stopped at a traffic light, a kind man in the truck next to me said, "Ma'am, your rear left tire is going flat." Unexpected. The Type A planner in me began to reel with thoughts of what I should do. The fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants side of me just kept rolling along to my destination where I could clearly investigate the damage. As alerted, the tire was almost flat.

Unexpected. This wasn't a part of my planned day. And, the unexpected circumstances like this are annoying. But I love the unexpected moments when a friend calls I'm longing to talk to and we can catch up on life. Or I get a random text from a friend that is just the encouragement (or laugh) I need at that very moment. Or I have an unexpected invitation to grab dinner with great conversation or even a trip to the theater that pops up out of nowhere. These unexpected blessings are sometimes even hard to enjoy with the planner DNA that flows through my veins, but the older I get the more I enjoy those moments.

The baby shower was a precious time and I enjoyed it while forgetting about the slowly leaking tire on my car. Thankfully, my AAA membership came to the rescue and I called for assistance that allowed me to roll along until Tuesday when I could get to the shop and have it fixed. A pesky screw had invaded the tread and caused the slow leak. When it was fixed, they handed me my keys and I was on my way. "Is there a cost?" I said. And, they told me no. That's the best kind of unexpected.