Linking up again with Five Minute Friday at the lovely Lisa-Jo Baker‘s.The rules: write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.Hop over to her place to find out the full scoop behind FMF, and to visit other posts that were freely written in just five minutes.
This weeks prompt: RED
GO:
The sumac across the street has steadily begun turning red, the hues blazing under still-green summer. I feel as though I just wrapped my addled brain around summer, and now it’s slipped away. The nights are cooling, the days sunny warm but shorter. My favorite album for fall (which is September Grass, by James Taylor) has been playing on repeat, PSL’s are back at Starbucks, and the sumac is turning red.
Though I adore it (autumn is my favorite, after all), this year feels harried. As though I’m trying to cram too much into the hours and days, and that I’m running on a hamster wheel. Round & round but getting nowhere. I wonder what if this autumn season will bring its usual pumpkin-scented calm to my heart, or if the stink of frazzled will win out.
And so I fight. I heave and grasp each day, willing it to slow while maintaining a paycheck and filling the hours and changing the diapers and picking up after the dog. I am diligent in drinking each latte slow, and maybe even ordering up a size to make it last longer. =) I swing The Boy around, his laughter pealing like the church bells down the street. I make room for that phone call, push appointments aside to clear a moment to breathe, and commit to taking it in.
I don’t want to miss a moment of the sumacs turning.
STOP
-anna
{girl with blog}
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Anna!!! It’s been awhile since I’ve visited, but I’m so glad I did. Leaves changing, pumpkin everything and the chill in the air is definitely making me happy! The leaves are just starting to fall here in NY and honestly, I think fall is officially here. xo, friend!
Oh Anna, whispering a prayer for you tonight. Worrying about the burden you’re carrying so heavy for us. Trusting you find your way off the wheel and back into the slow beauty of fall.
It doesn’t feel like a burden – like a commenter said, each spoke on that hamster wheel was chosen with love. I’ve crafted my own wheel, she said. I think I’m just adjusting to new things and lots of good things come with a learning curve =)
Thanks for checking in, LJ, and for that whispered prayer.
Goodness I love your words. We’ll fight the frazzle, up-size those lattes, and breath in the autumn air together.
That feeling of frazzled is a frequent and unwelcome visitor here as well. Keep fighting the good fight to slow down and experience life as the sumacs turn. I pray you have unexpected pockets of time open up for you each day.
Slow drinking lattes and sumac. I LOVE this post. You captured the edge of my soul
THAT is a lovely compliment. Thank you, Megan.
I have a sumac in my front garden. Now I have a prayer to pray each time I see it out the window or while walking up my sidewalk. I’ll be praying for you! {thank you for all you do}
Oh. Oh, thank you. That is a dear, sweet thing to say and I can’t tell you how I appreciate it!
frazzled is an adjective I totally get. I have lived much of my life that way and it is only just now that I can breathe and slow down. It does not come naturally. I have to talk myself down…that is SO hard! hugs fmf friend! love your post
No, it sure doesn’t come naturally does it? Glad we can learn how to do this talking down together =)
It’s been a while since I have taken the time to notice the beautiful. I have no idea if there is a sumac in sight. Praying for your frazzled fight.
Your post is reminding me to breathe and not forget to take in the beautiful gifts God has given us. The Sumac turning was my husbands very favorite. It makes me think of him and it seems a gift when I see it each year. <3
Good grief. This comment… your memories… tears. Thank you for sharing such a dear piece of your heart here, my friend.
Oh Anna – I feel your words right to the bottom of my heart. Praying for you sweet friend. That you would feel Him near… and secretly wishing that PSL came in a larger size then Venti for you.
I love this post. I’ve been feeling pretty harried lately too and really wanted to take the time to soak in fall. I took scissors to my schedule to try to make it happen and had to eliminate some things. I hope you can enjoy your autumn in all it’s beauty!
Lifting you up, Anna. I know how you feel. This wheel I’m on I’ve built myself, with each spoke selected with love and obedience to the one who calls me to run. Praying you find a chance to slow down and breathe in these moments. This is beautiful, friend!
THIS. The wheel I’ve crafted myself, out of love. Totally. You have such a way with words, Vanessa. Thanks for expressing what I’m feeling for me so I don’t have to think about it =)
“I don’t want to miss a moment of the sumacs turning.” So very true! Beautiful post. I was just thinking about how fast this summer had slipped by. I am forcing myself to MAKE time to stop and take it all in and enjoy sweet moments with loved ones. The other day I walked to the store and as I carried my two bags of groceries home I stopped and smelled these beautiful flowers. It was wonderful. 😉
amen. love this. sometimes its so hard to slow down and sometimes we just have to force ourselves to slow down and take a breathe. This time of the week, Thursday nights is one of the few times that I actually force myself to sit down and read blogs and take a deep breathe and hear what others have to say. I hope that you have a beautiful weekend!
Linking up from FMF
Jessica
http://mybeautifulli.blogspot.com/
Fall is my favorite time of the year due to the cooler weather, the smell of pumpkin scented everything and the change of the leaves but it has also always been a busy time as school/football started back. I pray that God calms your frazzled heart as only He can. Thank you for all the love and service you do for your community,
First of all, a moment of silence for the PSL’s early return…
Second of all, this is beautifully written and so applicable. What you can come up with in a few minutes is spectacular.
I feel the same way lately. I felt like the school year ambushed us just as we were sinking into the groove of summer. And I drank not one but two PSL today which might have something to do with why I am commenting on your blog at 2:15 am. We are so blessed by all you do in service to the community of women God has called you to. But sometimes you just have to make a break and sip that latte and listen to James Taylor (love) and watch the Sumac. Praying you have a moment to savor the flavors of Autumn in the midst of the crazy.
Love this Anna. Always the challenge to slow down. Thanks. I needed that.
Such beautiful words, created such a pciture in a minde
I’m praying for your pumpkin scented calm as I sit here reading this with my pumpkin spice candle burning. Now when I burn it I will think of calm as well!! Fall is my favorite too!
Fall does seem to have come really fast this year…I too have been trying to slow down simply to truly BE… I have also heard so much about this PSL from Starbucks I’m tempted to make a special trip to try one.. 😉
Beautiful! Love this! The leaves don’t change where I am in California until October, but I love to hear about other places that have a fall. It’s still 95 degrees here. 🙂 Glad I visited today!
I hope that you find time to slow down soon. Sounds like you are pretty busy, but you know what is most important. Slowing down and savoring life. 🙂
Oooh, I get so much of this… feeling harried, lingering over beautiful moments, even the exuberant laughter. Great post, Anna.
Hi Anna! I’m praying the pumpkin scented calm wins! Visiting from Five Minute Friday!
Beautiful. The sumacs are always the first, like a redlight to make us stop and pay attention to the end of summer. I see it here in the yellowing of the poplars and how many days I wish we had made it to the pool. Even though summer may have rushed. I think fall can be our time to just simmer nice and slow and enjoy the harvest!
So thought out and wonderful for only five minutes!! Such feelings that we all share, I know! Very much enjoyed this. =) http://bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com/2013/09/red-5-minute-writing.html