Last week I shared some BIG news, some exciting news.
In case you missed the BIG announcement, you can read about it here.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the amazing responses our family has received on this new season, this step of faith, this act of obedience towards what we feel God is calling me to step out in.
This new chapter.
I have been overwhelmed with the incredible reception of “Home with Heather” interior styling services is experiencing.
I am so excited to connect and serve you and your family by creating comfortable, cozy spaces you feel warmly connected to and love.
Thank you for inviting me into your homes!
The emotions that go along with new beginnings are REAL.
Happiness, joy, vulnerability, nervous excitement, idea bursting brain power surges along with a little bit of tired from the tossing waves of heart touches that go along with anything you prepare to pour your heart into.
Lots of feelings.
I think that is why I connected so much with the documentary our entire family watched yesterday during a snow day off from school and work.
Have you seen “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix yet?
It is truly amazing and perfect for children and adults alike. Our daughters are ages 11, 9 and 7 and loved it as much as Shawn and I did. You can watch the trailer here.
At one point the filmmaker describes his daily dives into the ocean to visit an octopus he has encountered as swimming through a “liquid forest.“
Liquid Forest.
Do you feel like what we have been living inside of over the last almost year could be described as a liquid forest?
The ever changing protocols, policies, procedures, politics, pandemic…all feel very LIQUID to me. Always moving, always changing, never quite the same one day to the next.
Hard to predict, hard to hold still, hard to stand on.
All creating a feeling that we are navigating our way through a forever forest that keeps tucking the branches lower and lower inside, never quite catching a glimpse of the real clearing.
Yet, as we have adapted to this liquid forest over the last year, we have become more keenly aware of our immediate surroundings.
What works for us and what doesn’t work for us.
What our families need more of.
What we can do without.
The filmmaker explains in his documentary of visiting the sea forest and octopus daily that he becomes more acutely aware of the every day changes, details and intricacies that make up the liquid landscape.
And?
I think, we too have become more distinctly aware of our personal surroundings over the last year during this forced closeup view of our routines, homes and families.
This daily forging in the forest, noticing the everyday makeup of our lives that we may have hurried past before, perhaps forced our hands at times or left the choices clearly on the table for us to make needed changes in our lives.
For me?
Living in this liquid forest of change gently bubbled a loudness to the surface that was hard to ignore.
The Octopus Teacher wraps his year-long experience by summing it up like this:
“What she taught me was, to feel that you are part of this place, not a visitor.
That is a huge difference.”
My Octopus teacher
I don’t know about you…but I do not want to be a visitor in my own life.
I want to be an ever present, connected part of this place, these people, this season, fully engaged in whatever God is leading me into.
I think in order to do that for myself, there is a progressive letting go process that takes place.
I am reminded of a quote that spoke to me almost one year ago when I stepped out to do a new thing and wrote my very first blog post ever.
It is this:
“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything.
Maybe it’s about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.”
Paul Coelho
A shedding process is how this feels to me.
A shedding of a layer or layers that we think is protecting us but if we look at the small every day intricacies it could actually be inhibiting us to be fully connected to this place and space of time…and even scarier? Keeping us stuck and held back from what God has set aside just for you.
The filmmaker shared in the beginning of the documentary that he instinctively knew to NOT wear a wetsuit during his daily dives in the very, very cold water.
The reason?
He wanted to give himself the best chance at feeling a part of the place he went to every day and any type of wetsuit would have been one more layer of barrier that would inhibit his personal experience inside the liquid forest.
This explanation of his choice makes me think about the layers and layers we hold up, wrap up and step inside of in an effort to protect ourselves from getting hurt.
Maybe even…feeling TOO MUCH.
In actuality I think we are most safe when we lay all the armor down and step into living inside His will.
It may make you feel unarmed, unscripted, un-insulated.
But I am learning that the version of ourselves that God can do His best work inside of?
It is the raw original version He created in the first place.
In other words?
No wetsuit friend.
Living INSIDE His will and the unique God-breathed canvas He designed for each of us gives us the best chance to not be a visitor in our own story…but a part of this place and this time He has put you in.
And friend…I get it.
If you are going through change and navigating the new, or if you are stuck in ground hog day drowning of the daily doldrums…or maybe a blend of both (raising my hand here) it can be exhausting and overwhelming.
I am reminded of my favorite yoga teacher’s words:
“Come back to your breath.”
Michelle M.
Breathe friend. You are not alone.
God doesn’t expect us to grow spiritually on our own, or to figure out His plan for our lives on our own.
When we let go and grant ourselves permission to show up imperfectly and seek Him in our own skin, however scary as it may feel…
We are giving ourselves the best chance to connect with the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and find our next step footing.
And?
INSIDE of that daily surrender of showing up without our worldly wetsuit of accomplishments, resumes and personal agendas?
We unleash God’s Holy power to go to work within our liquid landscape.
May it be so friend.
“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
2 corinthians 12:9 nlt
Father God,
Thank you for your Word that it is alive and breathing and gives us instruction for how to live our lives.
Thank you for how you have led us all this far.
My heart is open Lord. Help us to trust in you with our whole hearts.
Please continue to lead each of us inside your will along the path you have set out for us individually.
I praise you Lord for you are worthy of praise.
Amen.
Living on a prayer,
Heather
PS – Want to talk to God but don’t know what to say or how to start?
Listen to this song.
Close your eyes, let it be your liquid prayer up to Him.
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