Sandra Heska King

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five minute friday: brave

May 3, 2013 By Sandra Heska King

brave

Brave is not just bold and blue nails with flowers on the thumbs. Or climbing a cargo net when you’re old enough for a social security net. It’s not just leaping tethered off a platform.

Brave slips through circumstances as slick as melted butter. It treads the waters of trials and doesn’t drown.

It forgets the past, presses in and presses on.

It banishes the bitter and sinks into the present to suck the sweet of every moment.

It embraces life single or married or widowed. Childfree or childless. As a parent or grandparent.

Brave is a mother bear doing battle for her babies. It’s an empty womb that doesn’t become a tomb.

It’s a neverending mountain of laundry and dishes and dusting–done.

Brave leans on others when afraid, holds a hand when there are no words.

It does not fear silence or solitude.

It  leaps into the unknown. But sometimes it tiptoes.

It knows when to hang on and when to let go.

Brave always picks itself back up.

And never gives up.

Brave breathes.

Bravely still,

Sandy

“Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon.”

~Psalm 31:24 (MSG)

With LisaJo and company,

Five Minute Friday

 

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Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Carol J. Garvin says

    May 3, 2013 at 11:52 am

    I like your kind of bravery! It’s so tempting to tiptoe, to face challenges timidly, when confidence is called for. After all, he is our guide and shield!

    • Sandra says

      May 3, 2013 at 3:45 pm

      I guess it’s okay to be timid at the start and grow into brave. 🙂

  2. denise says

    May 3, 2013 at 12:08 pm

    Really lovely.

    • Sandra says

      May 3, 2013 at 3:44 pm

      Thank you, friend.

  3. Joe Siccardi says

    May 3, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    Nice use of words and imagery. Sometimes it’s not easy wrapping your head around Lisa’s ordinary word prompts. You nailed it!

    • Sandra says

      May 3, 2013 at 3:34 pm

      Thank you so much, Joe. Nice to “meet” you. 🙂

  4. Monica Sharman says

    May 3, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    Right, right. Breathe. (Not hyperventilate.)

    • Sandra says

      May 3, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      I’ve had some experience with hyperventilating in the past… 🙂

  5. Megan Willome says

    May 3, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Bravery today: Cleaning out my son’s room.

    • Sandra says

      May 3, 2013 at 3:48 pm

      You are one of the bravest women I know. xo

    • Diana Trautwein says

      May 7, 2013 at 12:44 am

      Yes, Megan. HUGELY brave. Kudos and hugs to you.

  6. Mia says

    May 3, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    Dear Sandra
    I just love Brave to be a personality. It makes me think of that Disney movie of the Scottish princess with the flame red hair, called Brave. The Brave you described is not a person with worldly common sense, but that godly common sense that comes with loving and fearing our Lord.
    Blessings from FMF
    Mia

  7. Sharon O says

    May 3, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    wow… so much to say… that was amazing.

  8. Sharon @ Hiking Toward Home says

    May 3, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    “Brave slips through circumstances as slick as melted butter. It treads the waters of trials and doesn’t drown.
    It forgets the past, presses in and presses on.
    It banishes the bitter and sinks into the present to suck the sweet of every moment.”
    I so needed to read these words today. Thank you so much.

  9. Lisa @ four simply living says

    May 3, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    I LOVED this… I am going to print it and hang it in our office for all to see!

  10. Diana Trautwein says

    May 7, 2013 at 12:45 am

    Well done, Sandy. Love this 5 minute reflection. Love you, too.

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