"Follow Your Bliss"

When I realized I would not be going home for Christmas, my heart was torn. I am not a very "traditional" person, though I have found with the holidays, family is one tradition I held tightly to. The tradition of "being home for the holidays" has been instilled in my heart throughout the years. My eyes brimmed with tears at the thought of not being home for Christmas. I found myself discouraged, disheartened, and sad. This can't be, I thought. Christmas is a time of celebration, adoration, reflection...not the time for sadness and loneliness. My Love, I need you to help me figure out what to do. I want to love you, celebrate you...how do I do that here? What does it look like here?

How can we celebrate this remarkable day together? I asked Him this question countless times in the weeks leading up to His big day. Two thoughts came to mind...making a special dinner and making a strand of truth beads. The strand would represent truths He's spoken to me in the forms of various beads and charms. The thought of making this with Him warmed my heart and made me smile, a smile that wouldn't fade.

I spent hours looking at beads and charms...finely combing through the rows and rows of beads, trinkets, and charms looking for the perfect few that would symbolize Him, and what He's whispered to my heart. After finding what I was looking for I headed to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients we had decided upon for dinner. Can you even imagine what it was we decided to make? Fish of course...parmesan crusted flounder to be exact...with baked potatoes, rice, broccoli, edemame and wine. Pies, fresh fruit and baklivah for dessert. It was going to be a meal fit for celebration and enjoyment.

Christmas Eve was beautiful...clear, sunny, and fairly warm in the 40's. Without thinking twice I put on my sweats, grabbed my iPod and headed out the door for a run. He spoke to me throughout the run of His unconditional fiery love for me. It was soothing, it was invigorating, it was perfect. I got back to the house, made up a bubble bath, grabbed a bottle of wine(called "Undone"-that's how He makes me feel is undone by His love, His presence, His life), cleaned some strawberries, grabbed some dark chocolate and the beads/charms, lit some candles and turned on music...we sang...we soaked...we drank...we ate...we created a strand of memories and truths and it was perfect.

The water cooled off and after letting water out and rewarming the bath a couple times there was no longer warm water coming out of the spout, which told me it must be time to get dinner going...I wrapped my strand of truth around my wrist, grabbed the bottle of wine and headed for the kitchen. He chuckled a few times at me...I know He did...a half bottle of wine on a near empty stomach leaves for some humorous moments when one is trying to prepare food. I whispered a few short pleas for help, I wanted the dinner to be as perfect as the day had been, and at that point cutting strawberries was a challenge...so I made a cup of coffee...ate some pretzels...drank some water...and finished the bottle of wine. Surprisingly, the coffee, water and pretzels did the trick and dinner turned out perfect...and there were no injuries of any kind I might add. We celebrated with a small handful of loved ones...we ate...we drank...we laughed...we ate some more...and yes it was perfect. He opened my heart to new truths this Christmas...when we seek Him it doesn't matter where we are or aren't...He is there. When we ask Him to be involved and to speak...He will. Why wouldn't He? He's been pursuing me all my life...I can just imagine the look on His face when, for the first time in my life, I asked Him...My Love...what are we going to do to celebrate you?

My favorite charm on the strand says "follow your bliss"...bliss is joy, happiness, love to the nth degree. To remember to follow my bliss is to remember to seek Him and follow my heart...