In Others’ Words: Stop

Beth VogtQuotes, Reality 18 Comments

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it.” ~Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

So, how did your week go? Hard to believe it’s Friday, right?

Confession: I’m working on this post on Sunday night. 🙂 Even so, I’m fastening my seat belt because I know the week will rush by in a haze of MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday … whew!

Stop with me for a minute. How’s life going for you? Did you laugh? Cry? Take time for family? Friends? Did you experience forward motion (a favorite goal of mine), maybe some stumbles backward? Were you the comforter or the one in need of comfort? Did you rest? Work out? Learn? Talk? Listen?

Did you live?

Were you a participant this past week? Or an observer?

In Your Words: Stop for just a minute and join the conversation: What was your life like this week? And then let us know what you’re fastening your seat belt for next week.

Comments 18

  1. My week was crazy. I still haven’t read your blog posts from Wednesday and Thursday, they are sitting in my inbox. I am trying to catch up now, so maybe stopping to comment isn’t the best use of my time. Anyway…..Next week I am fastening my seat belt again because I am a music teacher and my 3rd graders have a concert next week. I will be running around doing last minute things, praying they don’t mess around on the risers and they pull it together : )

    1. Melissa,
      Thanks for starting the conversation this morning, especially in light of how crazy your week was.
      I hope next week goes well. My kiddos have participated in many a music concert — and I have great respect for music teachers like you who make it all happen!
      🙂

  2. I’m teaching a secular memoir writing weekly in a local community center. Three of the four are strong committed Christians; the other is sensitive, works w/ disadvantaged youth, but “not particularly religious.” I’m seeing the reality of some unarguable life experiences impact us all. I’m learning, too. Waiting to see what God has in store–hopefully He’s the real teacher here.

    1. I love when life experiences intersect — and I know that you are wisely and kindly interacting with each student, even as you instruct.

  3. I’ve thought of that quote a number of times over the years. 🙂 Haven’t watched the movie in decades because my DH can’t stand it. 🙂

    Interesting questions. I did a lot of the ordinary things in the week, but I also carved out some good time for writing–moving forward with projects. Did a little crying. Did lots of laughing. Spent some time with family–doing more of that this weekend, and had some time with friends. Now that I’m thinking back over my week, I did a lot of the activities you mentioned.

    I’m also thinking through my responses to life: do I observe or do I live? Pondering this today.

    1. Truth be told, Jeanne, I think life is a mixture of both: living and observing. We can’t always be running and doing. Somteimes we have to step back, take a break, breathe … and look around us. Sounds like you’ve had a full, full week so far.

  4. This week flew by, and I was sick for part of it. Never fun, but it does force me to slow down from my normal whirlwind pace. One of my goals for 2012, though, is to spend more time with my husband, friends, and family, and I feel like I’ve been able to do that the last few weeks. It’s been really, really nice to enjoy fellowship with others and just dig deep (of course, one of my main love languages is quality time…). 🙂

    Hope you have a great weekend, Beth.

    1. Thank you, Lindsay. It’s going to be a fun weekend as we celebrate my daughter’s birthday with a scavenger hunt.
      🙂
      And spending time with family and friends — never wasted time. For me, it’s some of the best time.

  5. Whirlwind. One word describes my week. But because I posted goals for this week on my computer screen, it was a controlled whirlwind. lol And believe it or not, barring creeks rising, I will reach my primary writing goal: finish first chapter of new wip. And along the way, I spent time with family and friends, taught someone to knit (where we both laughed and cried) and made a silver-wrapped cross.
    Have a great weekend! And get some rest. (I saw your FB post)

    1. Sounds like you accomplished a lot.
      My daughter learned to knit.
      I, however, am craft-challenged.
      I would love to see that silver-wrapped cross. It sounds beautiful!

      1. it’s small, porcelain, and I wrapped silver wire across one arm in the middle. If it weren’t at the Art Guild, I’d send you a picture. Making another one later today…send you photo of it.

  6. Whirlwind, yes. With a to-do list that felt insurmountable…while playing host to a week-long guest. I did get a lot done and I did enjoy time with my sister…and even in the rush, I had some cool moments with God. So, all in all, a pretty swell week…even if it did leave me feeling out of breath. 🙂

  7. I just have to start off by saying, I love your new word:

    MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

    I have not seen one word that fully represented my “crazy fly by so quick” weeks before. You have captured it entirely!

    I loved your questions. Yes, the week flew by, but I can honestly answer “yes” to each and everyone of your questions. I believe that this is an indication that I did “live” during the week, and at the end of your life, that is the goal, isn’t it?

    For some reason, the lines of Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem “Solitude” were in my head this week. “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; cry, and you cry alone.” I thought of how fortunate that in my life, these words are not true. I, of course, agree with the laughing part. But as you know, anyone who cries in my presence (or over the phone), will not be doing it alone because I will be crying right along side of them. Yes, my family teases me about being a leaky faucet, but I have had my faucet turned off during a certain period of my life, and I believe that it was only through healing that my faucet started working again.

    By answering “yes” to every one of the questions, does mean I had a crazy life, but I was living it fully, being used by God completely, and that is where he wants me to be. Thanks for the encouragement.

    1. MondayTuesdayWendesdayThursdayFriday –yep. New word. Glad you liked it.
      😉
      And tears are a gift.
      I too had a season when I didn’t cry. The return of tears was a blessing.

  8. Hi Beth, I love the sign you posted on here. We should all have one of those around the house! It would be so good to have that in mind at the start of every day. My mother, in her later years, would say that she made her bed in the morning and before she knew it, she was turning it down again.

    I have definitely been a participant this week, and after so many years of not having the strength to do anything but lie in bed (auto-immune related), I rejoice at being “busy.”

    My little dog and I went out around 11:00 for a walk in the falling snow. When he’d gone out for his last bathroom trip, it was so lovely, peaceful, and still. I almost talked myself out of it not sure I wanted to bother with the clothes layering. So glad the wiser woman in me prevailed. “Stopping to smell the roses” is such an individual thing. But last night reminded me: If it brings you joy, just do it!

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