To get in the mood, listen to a little Aretha…

Oh FREEDOM!

FREEDOM!

FREEDOM!

FREEEEEEDOMMMM!!

Oh yeah. Now we’re ready.

SOOOooooo….  Jan over at RevGalBlogPals asks this week’s Friday Five:

After spending the past six weeks with my right arm tightly bound to my body with a “shoulder immobilizing” sling due to shoulder surgery, I was able to discard that restrictive device three days ago. Such freedom in movement is to be savored! This brought to mind how we experience freedom in many different ways in our lives.

For today’s Friday Five, tell us about your times of release or detachment (freedom!) in such areas as:

1. physical – I got my hair did today. The stylist I go to is very friendly and nice, but is sometimes a little confused as to why I don’t (a) want hairspray (b) want to color my grey. So every time I get my hair did, she offers. I decline. Reedy Girl (16) thinks I should let my hair be the way it is. I think she has uncommonly good sense. And I’m going to choose to exercise the freedom to go against the norm of “cut and color”! Woot.

2. spiritual –  The whole John Piper kerfuffle about the Church needing to be “masculine”… Nope. Not going back. I’m fully “anointed and appointed” to express my relationship with the Almighty. I don’t need any mediator but Christ. And yeah. I’ll talk about it in Church, too. (See #4!)

3. emotional – God has given me the full range of emotions. I can’t always name them, but I can feel them. While I want to own and express them with kindness towards others, I also will not let them be stifled.

4. vocational – It took me 40+ years to believe that God was calling me. Me? Yes, ME to serve the Church. When I finally believed it, what joy, what peace, what change. It’s amazing.

5. relationships – Clarity. Honesty. Integrity. Because I seek to have these things, I know where I stand with folks. I don’t have to remember what I think or feel. I just am their friend/co-worker/pastor/etc.

BONUS: Movie reference…

For freedom? Ah, that’s easy. It has to be Braveheart!