Belonging to a moment

I'm linking up with other brave writers today for Five Minute Friday to write for five minutes straight on the word, "belong." We abandon the inner critic and write with freedom.

Crystal Stine is the host today. Won't you join us?

He stood there in my entry way this week looking a lot like Larry the Cable Guy with his overalls, ball cap and scraggly beard. But, he had more the personality of Mr. Rogers.

He had just rang the doorbell to check on my air conditioner since it had started to heat up in our house.

What I remember most is not the dollar amount that would be charged us for the new unit that would have to be installed next week.

I noticed how alike we really were despite all outward appearances. I stood outside myself for once and observed.

I observed how we are both human beings with the innate need to belong.

And belong we did.

We connected in conversation over my canary’s songs, and the baby birds on my porch. He could see the mother bird in the tree just in the yard, nervously chirping.

“She wants to get back to her babies.”

He told me about growing up in Oklahoma, through his southern accent, and about how he had raccoons and squirrels and possums for pets at one time growing up.

It was neat how we stood there, two vastly different people in occupation and possibly life status, 

but at that moment we were both experiencing what it feels like to belong somewhere. 

Even for just a few minutes, we were both belonging to this group of people who love and care about God’s creatures.

It made me glad. Glad to be human.

And glad to belong to this moment.

Thanks for stopping by today friend!

What I would tell myself and you

When I was in high school, I stuffed notebook pages full. I wrote about what this cute guy said to me and the glimmer in his eye that I was sure was there because he liked me. 

And, I would dream on those pages. 

I wrote about crushes. 

Oh, the crushes.

I wrote about break ups.


Those pages were my lifeline. I think part of me felt alone and I thought if I could just have that "guy" everything would be better. I would not be lonely anymore. 


If I could sit myself down at about age sixteen, I would have a real heart-to-heart. I would fill my head full with the truth that I've learned and lived in the many years since then.

Anne, you are dearly loved by God. 

You are not alone, even though it sometimes feels like it. 

You are likable, and soon enough you will have that special someone.

You are not perfect, but that's okay. God knows it and He loves you anyway.

Again, you are never alone. The God of the universe loves you with an everlasting love that is unconditional.

He will never leave you.


And, if I could sit down and have a heart-to-heart with you, friend? That is what I would tell you, too.

You are not alone. 

You are fiercely loved by God.

You are likable.

You are imperfect and you are enough.

"Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely, I will help you. Surely, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." 

Isaiah 41:10

Blessings to you, friend.

Anne

I'm linking up today at holleygerth.com. Today's prompt is "You are not alone."

Dare to Be: not knowing all the answers {Day 13}

This post is part of a 31 Day series on the topic Dare to Be and linking up with about 1500 other bloggers on hundreds of topics. Come on over to The Nester to check that out!

What do you do when you see someone in your circle of friends or family who is hurting physically, emotionally or spiritually? 

You want to help that someone who is hurting. But, there is a huge difference between helping someone and rescuing them. 

Helping them would be if you see them drowning that you throw them a lifeline. You wouldn't just stand on shore and watch them drown, would you? 

But, to rescue someone means that I try to protect them from the consequences of their own choices. That is not my job. If I try to protect someone from the consequences of their own choices I am being co-dependent with them. And, I am not helping them at all. I am probably going to make things worse for them. And, for me.

Sometimes, I admit, it is hard to know the difference.



Since I just read Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly, several things she said come into mind.

According to Brene Brown there are three irreducible needs of human beings. Those are:

1) to be seen and loved 
2) to belong 
3) to be brave 

So, my question is, how can I, as a friend, wife, mom, daughter help those within my circle of influence to be seen and loved, to feel like they belong and to help them understand that they are brave? 

Those are things I would do if I can figure out how to do it.

If I'm being a catalyst for any of those three things, I am helping. Not rescuing. I am throwing out that lifeline that says,

"Hey, I see you. I see what you are going through and I care. 

You belong in my world. You belong here. Don't ever think that you don't belong here. Also, you belong in God's family, too. And, He loves you more than you can imagine.

I want you to know that I think you are one of the bravest people I know. I've seen what you've been through. I see what struggles you've had in the past and the struggles that you currently have and only the bravest could survive such struggle. You are brave."

This is what I want to say to those in my inner circles. Those whom God puts in my path.

I fall far short of where I want to be with this. But, this is my heart. 

This is my learning curve with God.

I want to be His mouthpiece, 

and even if it takes all of what I have within me to dare those words out of my mouth, or through a pen down onto paper, I want to use up every last ounce of energy to do it. 

And, you, my friend? I want to say it to you, too.

You are loved.
You belong.
You are brave.

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