Decorate Your Season

What an unprecedented season that we all have entered. I must say… unexpected, uncharted, unscheduled and very much unplanned. That was what our lives was looking like even coming to the close of the year when we hoped to be literally free and clear by now.

That hasn’t quite yet ended yet. We are still in the midst of the unknown. How uneasy and very much unsettling. For us at home –this even meant “our home”. Surely we thought we would be all moved and settled in by now in the next location but sure enough –another day turned into another week and another month and still in this year we weren’t even sure it would happen for us.

We put our home of 20 years up for sale … to leave the state! Offers came flying in immediately. Our plans and parting shortly followed, only to be interrupted by days of disappointment. Encouraging each other was running thin and encouraging myself certainly had its limits.

So I did what only I knew I could do… missing my family as we set “our plan in place.” I decided to decorate anyway! I was surely devoid of the season right before my eyes. Families at home, together, sharing and merry— and us we were miles apart in unfamiliar territory. We were in the trenches, no matter how you looked at it. This long awaited process was wearing us all down on the inside as the days grew to weeks.

I encourage others all the time in harsh experiences— DECORATE YOUR SEASON anyway! Just! Like! That! Go on and celebrate! Bake a cake! Get the ornaments! Make what you can happen HAPPEN! Move! Keep going! Then it happens to you and hits you so hard!

So I bought the ornaments — no tree!

Bought the tree — no home yet!

As my heart sunk in further and I felt the weight of my situation. Because nothing is going how we planned or imagined. I never felt so empty inside. I could not even explain but hold back the floodgate of tears of discouragement.

I lit it allll up in the guest room with my beautiful Georgia family that is with us throughout this wearisome process! He came in with my tree… put it where I was staying and I took all the ornaments, lights and stuff out. I put on the music, enjoyed my favorite Pinot and got in my element! Time to pull out all the stops regardless.

It was very different, surreal but I still found some lovely! And I slept the whole night through with those lights on and the scripture I kept reading each of the other long sleepless nights!

“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants food to those He loves.” Psalm 127:2 NIV

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is how it should be! Considering I wont have the home YET! I’m not all together with my family but this I know— way too many went through hardships this year especially! Maybe we don’t feel like there is much to celebrate. But there is! This is more than the season to be jolly! It is the season to decorate no matter what you see, what you feel, what you loss or what you miss!

Even when things don’t go as we plan and may feel like huge disappointments and setbacks. They are set ups to design on the dime. I didn’t think we had it in us— but we were made for more. We were built to win! We will have it all in place where and when and how it needs to be all in God’s matchless timing. Even when the details are no where and I mean NO WHERE in sight. I can’t wait, but He helps me to. He helps you too!

He helps us to decorate ANYWAY! Because there is so much more on the way for ‘21! Its right on the horizon! An amazing expansion to new life, new ideas, new opportunities, new homes, new health, new relationships and more than we could have dreamed! So let’s decorate this season. ♥️