Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: THANK YOU (AND FAREWELL)
Dear Kate and my FMF Writer Community,
THANK YOU so much for these FMF prompts, encouragements, and opportunities over this past year! I have loved the challenge, and I have appreciated how our community comes together each week to read, share, and support one another.
But, thanks to another honest and insightful blogger (who shared how difficult it is to write in five minutes), I recognized that I have not been “playing fairly.” As much as I try to keep the five-minute time allowance, I struggle with allowing my writing to simply “be” without further reflection and editing, and with having too much to say. 😉 For these reasons, I am going to take a leave from Five Minute Friday and write other posts instead. I want to foster the integrity of this writing community – as well as my own.
I WILL be by to read your posts and be in touch! You are forever in my heart.
Thank you, Kate, for your good work. You are a blessing to us all.
Karen 🙂
(Five Minute Friday is an online writing community. Each week, Kate gives us a one-word prompt and five minutes to write. You may find other posts or add your own at https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/09/02/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-city/)
Photo by Karen, Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon, Ohio
Simply Soul Searching 
Karen, I’m sorry to see you go as I have enjoyed your posts.I have read posts where people put the word “Stop”, to indicate time was up, and then continue to finish their thought. I usually get my thoughts together in my head before I start typing, so I guess technically, I too have used more than the five minutes. I truly respect your decision. I have come to so enjoy this linkup, the community, and reading where a word prompt leads each of us in our thoughts. Are you on twitter as I would love to stay connected there if possible.
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Thank you, Joanne, I appreciate your kind words! I am not on Twitter regularly but I have started posting on Instagram (@soulsearchingkwicker) or you can follow my blog directly. And I will certainly be checking in with you each Friday!
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Hope the break is good for you, Karen—and that you return! ❤
I'll tell you an un-secret: I don't keep to the time limit. I always set a timer, but inevitably go over it, and for me the prompt serves its purpose by getting me to sit down and say something succinctly.
I had a professor who told our class that the editing is the "real work." 🙂 It really is! Thank you for your visits to all our different blogs. You have a kind spirit. ❤
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Thank you so much, Amanda – and I will be sure to keep following your posts each week! I appreciate your observation about the time limit, too, your professor is very wise.
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Karen, I am terribly saddened to read this. Your voice has been a vibrant and distinctive part of this community, and your absence will be deeply felt. I hope you’ll reconsider.
To stay or go, that is a choice
that is vouchsafed to the one,
but losing, yes, a single voice
is loss to those you stand among,
especially now, in these days
when decency is chased away
and courage to give thanks and praise
is all too often not in play.
If you must go I wish you well,
and blessings of the brightest kind,
and to the Good Lord I will tell
of your loving heart and mind,
and when in Heaven you appear
I’ll greet you with a God-brewed beer.
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Oh my goodness, you brought a smile and tears! Thank you, my friend, always for your insightful and profound words. I WILL continue to follow your posts.
Let’s pinky-swear to meet for that God brewed beer one day.
Please know that you have changed my life with your faith and strength, as well as your honest sharing of your questions and struggles. As always, you are in my heart.
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As you, dear Karen, will always be in mine.
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Five minutes is hard! I’ve only just now completed my second prompt — and have a small amount of guilt (a SMALL) amount — because I did go back afterward and tweak a smidge. And went over a little bit in time. And then added a post script. LOL! My thought is that these prompts are meant to be helpful to us — to get our writing juices flowing, and that they aren’t meant to be ball and chains to us! I may be wrong. Please don’t correct me if I am… ;/ But, I understand wanting to branch out! God bless you! Sometimes the best art happens when we color outside the lines. ❤
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I’m chuckling, thank you for your honesty, Lisa! I agree – the prompts are so much fun. I imagine I will miss this practice and this community and return one day. But I am so grateful for your words of blessing. Amen.
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Hi Karen – yes, those five minutes are a struggle. I think we “discussed” it briefly through comments recently. You mentioned writing other posts. So, can we still find your posts/thoughts here…at this blog? I would enjoy doing so. Have a wonderful weekend –
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Thank you, Jennifer, yes we did! And I would love for you to follow my blog here – I post quite regularly. There’s a place on my site where you can enter either your email or your wordpress account (if you have one). Thanks so much!
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Enjoy the break and hope to see you back!
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Thank you!
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I love your honesty and have often been frustrated by bloggers (I don’t recall specifically noticing this about you, though) who CLEARLY have taken much longer than five minutes to formulate their post. I must admit that sometimes my posts are more in the spirit of five minutes than literally five minutes, but I feel proud of what I can do in that short amount of time. I’d encourage you to not give up entirely. Practice it once a month to help develop the habit, or find some other system like that that works for you. Blessings to you in all your writing endeavors.
Amie, FMF #16
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Thank you, Amie! I have tried to keep my posts simple and “timely,” too… but often have found myself spending more time than I should. I LOVE the prompts! They certainly get my creative process going; I may need to try your once-a-month idea. May you be blessed, too.!
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You will be missed.😢
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Thank you, Sandra! I will be visiting. ❤
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