Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo for Five-Minute Friday. So, grab a timer, set it for five minutes, and join me!
The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, overthinking, or backtracking. Just write. Then leave some comment love for the person who linked up before you…and anyone else because that’s the fun and the heart of the community!
Today’s prompt: Grace
(thanks, Julie, for this one!) 
I spent last weekend with some of the most amazing sisters ever. (To be fair, I don’t have any blood-related sisters, and I always wanted one. Or thirteen. So I like to think that God is just making up for it now with an abundance of them. ;))
I had looked forward to this conference for so long, and there were so many necks I couldn’t wait to hug. So many cups of coffee I wanted to drink while seated at a little table with friends over long, deep conversations.
Some of it happened…as much could be squeezed into an already jam-packed schedule.
And some of it didn’t.
There were some of you, beautiful sisters, who got a quick hello and a hug, and while I know that can convey something, I know how I wanted to find time for so much more.
This week? Well, it’s been a lesson in giving myself grace.
Of accepting that sometimes, no matter how we plan things, they just don’t quite work out like we want them to. And the simple fact that sometimes there’s not enough time.
My Father…He’s been whispering this thing of Grace to me over and over in the last few days. Reminding me that it’s ok.
That community can connect and love even despite distance and lack of sit-down-in-person cups of coffee.
If you and I had a chance to meet last weekend, I am So. Very. Glad. Y’all are beautiful and treasured…and I’m not just saying that.
This community? I never knew the magnitude of its impact until the hugs started happening and the tears started to fall and I could see it all for myself.
And if we didn’t connect in person, pull up a chair and we’ll keep talking, keep loving…through computer screens and twitter and our blogs. And someday soon, I hope we’ll sit down for that coffee at a cute little table in a corner.
Grace.
Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.
So, so blessed by grace.
Love to each of you, whether you are part of my (in)RL community, my online one, or both. I’m so thankful to have you in my life.
Grace is found in the things that don’t turned out as planned. Sometimes it can be even better than we hoped or worse but either way God’s got us covered. So happy you got to meet so many lovely ladies in this community!!
xoxox
Thank you, sweet friend! Blessings…I hope you have a beautiful weekend.
“Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.” Oh girl… Amen! It was so nice to hug your neck… and coffee would have been wonderful – but I so get this… Grace to you, friend! There was just not enough time!
You were one I thought of…how I wish we could have squeezed in a coffee. We WILL next time! Blessings, beautiful friend…I’m so glad I got to meet you.
Your quote: “Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.” is so good and so true and so easy to forget, at least for me. I have been feeling very forgetful lately and needed the reminder.
I have read several re-caps from Allume and it sounds like a good time was had by all. Glad you were able to connect with fellow writers.
Thank you for writing!
Blessings
Thank you for your sweet words, Elizabeth.
It was a really wonderful time…such a blessing to connect with so many of my sisters. Have a great weekend…thanks for stopping by! 
Love hearing your heart and seeing you give yourself grace, even in good, wonderful, filling times! I loved your quote others have already commented on, “Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.” Accepting grace in the thing that do happen and don’t. He is there. See Him, Embrace Him, Live in Him!
You are such a sweet encouragement today, Shell…thank you! Blessings and happy weekend…I hope it’s wonderful!
Yes grace was present this past weekend wasn’t it?! I so love that we have these memories together and also that in any ways I failed at Allume, there is grace to cover those things too. I love you my new sister!!
Love you back, sister! Oh, I’m so thankful for you…what a blessing you are, friend! And, yes…grace all around because we ALL need it!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The further we get into this week following Allume the more I am thinking about those missed chances. And asking myself over and over again if I said something in a situation that may have been taken the wrong way or that I may have said the wrong thing. But the more I stress over it the more I am losing the things that were so positive about the weekend. And as much as I have begged my family for grace this week (and the fact that I haven’t cooked all week) I am starting to realize how much I need to give myself as well. I am so thankful that you are my sister!!!!! I love that I have you and all the rest. God gave us these sisters because he knew that we would love and lift each other up. Love you!!!!!
I’m in the exact same place…and this week, I admitted to a friend that I have had to consciously not let the little things steal my joy from the weekend I had. It was just too good to focus on the what if’s! Good reminder for both of us, I think!
And grace to you, friend…I didn’t cook until Wednesday. (I’m not even sure we ate “real” meals Monday and Tuesday!) 😉 So thankful for you, my friend…love you!
Oh the grace to be found in what doesn’t happen! Such a beautiful word. I look forward to meeting you one day, friend…if not here, then over There. That’s the beauty of this community. We get to be together for eternity too.
Thank you, friend…I hope we’ll have a chance to exchange a hug someday, too!
Blessings and (((hugs)))
Dear Mel
Oh, how I longed to be with all my FMF sisters last weekend. But to read how you were all blessed and to see all the photos still bring a little bit of this weekend home to me in South Africa.
Blessings XX
Mia
Oh, I wish you could have been there with us, sweet Mia…maybe someday?
Blessings and happy weekend to you! 
“Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.” Please don’t be surprised if you see this on one of my word + pictures one of these days soon (with your permission of course!). I love this and it so so profound in its straightforward simplicity. I’m so happy that you had such a delightful time at the conference, and that you got to hug so many and say hello. I pray that next year I’ll be one of the people getting to share a hug and hello with you. In the meantime, I’m staying here, loving your words and your heart, watching your God-sized dream unfold, and being blessed to be part of community with you online. Hearing these lessons learned makes it just a bit more real. And that is one of the best things to be about your writing. Wishing you a blessed weekend!
Of course you have my permission!
Thank you for your sweet words, too…that (in)RL time is just such a treasure. Praying that you and Karrilee have a great time together, too…I’m so glad the two of you can hang out this weekend. (Even though, yep…still jealous over here! ;)) Blessings, sweet friend!
“Grace in what happens, grace in what doesn’t.” I saw this last weekend in real life. I was so bummed to not be with all of you at Allume. However, God’s grace had so much for me. I spent the weekend connecting with my daughter as a sister in Christ instead of just my daughter. We attended a women’s retreat where I was asked to speak on peace. His peace and grace over the 2 days has changed my heart in so many ways. I still missed getting inRL hugs, sitting down for the long talks and sharing in the fun but I wouldn’t go back and change it. Love you and we will sit face to face one day. Have a great weekend !!!!
I’m so happy for you, friend…that God had so much good and so many blessings for you this past weekend. I know He used your words in hearts and lives, too. We WILL have some (in)RL time someday…and hopefully soon!
Blessings and hugs…have a beautiful weekend! 
Yay!!! So happy for you all
I just can’t begin to imagine the beauty He will bring from this and the words that will follow! Love to you beautiful girl!
Love you, sweet friend…I hope your weekend is wonderful!
(((hugs)))
Oh Mel! I’m so glad I got to meet you and hug your neck last weekend! I wish we could have had a chance to sit and talk more at Allume but your beautiful smiles every time we crossed paths communicated so much to me! I love that I can hear your sweet voice in my head whenever I read your blog or your tweets. I’m blessed to know you, friend. Next year we’ll set aside some time to catch up at Allume!
Oh, me too…SO glad! Next year, yes…absolutely. We will find time for that coffee somehow. I’m so blessed by you…thank you for being part of my community and taking time for a quick chat and photo. Blessings to you, sweet friend!
Learning to let go of what doesn’t happen and vintage the blessing in what does happen – that’s when life becomes full of the more He has for us! So glad you got share a cup of coffee with some of these wonderful women!!!! So So excited for you!
How beautiful. Makes me wish I could have been there to be part of the love! So glad you had this opportunity to enjoy so many friends with open hearts.