Every Season
Ecclesiastes 3 has always been somewhat of a touchstone passage for me. When things seem to be crumbling I try to remind myself that it is just a season and things will get better. It can be hard to stay positive when it seems like the troubles keep coming one after another. In fact it becomes incredibly easy to start going backwards and list out every thing that has gone wrong in the past year, two years, even five years.
They say when it rains it pours and that was certainly been true for me this past month. A few weeks ago as I doubled over in pain from a kidney stone, I found myself explaining multiple times that 'no, it wasn't possible I was pregnant because I miscarried less than a week ago'. There were other small things going wrong around me as well and I truly felt as though I was being clubbed again and again.
“For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.”
Ecclesiastes 3 has always been somewhat of a touchstone passage for me. When things seem to be crumbling around me, I try to remind myself that it is just a season and things will get better. It can be hard to stay positive when it seems like troubles keep coming one after another. In fact it becomes incredibly easy to start going backwards and listing out every thing that has gone wrong in the past year, two years, even five years.
About six weeks ago I was at a Holiday Market Event with lots of family and friends. It was one of my bigger events this fall and it went really well. Towards the end of the day my 'graceful' tendencies showed out and I spilled a container full of gemstones all over the floor. It wasn't just any container. It was my container of gemstone chips; carefully curated and separated into "seasons" for my Tree of Life designs. We all worked together to gather the stones and put them in one large bag. As I put the bag away I noticed how beautiful the mixture of colors really was. In the moment I knew this was one of those things that would mean something later.
I pulled that bag of stones out almost a month ago now and decided they would look really nice set against some copper wire. As I wore my new favorite design, slowly & softly it started speaking to me.
This season of life that I am in feels as though it is lasting forever. Moments like the one I had in the ER a couple of days before Thanksgiving are particularly hard to swallow when it seems there is no end in sight. A container of spilled gemstones reminded me though, that it's only when all of these "seasons" are blended together that we will see the beautiful picture God is painting with our lives.
My story isn't over yet. This really hard, really difficult season is just a piece of it. Without this barren winter the finished product wouldn't be nearly as beautiful. I may not know what the end of my story looks like, but I do know that these years of seeming desperation will only make it that much more beautiful.
The Carolina Collection
In South Carolina we love college football & our state flag! This Collection really steps up your game day outfit! You are going to be showing these off to all our your friends. Even better, you can personalize them for no extra charge!
So last fall my friend and fellow creative Jim Stephens, from 292 Sparcon at Home, came to me about a collaboration. Jim does a lot of laser engraving and wooden cutouts. I've bought so many things from him that I just love, including my market signage. He threw out some really fun ideas and we decided to touch base after the holidays. Now ya'll know I have to sit on things and let them roll around in my head sometimes. This was no exception. I thought his ideas were awesome, but could I pull it off? Would it fit with my style? This spring he brought me the first handful of prototypes and his wife Nancy asked me to work up a few necklaces for her. Once I got my hands on them and started playing with gemstones I was sold! These wooden pendants are such a unique, natural design element & I can't get enough! Now that I see how these wooden elements can fit into my designs Jim is going to get sick of my e-mails!
I can't wait for you to see all the unique designs that come out of this collaboration but first, let's serve an immediate need. In South Carolina we love college football & our state flag! If you are like me I always end up in the same t-shirts on game day and if I sport any themed jewelry it's often cheap and plastic because I've never found anything nice that I've fallen in love with. This Collection really steps it up! You are going to be showing these off to all our your friends. Even better, you can personalize them for no extra charge!
It's the South! You have College Football and Initials. What else do you need?
(A Koozie. I didn't make a koozie, sorry ya'll.)
All Carolina Collection Designs are now listed online and available in stores!
Mother: v. to raise or protect
Mothering isn't solely reserved for the women that gave birth to a child. Even those of us with wonderful mothers also have a village of women and men who impacted our lives and raised us up to be who we are.
I am so fortunate to have a wonderful mom. She has always been my biggest supporter while remaining a voice of reason when I get ahead of myself. As an adult I can say without reservation that she is truly one of my best friends. I want her opinion anytime I'm making a big decision, or even a small one. We talk almost every day. I pray that I have the same positive influence on my own children one day.
I'm blessed beyond measure by family, but I'm also very aware that not everyone is. Some have lost their mothers to death or circumstances beyond their control. Some never had an opportunity to know their mothers. Many of us remember the children who made us mothers, but are no longer here. Mother's Day can be really tough for so many people, myself included.
But on these occasions that bring out that ache in our lives, it is important to remember that not all family is created by blood. Mothering isn't solely reserved for the women that gave birth to a child. Even those of us with wonderful mothers also have a village of women and men who impacted our lives and raised us up to be who we are.
I would love to challenge you to reach out to those people in your life who have raised you up in difficult times and encouraged your dreams. Tell them the impact they've had on shaping your life. Imagine the impact you could have just by saying, "Thank you for loving me so well."
Blessings
From the moment I began designing James's Joy I started thinking of other scriptures and songs that inspired me and I decided that I would create a special line for these designs. This Blessings Necklace is the second in that collection.
Shortly after we learned about James's encephalocele my sister sent me a playlist of songs that she thought would encourage me. One of those was Blessings by Laura Story. This was the song that I played anytime I found myself alone and needing comfort. The lyrics were so true where they said, "what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near". I've grown up in a christian family and I've had a relationship with God for the vast majority of my years on this earth. Still, I have never felt God's nearness the way I have this year. I've grown stronger in my faith and I honestly feel this experience is making me a better person than before.
Let me pause here to say something important. It is so easy to say "everything happens for a reason" when we don't know what else to say. However, I simply don't believe that there was a reason my son had to die. I believe that God created a perfect world that became imperfect through disobedience. I believe that the human race has continued to sin and make bad decisions since the beginning of time and that has perpetuated the fact that bad things happen. God doesn't cause the heartache in our lives; He sees it coming and prepares us for it. When tragedy strikes and we call out to Him; He will answer us. Sometimes He gives us a miracle. Sometimes He uses the pain and heartache - if we let Him - to shape us and give us blessings we never imagined.
Chapter 5 in the Gospel of Matthew is familiar to most of us. We quote it often to remind ourselves that life won't always be easy, but God uses those circumstances to bless our lives.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5: 3-10 NIV
One of the many blessings we have received is the courage for me to change directions with my career. Instead of working full time and creating on the side, I now work part time to focus on building my business with the goal of eventually being a work from home mom. From the moment I began designing James's Joy I started to think of other scriptures and songs that inspired me and I decided that I would create a special line for these designs. This Blessings necklace is the second in that collection. A beautiful little reminder that sometimes His "blessings come through raindrops".
What if Your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You're near? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
Blessings, Laura Story
You can find this and other Inspired designs in my shop HERE.