And so – we write for five minutes, our words tumbling out – no editing, no polishing – just flat out on a one word prompt! We gather all our beautiful thoughts here in our Five Minute Friday community and then love on each other as only we can do! Click here to learn all about it.
Home is where the Five Minute Friday community gathers so please join us at Kate Motaung’s for our Friday fun!
GATHER
GO…
Do you all know people who welcome you into their homes and the minute you step through the doorway, it’s as if community was just meant to gather there?
I am blessed to know people like that and find myself always accepting invitations to their houses because it is just like HOME.
When I look more deeply into the “Why” behind their success, I see past the pretty table decorations or good food and look more closely at the people gathered around. What is the common thread? What enables us to click so easily when we come together in community in their houses?
For many, the food, the ease of the hostess and the conversation is all it takes. I am a thinker and when I step out of the situation and look in from the outside – I see grace extended. I see people in communion with each other because they have been accepted. Being invited is not enough – knowing you are treasured by the host/hostess and you make a difference by being there – that is enough.
[Tweet “To gather means grace and acceptance are present-joining people in communion with each other.”]
This is much like our beautiful #fmfparty gathering each Thursday evening. People gather week after week and keep coming back. Why?…
Grace is always present, each person is accepted for who they are and the time together feels like an hour long hug. This is what it means to gather. The chocolate will always be there as well as our lifeline through Twitter, but the heart of the people makes all the difference!
STOP
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” Matthew 18:18-20
When we gather together in God’s name, we have the common thread. We become one in His name and we have community.
Blessings,
Mary
Please keep reading to hear a little more about our #fmfretreat this summer. Then click on the #fmfretreat logo to go to Kate’s and read some encouraging writing!
This summer, August 7-9, we will have the first ever #fmfparty retreat in Nashville, TN. To say I’m excited does not even begin to describe the happy dance going on inside. We would cherish your continued prayers that this all comes to be and we would love for you to consider joining us. Yes you!!! Please click on the logo below to head to Kate’s!Â
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Love this and that definition, Mary! I so have been missing out on many links lately with less overall computer time. But I love the FMF gathering. I am working on my writing and other goals offline and it means missing some of the sweet gatherings online. So glad I popped onto Deb’s after you! Plus saw you at Barbi’s – how cool is that! ?
We love having you at the FMF party always! I love that you were following me this weekend! I hope that your journaling turns into a lot of beautiful writing. Thank you for being here! Always a pleasure to see you!
Amen! I love the #fmfparty and I’ve missed it two weeks in a row :(. But I know my beautiful friends are out there writing the words I need to hear! Thank you.
I have missed you! I seem to be in and out and not as consistent as I would like to be but that will change when the school year is over. The best part about #FMF is that you can walk right back in at anytime and you will be embraced by all. Have a blessed weekend!
To come together and share love and joy is a piece of heaven on earth.
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!
I love how you say “joy is a piece of heaven on earth”. There is something about gathering in community where people feel loved and accepted. Blessings!
Just lovely, my friend! All of it. Lovely!
Thank you dear! I love this community and the beautiful friendships that have formed! Happy weekend!
Mary, I genuinely felt the spirit of gathering in His name through your post. It is lovely to sit and fellowship with others who claim grace and acceptance through our God. What a time of joy to be encouraged and sharpened and heard.
I love seeing you here Missy! Our paths don’t cross too often. Thank you for your encouragement and blessings for a beautiful weekend.
So beautifully expressed, Mary. And while I don’t participate in FMF, I have watched from afar what a blessing the community is to this beautiful blogging world.
I’m hoping and praying you and I can plan a time this summer to gather together!!! Pretty, pretty please!!!
Love you much.
xoxo
You know I am looking forward to meeting you too. We will figure this out! The FMF community is a beautiful blessing to me! I am so humbled by the amazing writers but also so filled by their friendships. Happy weekend!
“Knowing you’re treasured”….that really resonated with me….thanks so much for your post. Loved it. {An FMF friend}
Helen-I am blessed by your words. Thank you for being here and I am loving that we are in this community together! Happy weekend!
Beautiful words my friend. And I’m crying tears of joy over the gathering of so many brave and beautiful writers. I will be with you in spirit, longing for the day when we will meet face-to-face.
I’m crying because I long for that day too! Your friendship across the miles has meant the world to me. Blessed always by you!
Hi there Mary! I love that idea of a hostess treasuring her guests. I have a busy weekend, and company coming tomorrow night, so I’m glad I read this. I want to treasure the young men coming to our home rather than be thinking, “This is such a busy weekend.” Blessings!
It has taken me a lot of years Betsy to learn what it really means to open your doors and share your table with others. I have always felt inadequate but God is teaching me otherwise. I hope your gathering over the weekend is a time to just be and enjoy! Blessings!
I LOVE to host and have people in my home 🙂 I was writing about life-group tonight, seems our gathering prompt took us in the same direction. Happy FMF – Blessings!
Great minds think alike! 🙂 I can’t wait to read your post too. I am blessed that you are part of this wonderful community at #FMF. Have a beautiful weekend!
Oh Mary, you hit the nail on the head with this one. To gather means grace, acceptance, overlooking faults and embracing all the good things. This is beautiful, friend!
Asheritah-thank you for your encouraging words. The are blessing me this morning as I am beginning my day. I love how God is teaching me what it means to come together around a table. It is a lesson that has taken years for me to begin to understand. Blessings and happy weekend!
Love your photo! And this post too…one of my favorite things to do is gather around a table with good food, good drinks, and good friends!! Love and miss you, friend. xoxo
Thanks Holly! That is my table from Thanksgiving! I always think I do not have the gift for hospitality but I am learning differently and Thanksgiving and Christmas were the beginning of understanding what it all means. For me it is the people who gather round in communion with each other because of a common thread-that’s what it’s all about! Happy Friday and happy weekend!
Can’t wait for August!!!! 🙂
The heart makes all the difference. How true this is! I’ve been in big, beautiful homes that lacked warmth and in small homes with mis-matched furniture but lots of love. I’ll take the latter any day of the week!
It is a heart matter isn’t it, Marie? Being invited is such a small piece to the whole gathering-opening hearts and minds and letting God enter in is integral. Thank you for being here and for joining in the chat last night! Happy Weekend!
Happy, happy, happy. Gathering in Nashville makes me happy. So glad I now have a date when I can see you again in person. Allume may not happen for me this year with my little one (although who knows…) but Nashville, that’s an easy one for me to swing! {happy dance}
Oh I am doing that happy dance with you! We can do it together in August! 🙂 Praying God keeps entering in and blesses the details of the retreat and provides many women who want to join in too! Happy Friday!