In The Midst...

I make it a point to sit in my little family room to eat dinner. It is one of the few moments daily that I slow down, am fully present and enjoy. I also do that so I am eating at a table without clutter, without technology (although sometimes I cheat on that), even without a book. Sometimes I struggle with finding the joy in eating alone. But today, as I looked around this little room, I discovered something very important.

In this little room with brick walls and a wood burning stove, hang antlers from the deer my Dad shot many moons ago. There is the Christmas tree with the first ornaments I bought as a newlywed in 1980. There is the ornament I crocheted when I was pregnant in 1983. There is a mistletoe ornament. One doesn't take chances missing out on kisses under the mistletoe. But there is more. There is a board salvaged from the junk pile behind a flower shop I managed. It's been repurposed into a sign that says Together Is A Wonderful Place To Be on one side, and Believe on the other. Painted with love by a friend I had the privilege of working with. There is a old barn door I bought with another flower shop friend at a one-of-a kind sale. One of us was going home with that door, I was the lucky one. There is the collage of pictures from my rural home of sunsets, storm clouds and the creek. There is the winter picture painted in a class with the women's group from my little village of 42. It says All Is Calm, All Is Bright. Nothing in my life was calm or bright at that time. There are pointer pictures I collected over the years, finally hung in a gallery setting. There is the metal pointer silhouette gifted from a friend in Canada. There is the perfect chair I found at the GoodWill, because I am a thrift store kinda gal. There is so much past and present in that room. So many answered prayers. So many memories of life, family/friends and love.

I discovered I am not alone at all in that room. In the midst of all the busyness. In the midst of viruses, fear, stress and worry. In the midst of lost dreams and answered prayers I am surrounded by love. In the midst of this season of life, whatever it consists of, may you be surrounded by love. May you Believe. Look past the messes, the challenges, and see the blessings. The truth is that you are not alone. And...You are oh so loved.