Happy Friday everyone! It is finally the weekend and today we are linking up with Kate Motaung and the gang over at Five Minute Friday. This is when Kate gives us a word prompt and we write for 5 minutes. No over thinking just free write. If you’d like to join us, you could write for 5 minutes in the comments here or you can join the gang over here and link up your own writing.
Today’s word prompt: FAMILY
I may have mentioned it here before but my favorite all-time movie is “You’ve Got Mail” with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
There’s a line in there that gets me every time. If you don’t know the plot line, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) owns a quaint little bookstore in NYC’s west side. Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) owns the big box, chain store that sells cheap books and legal stimulants (i.e: coffee). They secretly meet online in a chat room, fall in love, Joe puts Kathleen Kelly out of business and then he finds out she’s the one he loves.
He doesn’t want to lose her because of this little thing of putting her out of business so he sets about wooing and winning her over. It’s all very romantic in some 21st Century kind of way!
At one point, he visits her when she is sick with a cold, brings her flowers and makes her tea. As they are sitting down she says:
KATHLEEN: “Hey, you put me out of business.”
JOE: “It was business. It wasn’t personal.”
KATHLEEN: “What is that supposed to mean? …. All that means is that it wasn’t personal to you. But it was personal to me. It was personal to a lot of people. …. And what’s so wrong with being personal anyways?”
JOE: Uhhh… nothing
KATHLEEN: ‘Cause whatever anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.
In our lives of busy-ness we can miss the personal part of life. We can go about our business with little notice of others.
So in your business today and even in your busy-ness, find a way to be personal.
- Give a personal greeting and warm smile to that cashier who’s having a bad day.
- Visit a neighbor and invite them over. (My sister put this on her Facebook page this week: “A challenge for October: Invite someone into your home just to be friendly. It can be for ten minutes or to share a meal. Throw away any excuse as to why you can’t. Feel free to share your experience. Connect with someone face to face.(Your kids’ friends don’t count) Acts 2:46” ~ I think this is a great idea!
- Send an encouraging email or note to another who is in a difficult place
- Invest in others and walk with them in their journey.
God’s set the lonely in families. We are called to be His hands and feet extended to those here. Let us be the family.
Because if life is anything it ought to be personal.
Take up the challenge ~ Practice hospitality, give away smiles and live personally.
Tripping Over Typeset 
Love this! I agree – the lines of family extend far beyond who we happen to be related to. I wonder how different this world would be if we treated everyone as family. Thanks for these thoughts! (Visiting from FMF)
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Yes, having lived away from family for many years, we have found ways to extend what family means and it’s always a good thing. Thanks for jumping in and sharing! Happy Friday to you!
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Yes! I love You’ve Got Mail too. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched it though. I’m going to have to pull it back out. The world could be a much better place if we treated everyone as family. I’m parked in the 16 spot today.
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Yes… remembering we are all part of His plan and His creation! Thanks for stopping by and jumping in! Happy Friday to you!
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Love the movie and love your words. Life can be so impersonal and we get caught up in our little routines and forget to see. Love your challenge to reach into someone else’s life and show them they matter. Great to see you here, friend. Hugs!
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Thanks, Tiffany! Happy Friday… and weekend to you! Hugs back to you! 🙂
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Oh, I LOVE this! And my FAMILY and I just watched that movie for the thousandth time just last weekend. I thought about that line too when watching the movie and I love the direction you took here! Life isn’t about lists, it’s about being personal. Thank you for the reminder! (And I love your profile pic btw, I always think that when I see it.(
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Oh, Ruthie! You’re so sweet! Thanks so much about the profile pic. I’m sitting on the steps of my grand daddy’s print shop and it always brings back memories of his printing days!
And I couldn’t even tell ya how many times I’ve enjoyed that movie. Even my little Matthew is beginning to quote it…. “Joe… just call me Joe! I mean don’t they know you’ve got a last name!” 🙂
Thanks for jumping in! I always love hearing from you! Happy Friday to you! 🙂
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Thank you for the reminder to be intentional about being personal–I remember to do that with my students, but often forget to be that way with my co-workers :/.
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I hear ya! I get that, too! so glad we are in a growing process and learning how to live better every day! Thanks for jumping in! Happy Friday… and weekend to you!
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Rachel, I have literally tried all day to get over here and read and leave you a comment. First off, I LOVE You’ve Got Mail, and that conversation. 🙂
And yes, I think you’re right. Giving a personal touch in each of our daily interactions blesses others and hopefully gives those whose lives we intersect with glimpses of Jesus. Thanks for the challenge to give personal touches. In the busy seasons, we just need to be more intentional about being personal, don’t we?
Great post today!
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Thank you! I feel that struggle of getting over to others blogs! I had a crazy weekend of hosting a woman’s event and still wanting to stop by from friend’s blogs and read their words! I’m hoping to get that done today! Thanks for jumping over and saying Hi!!!
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Wonderful…and thank you for bringing in one of MY favourite films!
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So many lovers of good movies! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and jumping in!
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