I woke up, this Christmas morning feeling more peace in my soul than I have felt every day accumulatively over the last year and half...While so much of my life has been through some tumultuous change and some difficult transitions, I am at complete and utter peace. That is more than I can even begin to ask for, this Christmas day.
For the most part, I have my health, my beautiful and loving family (all around the world) and the greatest friends and pup a gal could ask for. I have experienced altruistic love in a way I never imagined I could. Most importantly, I have my faith and the never failing love of my Heavenly Father. When all else fails, people leave, and material things fade, I have Him.
I celebrated my 30th birthday this December. I am not at all where I thought I would be, but I am just where I need to be. In 2013/2014 I had most everything I worked hard for and dreamed of stripped away within an extremely short period of time. My 28th and 29th year were years of loss, change, and rebuild. I am grateful for the fire I have been walking through... Gold is refined by fire and I am being refined as well. When I felt completely alone and helpless, God was there. He sent strangers, absolute angels to come and pick me up and out of the pit. God has big things in store for me, for you... for all His children. I am grateful for this.
While things may not be just as I hoped they would at this point in my life, I am grateful for this process. I am grateful for every blessing, grand and small in my life...for I AM BLESSED. I am overwhelmingly grateful my Father and Savior was born to save, protect, heal and love me unconditionally. There is no greater love than this. No beautiful home, shiny object, Christmas decor or material possession can compare to the beauty of His love. The decor I work on is only a manifestation of the inspiration I feel from His love and protection. Design is the desire to recreate (but can NEVER come close to) the peace, comfort and joy I feel from being in my heavenly Father's presence. An attempt to re-create that sanctuary I am in when I am with Him. Nothing compares to HIM.
I had no Christmas tutorials for you this December... no recipes and no DIY's. I was busy working and focusing on rebuilding. I am beginning to feel like me again for the first time in an incredibly long time. Not the old me, but the me I was always supposed to be. I am starting to get my spark and inspiration for life back.
Nothing is certain. Life is not void of pain and struggle. It doesn't matter what you possess, what you do or where you travel to... None of that matters in the grand scheme of things. It's the joy in your spirit that is the greatest thing to strive for. I don't know why certain things happen as they do, what I do know is that God's love and peace, even through difficult times is everlasting.
Welcome to my little loft this Christmas Day and I challenge you to think about the things you are grateful for. Even when everything seems to be troubling, we all have things to be grateful for. I make so many mistakes on a daily basis and fail at being a great Christian example sometimes. This is not me preaching, just speaking out the emotions that are overwhelming me this crisp Christmas morning.
Even though I struggle with being eloquent and articulate, thank you for letting me be raw and share my feelings today. I am grateful for your continuous love and support. The kindness, e-mails and well wishes that I have received from my readers is incredibly touching to me. Once again, I AM BLESSED.
Merry Christmas, darlings.
