Thursday, July 16, 2015

Free: Five Minute Friday

Another week, another chance to write on a one-word prompt for only five minutes. We set timers, type quickly, and let it flow without criticism. Then, we link-up our posts so we can read others' posts and they read ours and we have a community that grows from one word each week.
Five Minute Friday.

Go!

If you have never been caged, you would never know what it meant to be free. This post could easily be dark and heavy or light and fluffy, but I'm hoping to balance somewhere in the middle.

One thing I have been honored to do for almost twenty years now, is sing our National Anthem at sporting events. I began as a high school sophomore, then expanded to college basketball games. In that song, you may have a rough start, but nobody will remember much of your performance except for "O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."

Go too high at your beginning, and you'll be screeching the word free. Start too low, and you'll wish you weren't singing at all.

We as Christians have freedom that many others long for. We are hesistant, at times, to freely share that hope.
"Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give..." (My grandparents were Southern Baptist Missionaries, so I've got a wealth of hymnals in my head.)

Rather than hide our joy, we should be brilliantly shining. We don't abuse our freedom. We are considerate of the weaknesses of those around us. If I'm not gluten-resistant but my friend is, I'll try to make a dessert we can both enjoy. It is when we lose our freedom that we appreciate what we had.

I don't want to regret what I could have had, but instead to live as if today was the day Jesus was coming back to set the captives free. And the singing when He returns? Then we will really be in the land of the free and the home of the brave.


 
This is a song I wrote two years ago at our Women's Retreat called "I set you free".
It was meant as a past tense as well as a directive.

~Tammy



20 comments:

  1. Love the song!

    And loved the sentiments, too. Truly, our freedom has been paid for in pain and blood, both eternally, and in this country.

    And speaking of the latter...please always include the paramilitary contractors in your prayers.

    http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-is-bad-thing-happening-to-me.html

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    1. Thank you, Andrew.
      that song was one of those spontaneous worship songs that evolved over the weekend and I shared it at the end of the retreat.
      I'm so glad it ministered to you.
      I shall never take for granted the sacrifices. And, yes, there is even greater risk for the contractors sometimes. Thank you for the reminder.
      ~Tammy
      your post was delightful as always!

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  2. Thank you for sharing your song! Blessed me greatly!

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    1. Marie,
      you are so welcome. I really enjoyed your post tonight. Free to laugh. That is one freedom we both enjoy! :)
      Bless you, sweet sister.
      ~Tammy

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  3. Tammy I had no idea that you sing! (It's so fun to both be at fmfparty on the same week)

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    1. Kaitlyn,
      :) I'm so glad you got to hear me. I had ambitions of being a songwriter once upon a college time, but then my other ambition of stay-at-home mom won out. I still write, just not for the radio.
      And I agree, it was delightful to join the party and have you there! I think you bring life to every situation.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  4. such a precious song, and beautiful voice.

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    1. Denise,
      thank you so much. I'm glad it could minister to you. Looking forward to reading your post this week. There is always great depth in your writing.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  5. I know that song - freely you have received, freely, freely give! From so, sooo many years ago.
    And YES. You have to really think about your starting note on that there Star Spangled Banner! My daughter used to sing it for the school ball games and I held my breath for her every time.
    So many good words here, I almost started dark too because I too have been set free, but went a bit lighter also.
    And your song was lovely. Also the verse at the end. Also your little counterpart there at the beginning and your little grin towards little counterpart! ;)
    Good to connect once again this week, girlfriend, I've enjoyed you immensely on Twitter!

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    1. Thanks Ruthie!
      I came over and saw your post. It was de-light-ful! (Get it? light?)
      Thank you for the encouragement on the song and the verse and the little one. That is where I'm at. :) Learning to love the present instead of longing for something else.
      Love,
      Tammy
      #Ididn'tcheatatall

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  6. I LOVE THE VIDEO! NOT abusing our freedom in Christ - I love that so much! You know where to find me...#50 on FMF (wish it was my age and not my parking meter.)

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    1. Susan,
      you silly girl. Age, parking meter, each birthday just means we're one year closer to meeting Jesus face-to-face. I'm the one who should be jealous. ;)
      Thanks again for your encouragement. Your post was very deep and thought-provoking.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  7. Loved this... and hearing you sing... and an original, no less! Great job, girlie!

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    1. Karrilee,
      thank you. I really wanted to sing for the talent night at Jumping Tandem, but I lost my voice cheering on Grace at the "Be Brave" activities. So, I danced instead. (which is NOT my comfort zone)
      Now that I'm getting to know you, I wish I could have had more time with you there. We'll have to reunite!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  8. Love to see a fellow musician as part of the FMF blogsphere. And yes, starting the anthem too high results in really bad consequences. May your talent bless many!

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    1. Samantha,
      you are so sweet. And, since you spoke on wanting to start over, you'll appreciate how hard it was for me to post the video on YouTube when it was less than perfect. Voice crack, oy!
      Still, it will minister to people listening to the heart of the song...and if it's a flawed performance, then I won't get the glory, God will, right? :D
      I hope to hear your music sometime.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  9. I love your song! Also the line, "rather than hide our joy, we should be brilliantly shining". Great reminder!
    Carly (FMF#77)

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    1. Carly,
      oh thank you for telling me where to find you! :D I found you! What a beautiful post you had.
      We will fly together and shine and sing! :)
      Love,
      Tammy

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  10. Looking forward to that singing when He returns!! Won't it be just too beautiful? And what freedom we will enjoy then!

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    1. Yes, Holly! I cannot wait. Until then, I'm trying to listen to Him and walk in freedom and help others to walk in that same freedom. :)
      Kind of like freeze tag. We're free, and we tag others to "unfreeze" them.
      Love,
      Tammy

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