Thursday, November 10, 2016

Common: Five Minute Friday

Delighted to take part in the Twitter Party and the Five Minute Friday linkup this week! Many friends, from many places, writing for five minutes on the same word. Here's the link to the linkup. Kate Motaung is our gracious hostess every week and she's sincere and wonderful!

Our prompt:

Common.

Go!

Internet definition of common:
  1. 1.
    occurring, found, or done often; prevalent.

    "salt and pepper are the two most common seasonings"

    antonyms:unusual, rare
    • (of an animal or plant) found or living in relatively large numbers; not rare.
    • ordinary; of ordinary qualities; without special rank or position.

      "the dwellings of common people"

      synonyms:ordinary, normal, average, unexceptional;

      "the common folk"
    • (of a quality) of a sort or level to be generally expected.

      "common decency"
    • of the most familiar type.

      "the common or vernacular name"
    • denoting the most widespread or typical species of an animal or plant.

      "the common blue spruce"
  2. 2.
    showing a lack of taste and refinement; vulgar.
I'm reminded of the "commoner". That royalty would never stoop so low as to acknowledge a commoner. A common girl.

And yet, we LOVE Cinderella, don't we?!!! The gracious, kind, sweet servant-heart girl who is noticed by the Prince. It's as if her internal beauty was displayed outwardly with one wave of the fairy's wand.

In our deepest hearts, we know that the heart is where the battle lies and the battle is won.
Jesus won the battle, but it is WE who need to surrender. We're stubbornly not allowing Him into the battle. We are trying to win the wars on our own (and usually failing miserably).

But, it's common in America (and other developed countries) to be independent and stubborn. It's applauded to be on your own, on your own two feet. Well, we're also stressed out. We have that in common.

Instead of getting dizzy on the hamster wheel, maybe we should be less common. Maybe we should actually take a Sabbath rest. Honor our fathers and mothers. Cease to kill and slander others with our words and thoughts. Cease to be envious at what others display publicly when we don't know what's in their lives privately.
Jennie Augusta Brownscombe [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Last week I quoted Romans how while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We have sin in common. And as we approach Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded that the Native Americans had pity and compassion on the unprepared settlers and helped them farm and sustain their very lives that winter. Love is the common thread that binds up all our wounds.

And, love is greater than all other things. (1 Corinthians 13:13)


~Tammy
P.S. List your linkup number or URL in your comment, please! I don't want to miss reading your post. I can't find you any other way unless you're a regular here. :)

18 comments:

  1. Tammy, I love this! Every last word! What would the world look like if we stopped trying to win the wars on our own? FMF #4

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    1. Mollie,
      oh thank you! Coming right over to read your post. :) Glad to be your fmf neighbor tonight!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  2. Thanks for popping by Tammy! I am happy I ACTUALLY have the energy to read others tonight!! Love your words and how true they are, all our "fairy tale princesses" were JUST common girls who had a a desire to meet the ONE and to serve, however they had to. Like Cinderella, I often feel under appreciated and down on my knees scrubbing away and I have been praying really hard that "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17, becomes something that I am more natural at, focusing on doing my best to serve Christ however it is I am serving my family, friends and the people of the world!! Thank you for this reminder to go back to this scripture!!!

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    1. Marisa,
      so glad I could encourage you. Yes, it's always our heart's motive. Can I do this, not because I want to, but because Jesus loved me and would have given anything for me (and He did) and I can model that love so others would come to Him?
      We take us and our pity party out of the equation, and then we find JOY! :)
      Love,
      Tammy

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  3. visiting from FMF #7... I like your spin on this. how we should be uncommon (or perhaps make it more common for Christians to act as they aught to in the first place). good post. Glad I stopped in.

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    1. Thank you Annette!
      I also enjoyed your post. The thrill of defeat is different than the thrill of victory, but it does not have to be agony. :)
      Love,
      Tammy

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  4. Independent and stubborn. Yeah, that's me. Great post, Tammy. You nailed this one.

    Which is pretty normal for you to do! :)

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    1. Andrew,
      you're too kind. Really, I'm getting rusty in writing so I'm thankful to be commenting on your posts. It's keeping me sharper. And, for some reason, encouraging comments on other peoples' blogs pour out of me with so much more fluidity than my actual free-write.
      I suppose it's due to my full-time status at school. I'm spending a lot more of my creative currency there this year and have less to offer other places.
      Blessings to you today!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  5. Love it! So clever with weaving in all the different meanings of the word 'common' - and the message is spot on too. And very timely :)

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    1. Emma,
      thank you so much! There is much on all our minds right now, but we are trying to avoid being part of the fricassee, I think.
      So delighted to read your post about your sweet babes and how you're realizing you can savor this someday. :)
      Love,
      Tammy
      (if I weren't a math teacher, I was going to teach English. I love numbers and I love words and languages!)

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  6. Tammy, what a beautiful post. I loved all the different ways you shared "common." But this line here? "Love is the common thread that binds up all our wounds." Sweet relief and truth found in those words. When we live like we're loved, healing can happen. When we accept God's love for us? You just never know what He'll do.

    Loved this, friend!

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    1. Jeanne,
      thank you, sweet friend! :) So glad to bring hope and joy today to you.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  7. Great thoughts, Tammy! I always loved the story of Cinderella- and so true that independence is often celebrated in our culture but it usually only leads to stress. I love your call to come off the hamster wheel and be different. I'm at #47 this week.

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    1. Lesley,
      let's go sit and rest by the streams of water He calls us to and eat fresh fruit with chocolate fondue.
      :) I'll come see where your wheel left you spinning!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  8. Tammy, LOVE the direction you took with this prompt! "Maybe we should be less common"... Selah (#71)

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    1. :)
      Tondra, so GOOD to see you!!
      Coming right over to see what you've cooked up this weekend!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  9. Love is the common thread! Yes!!! I'm over in the 49 spot this week.

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    1. Tara,
      we all need more love. They will know we are Christians by our love...that song hasn't changed and neither has our Jesus. :)
      Love,
      Tammy

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