A Walk with God

Sleep has again escaped me. Unfortunately, when things of life, heart matters, decisions face me, sleep leaves me. This morning, woke up way before alarm went off. I tossed and turned, tried to pray, tried to listen and none of those were working out. I saw the sun peeking through my window as if to ask me to join him. I did. I laced up my new kicks the kiddos got me (with my credit card) put on my sweatshirt and headed out. No earbuds to distract me, just me, the wind, the sun, birds, and the sound of my feet meeting the pavement. As the wind blew the cold on my face I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks,not because I was crying but because of the cold. Then it hit me. Jesus was telling me to cry, to get it out. So the tears from the cold mingled with the tears of my heart. So much yuck surrounding me-decisions, change, exhaustion, that oh so unsettled feeling that takes over now and again. I had a little JOLT from Jesus this morning. That jolt reminded me that I'm in the midst of arguing with my Father. I feel He is telling me one thing while my heart and head is telling me another. As I walked I talked. 'But God this is what I want and I thought you wanted this for me to.' 'God you said you'd take care of me but why do I feel alone.' 'You said you'd help me raise these 3 alone and I feel I'm doing it all by myself.' I stopped talking and...NOTHING. Only the sounds of my feet, only the birds and only the wind. Made me even angrier with Him. I literally wanted to stop and stomp my feet and shake my hands toward the blue blue sky. Instead I kept walking. I rounded the corner to notice the neighborhood pool has been drained. For months we've seen the grossness floating on the top covering the even grosser stuff in the bottom. Then I heard Him. "Im trying to drain you of you and your grossness, your dirt, your insecurities, your fears, im trying to drain you of you DeAnn! I'm trying to bring you back to me and the clearness of what I can do. I'm so much more than you can even fathom. I'm even more than you experienced with me 6 years ago through sickness, death and dying. I Am the Great I Am. If you will just let me do what I want and need to do it will be clear as that pool will be when cleaned with chemicals. Clear. I will give you answers but only when I seen its time. I will help with your insecurities, with your unsettledness, I will protect you and I will Father your fatherless children. You just have to BE STILL." 

I heard him, didnt like it. Sometimes I wished I could physically feel Him, like Jacob did when he wrestled with Him. Maybe if God just held me down and told me what He wanted for me then I'd get it. But no, God is gentle and loving with me. He finds me on cool morning walks, He Jolts me with a bit of Jesus with wind and sun. He tells me that I don't have to be insecure or question love for me as I do with humans. He is my portion, the one that fills my empty spaces, the one that makes me feel secure. When it gets right down to it He reminds me with visuals of empty pools that He! He is all I need. His cleaning chemical is His love for me. The very love that placed His son on the cross with my name on His lips. The One that had sustained me through some serious pain, loneliness. He's that same God, it's just the grossness of life has made it not so easy to see.  Father God, thank you for urging me up out of bed to walk with you this morning. Thank you for knowing when my spirit needs cleansing with good, sad, confused tears. Thank you for giving me visuals of how Your love works in me. For empty pools, for Jolts of Jesus. Thanks for reminding me that you are still the same God that held me, loved me through something I never thought I'd make it through. For being the same God that will hold me through more hurts and trials. Thank you for letting me stomp my feet and argue with you but being so very patient and loving while I'm pitching my hissy. Thank you Father God for knowing exactly what I need and when. Thank you for reminding me to just sit still for a minute, just wait. Thank you for speaking to me this morning on my walk with you. Thank you for preparing my hear to worship and praise and openly be totally in love with you. You, my God are all I will ever ever need. That, I'm thankful for. I love you. ~d

April 16, 1995

I've said many times before that I blog mainly as a journal so one day my 3 can read them. 

JSM-here's mom and dads engagement story. It was Easter weekend, I was working for Dr Smith and he gave us 1/2 day for Good Friday. Your dad & I reluctantly went to Jacksonville that afternoon with Pooh & PawPaw to see their new house, to check on Shane doing some classes there for summer. It was a bittersweet day. Pooh & PawPaw excited to start a new chapter, leaving behind Calhoun, moving back to the little town in which they met. I felt like it may just be the end of your dad  & I. Him moving an hour away, new school-I felt our relationship was doomed. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed it for the most part. We headed back to Rome for a Friday night dinner at Longhorns. We had to wait so we sat at the bar and ate peanuts. I was a little miffed because Shane kept talking to Pooh, leaving me out I felt. Little did I know. We ate, said our goodbyes to Pooh & PawPaw & called it a night. Shane had a big game against Shorter the next day. 

I'm not sure why-but I didn't go to that particular game that day, rarity but something else was going on. Fast forward to Easter Sunday, April 16, church then to Plainville to Granny's for lunch, egg hunt with Tyler. I left to go to Pooh & PawPaws for Easter with them. When I got there, there was the immediate family, and then some. When I walked in Shane grabbed my hand and took me straight to his room, strange, especially as everyone else followed. When I got inside, there sat a white decorative bunny with a small pink box sitting on its paw. He just looked at me and said open it. I did. Inside was a beautiful emerald cut emerald with diamonds on each side. I looked at him confused and then he asked me..."will you marry me?" Of course,  you know what I said. Yes! Everyone was soooo excited, hugging us, wishing us well. Until...we got back to Rome. Mimi wasn't as happy about the whole engagement. She actually looked at my non-traditional ring and asked me what it was. It wasn't that she didn't like Shane--she just felt like she didn't know him. We'd only started dating in October, so it was 6 short months. She eventually apologized and eventually fell head over heels in love with him. 

Apparently, when I was feeling all left out as he and pooh talked at Longhorns he was telling her he wanted to propose and he needed a ring. He knew I'd always wanted an emerald so he asked his mom to help him. He had 1 day to get a ring because he wanted to propose on Easter Sunday. Thankfully she knew several jewelers in Calhoun and they allowed her to take several rings with her on approval,  to Rome, to a baseball field. When she got to Shorters field(where Rome plays now at the levee) she called him out of the dugout-he saw  the one he wanted and proceeded to finish the game. I'm sure Coach Shartzer was none too happy-seeing how I was already to blame for "getting into Shane's head" and "messing up his game." Oh well. He made his choice of the ring and in me and the rest is history. He finished that season of ball, moved to J'ville for the summer after many tears on mine and his part. He returned to Berry in the fall to finish his accounting major while I started planning a wedding for May 18, 1996. 21 years ago and many things have happened. If that day hadn't happened where would I be- I'd be without you 3, and without the assurance of a loving God. Always remember -Gods plans are perfect and you were a part of those plans--even 21 years ago. One day I hope to help you boys and help you Molls with the beginning of a chapter in your life that's oh so sweet. Hope these memories will allow you a picture of what love is, that true love prevails-even through separations and circumstances that work against you. What's meant to be will be. 

1 Corinthians 13! Xoxo

Seeing Jesus in Botched BeachTrips, Flu and Yuck

When I know I have the alarm set for an unbelievable hour, I can't sleep. When I can't sleep, I think. When I think too much I have to get it out and then a blog post is born. Be forewarned however...this post may come out as a jumbled up mess because that's where I'm at right now...a jumbled up mess. But here goes. 

Most of you know by now my love and my deep need/desire for beach therapy. We had a spring break trip planned for a few weeks now and had been looking forward to it. I mean when I say look forward to it-I mean live for it. A few weeks ago life just got a little messed up, as life will do sometimes. All I can and will say is  children make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes can mess life's flow  up. Anyway, the beach trip was needed/desired even more. We just needed a little respite from life, the everyday, the disappointments, especially the time of year. Satan saw the need to intervene and mess things up a little more. As I was fighting an infection of my own Sam spiked a fever Saturday night on a family outing. I took him to the doctor on Sunday to see if we could nip such Satan sickness and carry on with beach plans. We left there knowing nothing, tested false for flu, was told to treat symptoms. We decided to delay departure for the beach. I figured I could take care of some things while we waited this virus from Satan out. Fever continued to climb, boy continued to deteriorate. Tuesday came with a plan to leave---Molls woke up with same symptoms, cough, cough turned to fever, and like clockwork Jake started coughing, fever spiked.
#currentsituation 3 kids down!

The decision was made that this trip wasn't going to happen. Thankfully it was offered to us so no hidden fees etc. Still!!!! Disappointed is not even the word I could describe as a feeling. All this mama wanted, needed, desired, was a short trip to relax, reflect, and enjoy my 3. School, work, life has a way of stealing time away from precious family moments. It was going to be a time to reconnect, restore and have some conversations that we needed to have. It was going to be a time to escape Holy Week and what memories are stirred up and brought up of Holy Week 6 years ago. For a few years now we've done just that...escaped TO THE BEACH.

Here's part of a text I sent to J concerning this week as he wanted to help..."sad to say but we are in the midst of all the memories right now. Think it's been kinda cruel that we've been made to stay inside as we were then. Mom bringing food, people checking in for different reason but checking in. Just the overall gloom and doom of sickness looming-even if it is just the flu this time, keeping up with a medicine log. Being bone tired from emotion. Just a walk to the mailbox as an escape today, as I did then,was hard. Not as tough as it was then or even 3 years ago-but it's still there. Not that I miss him as I use to, but the memories of his struggle, coinciding with Good Friday, Easter weekend. And then we get to live it again on the April 3rd. Just lots going on in our lives today that bring up lots of stuff as then."

 I went on to thank him for wanting to help even when he doesn't understand grief himself and how it's heavy one minute and light the next. He explained he thought he may never know how to help. He's close to us, how can I expect people that don't know us as well to even come close to understanding. Maybe that's why so many have let us down by not 'being there.' Maybe it because they just don't know how. I had the opportunity to explain to someone how 6 years may seem a long time but to my 3,most days, it seems like yesterday. It's always there. They've learned to cope with the loss, but mostly the absence. They've learned to live and be raised by a single mom, which has been put into question lately by those that don't know us at all. They've learned to cope as best they know how, one by pushing feelings way down and finding ways to escape. One by being more determined, more motivated, but not really dealing and one that clings to her mom because I'm all she's really known or had. These ways of coping aren't perfect, but it's the way they've gotten up each day, put one foot in front of the other and carried on. Carrying on is all I can ask of them. There will be mistakes, there will be trials, there will be constant let downs by people that are suppose to care for us. I will let them down. So I'm using this season, this time, down to this week to show them that our trust is in God and Him alone, man will always let you down. Satan will always try and steal your joy. Circumstances will change and disappointments will happen (ummm axed beach trips.) Sickness' will occur, sometimes flu sometimes something more serious to botch things up. People will come and go in and out of our lives, but one thing remains...Jesus and His love and goodness for us. 

While talking about how disappointed we all were to not get to go to the beach Sam speaks up and says maybe God was just protecting us from a really bad wreck, bad storm or something. He then reminded me that circumstances that swirl around us may just be a God thing as well. Gods revealing and God is guiding. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Even during spring breaks up to our knees in flu, even when people have let you down, even during the weeks of heavy grief, even in the everyday. 

He shows up and he reveals his goodness-through a friend that drops off a candle that smells like the beach because she's just been thinking of me for 2 weeks,he shows up through text from various friends and family.  He shows up through a neighbor in her new car as I walk to my mailbox and through her own experiences encourages the pants off of me--while I stand in the street. He shows up in my kids daily, despite what others may think and say. He covers us with unending grace and unending mercy, even the days I'm mad at Him for my botched beach trip;) He shows up in a tree that blooms on a deaths anniversary every year to remind me of renewal, restoration and beauty, even from death. 

He shows up in a man that prays for me, that shares his laughter with me and wants to help in the yuck of life. 

You see my 3 -even out of death, disappointments, mistakes, botched spring breaks, flu, cancer- you can find HIM. You can find the one that spoke "DeAnn, Jake, Sam, Molly" as they placed him on the cross. You need only Be Still, and it doesn't even have to be on the beach:)

Happy Holy Week.  Take a moment to reflect that He whispered your name as well. The alarm is about to go off so I can administer meds to my crew to get us through the night. One fevered foot in front of the other. Carry on. 

Here and Now

A week has passed and I'm still chewing on and digesting my experience last weekend. I was able to attend Women of Faith with a group of almost 70 women. There's something to be said about that many women leaving behind their families, responsibilities, traveling through questionable weather to a city that the mayor has asked his residents to leave. The enemy would  stop at nothing to mess up a weekend filled with praise, stories of victory, fellowship. My sister even had money on the fact that I'd back out. Thankfully, I didn't. Sorry Trace.
As I was a part of the moving sea of women bundled up with coats, gloves, scarfs, toboggans through the Marta station I thought how God must've felt about that. How delighted He must have felt watching us as we intentionally made our way to the venue,  knowing we all, in our individual-ness, needed something from this conference. I smile thinking how He already knew which speaker would have words like salve to each woman attending. How He knew which song would strike a chord in someone. How He knew that healing and hope would be found among some of those women. He must've chuckled seeing the weather not stop us, nor dampen our spirits. It's no small feat for moms, wives, to leave behind children and the responsibilities, so a victory was claimed once we all arrived safely.
I'm thankful for having the opportunity to praise my God with old friends, new friends, my blood sister and so many other sisters in Christ. Looking around and seeing so many women desperately seeking their God does something to ones heart. Putting away the everydayness to just be in the moment, to absorb a word is priceless. I'm thankful that I endured, overcame and went.
This conference also made me realize how thankful I am in the here and now of life. After hearing a few of the speakers speak Friday night, after an eventful Marta ride back we made it to our hotel. As tired as we may have been I'm sure a few had the feeling like one of the speakers or songs was meant just for them. My 3 roommates and I rehashed a bit and one spoke up and said, "wow! Each of those women has a story to tell, I just don't have a story like that." I immediately said, "Careful what you say." I remember a few years ago thinking how mundane my spiritual story was. How, if I'd been asked  to give my testimony how uninteresting and boring it would be. I remember thinking what would my story be at the end of my life.
Ahem----fast forward a few years and boy do I have a story. Not only do I have a story but I have "changed my life story." I've regretted saying, "watch what you say" since last Friday night. I should have kept my mouth closed because those words make me sound like I don't like my story. I've said before that I would have chosen a different way for a "changed my life" experience, a different way to get to experience my God. However, as time moves on and I'm able to see Gods plans in action, I'm realizing and coming to terms that my story is just that...my story. My story is Gods plan for me. He planned all that I've lived through to be 'my story.' He chose me for this path. He chose me to mother 3 fatherless children, He chose me to have to change and be the strong one. He chose me to be the main character for this unfinished story.
As the pages continue to turn I'm coming to terms in accepting and being thankful for my story. I've often said that I know people will grow tired of me telling my story, the cancer, death of a husband story, I also remember my sister TD telling me He wasn't finished with my story. So 6 years ago maybe just part of it. Big part? Yes! Only part? No! Time has a way of revealing new chapters, and I've become happy about turning the pages. The anticipation of what the next chapters hold make me smile, make me anxious, makes
me know trusting God is all I can do. He holds the pen/keyboard and even though I may not always like or understand His story for me I'm learning to trust. I told a special someone in a conversation that we've got to learn to be thankful and live in the here and now. To appreciate living in the moment. Hard words to live by. So hard not to worry about next month, next year, next 10 years. Why is it so hard to trust God when we know He planned the here and now. What about the future? Why is it so hard to turn the pages when we know He is the most perfect Author. Why do we question Him when we can flip the pages backwards and read the words of our past and we can see that His story has been perfect for us? Even when the words from past chapters bring us back to hurt, suffering, and questions-- we can see what He was doing, that His plan has always been perfect...bringing us to the here and now.
~"For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."~Isaiah 43:19
Dear God, thank you for my story. Thank you for knowing what I need, when I need it. Thank you for your perfect timing. Thank you for holding the pen that writes out my story...past, present and future. Thank you for the characters in my story that you use to fill my life. Thank you for the suffering, the joyful times. Thank you for helping me understand that You know. You know what I need when I need it. You know what characters in my story exit and enter my life. Thank you for helping me be eager to turn the pages for the future. Thank you for the pages to flip back to as to remind me how perfect your plan really is. Help me to be thankful for my here and now. In Jesus' sweet name. Amen.

This ones dedicated to you J! Thank you for my here and now.

Reconnecting

Ever had one of those days where you felt like the steps you've made forward in your journey was either detoured, halted or slowly, painfully put in reverse? Yesterday was one of those days.
Started with a early morning phone call from PawPaw(Richardson) with news that Pooh(Richardson) had been admitted back in the hospital for kidney failure. She was admitted back in December for pneumonia and they found something strange going on with her kidneys then. Now, they've had to start dialysis. Not the news you like to receive. Can I please ask for prayers for healing, peace, comfort and answers of what's causing the kidney failure.  One thing a sickness/diagnosis of a loved one  will do is put your forward movement into a giant tailspin. Questions, questions about Gods will, questions that remind you of the past.
Then, as I sat in church, listening to what the pastor is implementing to help the congregation to connect with God, conviction set in. Good ole slap you right in the face conviction. The kind that makes you squirm in your seat. Between the conviction and the bad news-church was a restless time for me.
As I sat there listening to the whys and hows of connecting/reconnecting with God I started thinking about how little or much I was connected to God right now in my life. Sad and embarrassed to say that I'm not very connected. I could list the excuses but they would all be the same ones everyone else's are-work, activities, kids, life. However, there's one excuse that I think may just be a DeAnn issue. Squirming in my pew I came to the realization that part of the reason I've distanced or have 'unconnected' myself from God is because, well, I'm scared.

Let me explain. When I think of a time I was most connected with Father, when I couldn't get enough of His Word, when praying came easy, when spending time with Him was of utmost importance -the bottom fell out. I mean fell completely entirely out-I had no bearings, nothing. But I  did have Him. Thankfully, I was connected and that connection with God was my saving grace, a life link when I had nothing else. So bear with me as I continue to explain. I thought today, 'my innermost part desires, needs to be connected back to my Father BUT my fleshy part is scared. Scared that if I become connected again, as I was, that the bottom may just fall out again. Would I be prepared? Yes. Would being connected make the bottom really fall out? Probably not but hell is hell-and I've lived through it and really didn't like it nor desire to go back. My innermost being knows what's right, what's good, what I need to do. But that fleshy being keeps whispering, "remember what happened last time? You're world stopped as you knew it. You endured a living hell."  And yes, I was prepared and ready because I was connected, I was armored up and ready to face what was next. If I'm honest with myself and with you-I don't want to have to endure the bottom falling out again. It was hard-and I'm still gaining footing in the aftermath of it all.  Saying all this,  I'm reminded of hearing myself say often, 'when the bottom fell out was when I experienced God like never before and I'm sometimes scared I'll never again experience Him quiet like that again.' So as my heart and mind begin to intertwine on the right thing, the ONLY thing there is to do I'm turning to my faith. My faith that has gotten me to this point. The faith that allowed an unexplainable, life changing perfect beautiful encounter with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Pastor Roberts said today one thing that I know is true for certain, "once you've experienced God, you'll never be the same." I know that first hand. I long for that closeness I experienced for that life changing "God is alive and He was here" experience but at the same time praying it doesn't come with the hell I've lived through. If it does? Then God help me to re-connect,  to desire the time with you, let prayers come easy again so that I'm prepared. In my quest to look forward instead of back I'm choosing to re-connect. I'd rather be connected and prepared when/if the bottom falls out again, rather than floundering and wishing I had connected when it was too late.
I've decided  to connect with my God during the times that social media usually steals from me. I've found that social media steals lots from me and adds doubt, and unnecessary worry. So in order to connect I'll be signing off for a while. I may post blogs, pictures but I won't be looking through others lives. Just not that important.
On my drive back from a sweet short visit with Pooh in Alabama yesterday, in the quietness of the car, I allowed my play list to soothe me, to guide me right back to Him, to be able to speak to Him like he was sitting next to me in the passenger seat. It was no mistake that this song came on....https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b4crRPpqoW4
Needless to say it was replayed as tears fell knowing He's just been waiting for my good ole slap in the face conviction to bring me back. I can go back to pursuing, desiring my Father and knowing, trusting that being connected doesn't always mean the worst will happen. If it does? Then  I'm in the best place...sitting at His feet, with His love protecting me. Can't ask for more than that.

Closing out 2015

Closing out

I always like to close out the current year with a few thoughts to later look back on as I welcome a new year. 2015 was good to me and my 3. We continue to survive and actually thrive. 5 years of living through and learning from grief is something we 4 should be proud of. As memories continue to fade a bit more  and grief is slowly losing it's harsh sting and grip on us, we continue to learn and grow from it all. As time slowly takes away certain things it can never take away the love, pain and suffering that makes us who we are right now.
I claimed 2015 as a time to move forward instead of constantly looking back. I think God agreed that it was a good thing, it was time. He's brought so much more healing, He's provided a job for me that I absolutely love, he's allowed me to add to my friendships with some great people I get to work with each day. He has allowed my heart to continue to mend by giving me tons of children to love on,  their sweet love and hugs are the best band-aids.
I hesitate to mention (only because I don't want to jinx it) but here goes  - God has brought joy and laughter and hope to me through a someone. 😊 As I type those words-my smile couldn't be any bigger. Laughter comes easier, days are brighter, and it's easier to look forward instead of back. Thank you.
The kids couldn't be better. Jake continues to grow upward instead of out. His sweet girlfriend has changed him for the better in some areas. He still takes out all his anger on his mom but that's ok-I'm all he has to do that on and I've been told that one day, one day he will come around and love his mama for it. Fingers crossed and prayers said.
Sam is Sam. My middle one-the one who strives to do the right thing. I hold my breath because with growth changes happen. 13 in February. He's not like his brother and hope that holds true through the changes. He makes me laugh daily, still loves his mama. Y'all his heart-his heart reminds me of his dads. Good thing, very good thing.
Molls-her growth stops me in my tracks. She is a 19 year old in a 9 year old body. She needs to stop growing.  Her smile continues to be infectious. She's my lil bestie and continues to want to stay under her mamas wing. I'm good with that because soon, like her brothers, she'll be wanting to leave my nest.
My 3 are the reason I get up, the reason I cry, and reason for my heart to continue to break and mend all at the same time. I love them with my whole being.
As 2015 has brought change, more healing and lots of joy I have to hope that 2016 brings more of the same. I continue to be thankful for what I've been through because it's given me a perspective that most don't have. It helps me appreciate people and feelings, appreciate time, and moments. All the yuck has helped me to appreciate how fast things can change and how precious people are. Learning through all this just how sweet grace and mercy truly are.
As you close out 2015 and you look back -my hope is that whatever has happened, good or bad, your perspective has been changed. That you can learn from what's happened and use it. My prayer is that 2016 is even better than the last. That God continues to plan out our days according to His will. That He continues to heal us, use us for His Glory and let others see Him through us.
Thanking Him for so much, for laughter, joy, time, new people, new experiences.
Closing out yet another year and opening up what a new one has.
Blessings to you and yours.
Happiest of New Years!

~D

Different, Strange and Good

This year, as the Christmas season has hit me square in the gut, I've realized things being different aren't always bad. Don't get me wrong, I've struggled and complained about less time to shop, less time to decorate, less time to enjoy,  just less of everything . Working full-time has allowed me to, once again, change my perspective of life and all things involved. While I do miss the time to think and shop and just be in the season I've realized that with or without time or the most perfect gifts Christmas will still arrive even if DeAnn is ready or not. As Ive listened to our 3 year olds bible story for the past few days, I've heard Mrs. Edwards remind our  11 princesses and have them echo, "Christmas is a birthday. Who's birthday? JESUS!" When they say it they say it with gusto and excitement. Just as it should be said. Clearly a reminder of how excited believers should be about this day and not the gifts, the decorations, attempting to make it all perfect. Every. Year. I struggle with being letdown because I didn't decorate as I use too, my house wasn't as clean as I'd like for it to be when company comes over, I didn't buy the perfect gifts, I didn't get my Christmas cards sent to everyone on my list. Im sure this year will be no different--Ill still have regrets, I'll still feel like I slighted someone or something.
Then there's that perspective thing. As time is scarce and things are different I'm finding that things just don't matter. As I look at my garland that decorates my mantel and see that half of the lights are not burning (literally half the garland is lit) and this is clearly not a Pinterest decor worthy mantel...I just don't care. The other half is still beautiful and in the grand scheme just doesn't matter really. Yea, yea-I may get around to fixing or adding lights then again I may not. As my shopping is more online than actually physically picking things out I'm discovering again, that it just doesn't matter-the thought is still there, time spent doing it and the same love for the person. My house is never as clean as I'd like it to be, my tree is not magazine worthy, and my b'fast casserole will probably be a lil dry again,  but this year, as the last 5ish, have all been very different. Making me realize that different is not always bad. Different changes perspective, different can be actually very good. Different is remembering this is all about the King of Kings BIRTHDAY. The very man we celebrate this time of year was very very different. Different in such a good way.
This year, whatever is different in your life, take a moment to embrace what that is. If it's the absence of someone, if it's different living arrangements, if it's a new work schedule-try to see different as good and different as a time to grow. Hard? Yes!! Just know that nothing good ever stays the same. Embrace the changes, strangeness and differences around you. Let the changes and differences surrounding you change you...for the better. Merry Christmas and remember -"Christmas is a birthday. Who's birthday? JESUS!"
Happy Birthday Jesus and thank you for being different and loving us differently.