How To Live Out – Forward Paced Faith & Two Ways To Level Up the Cozy Factor In Your Home

Almost nine months.

Almost nine full months of pandemic life.

Like a baby in the womb…we have grown over the last nine months.

And now?

We want to come out of the dark.

And as much as we feel ready to be delivered from this isolating, dark season. Blink our eyes at the bright new lights of post pandemic life freedom and feel new energy around us…the cues around us are signaling otherwise.

We are not there yet.

It seems even we are bracing for a fresh wave of new grief.

Grief we haven’t entirely processed yet. In the form of a smaller, quieter, far different holiday season. One without the boisterous hugs of reunion, squished around crowded holiday dinner tables, elbow to elbow with our special people.

“Fresh grief can trigger us back to the beginning of despair or it can trigger us to Thanksgiving for the tenderness tucked inside the wrinkled hearts of change.

Heather Krout

You know that saying?

“Stay close to the people who feel like sunshine.”

Well…I see you friend.

Grieving because this pandemic life has left you isolated from some of the important people in your life who feel like sunshine.

And?

I want to encourage you.

That in this marathon, inside this deep testing of our soul endurance?

That staying close to the One who actually makes the sun shine…will not only strengthen your trust muscles, but will train our hearts toward thanksgiving with every single step of this forward is a pace faith walk we are in together.

At the end of the day…we must synch up with knowing our personal capacity.

We know by now…that our mental health is at stake just as much, if not more as our physical health.

We are human and we are under many significant stresses.

So, we must take care.

We must trust our instincts.

And? We must train our eyes to see the good…however camouflaged as it may be.

Just last night, Shawn and I took a trail walk, just the two of us.

Fresh air is my soul food.

It was just before 5 pm which Shawn refers to as “the magic hour” in the woods.

The time when all the animals come out to play.

He is right.

Fresh grief can wet our eyes and blur our vision…it is ok.

Fresh grief can make it hard to want to show up…it is ok.

Fresh grief can keep us down for a day…it is ok.

And?

Fresh grief can train us to look more closely at the bigger picture.

Fresh grief can teach us, there is still so much good, however we miss it – if we aren’t looking.

Fresh grief can trigger us toward resilience…to blink our wet eyes back so that we can see what is right in front of us.

Fresh grief can lead us to a heart of Thanksgiving for beauty tucked behind all of the hard.

Camouflaged?

Maybe.

It is LOUD out there.

But friend…we have something…someone to be grateful for even after nearly 9 months of pandemic life.

We have a Deliverer.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

He is the One who makes the sun rise.

He is the one who makes the sun set.

He is the One who makes the sun shine…

stay close friend.

Stay close.

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”

psalm 11:3 NIV

And while you are staying close to the One who can make our paths straight?

I am going to dish up some ways to make your nest cozy too…in the waiting.

One thing I know is that my mental health is cared for when I make the spaces I spend time in not only look pretty…but more importantly?

Make your heart feel good.

I don’t like to create sterile looking spaces just for scrolling pleasure. I like to create spaces I want to spend time in with a cup of coffee, good book and listen to soft Christmas music playing in the background.

And so?

Here are TWO SPACES

I have “cozy-styled” this week that might inspire you.

1.) I brought the Christmas cozy UPSTAIRS.

And you know what?

Now, when I walk up the stairs at night…I already feel my mood shift to a happier place because I know I am about to be greeted into a space where twinkle lights dance.

Don’t you love the winter white pom-pom pillows?

They are from Amazon for $17.99 for two!

Can you believe it?

They come in a bazillion other colors too.

I will link them here.

It appears someone else enjoys the heart lifting glow of twinkle lights and soft blankets. 🙂

While we are on the topic of pillows.

Here is another set of two I ordered from Amazon for $17.99 for downstairs.

The snowflake pillow covers also come in a bunch of different colors. I plan on leaving them out through February.

You can see them on Amazon here.

2.) I brought the Christmas cozy OUTSIDE.

Earlier this week, we moved the entire outdoor dining and Summer furniture off and away from the main area of the patio.

We usually leave the table out where it always sits and simply cover it over.

We have never moved the table off to the side.

Guess what?

Simply clearing away the table and chairs was a game-changer.

As soon as this space was empty for the first time in forever…I immediately felt like it was a dance floor.

So I grabbed the closest partner and twirled to Christmas music.

Eve caught me without me even knowing it…and now?

I am glad she did.

Because friends…this moment was a heart lifter in the forward is a pace faith marathon…and I needed it.

Cleared away patio furniture gave birth to a new space for dancing…and for sitting…for reflecting.

I moved these Adirondack chairs that always sit by the fire pit and instead gave them a new spot.

Centered right under the patio lights…where our table used to take up the center stage spot.

Not any more.

This spot right here?

It’s my new favorite.

Last night, I bundled up and sat outside and stared up at the clear night sky.

I breathed in a moment of Thanksgiving.

Clearing away the furniture that always sat here.

Looking at a space in a fresh way with what was camouflaged in what “always has been” – gave birth to fresh waves of gratitude.

And?

Delivered a new space to enjoy…holding potential for many quiet evenings to sit and stir up new moments to be grateful.

It didn’t cost a penny.

And…it showed me this new view too.

Outside…looking in.

It’s easy to overlook what is right under our noses when we are INSIDE of it all. Victim to the trapping of being too close to the forest you don’t see the trees.

Oh may we see the beauty we are so close to.

The tiny moments…that when strung together make up every inch of ground covered in the last nine months of this forward pace faith marathon.

Let us not lose sight of how far we have come.

Let us no grow weary in uncovering moments to be thankful for clothed in the camouflage of chaos.

Friend, may you and yours be well this week of Thanksgiving…and may you experience a spirit of refreshment…as heaven and nature sing loud enough for us all to hear.

A Thanksgiving Blessing from my heart to yours…

May God touch your tired heart and breathe renewal into your worn down weary way. May you uncover a new view offering fresh spaces in your heart for gratitude to grow.

May you know that your God is faithful. He will never leave or forsake you and He is with you always. Even when you do not see Him in plain sight.

May you be overcome with a spirit of thankfulness for how far you have come in His strength and may you be encouraged that with God there is nothing wasted. In the days that have past and the new days ahead.

May you rest in the peace that God is hemming you in, shoring up your sides and binding up your wounds with His healing love.

May you stay close to the One who makes the sun shine and may the ones you are with feel His rays of light.

Amen.

Living on a prayer,

Heather