Some sweet assurance and a survival guide

When it is hard to make sense of all you lost and all you missed, the beautiful thing is...you don’t have to. Instead, you can focus on this new day that has just been given to you, and rest in sweet assurance, that even in the little things, Light is still pouring through.🛋
~Morgan Harper Nichols

I will be working a lot over the next few months. I was in a store yesterday and it started, the Christmas season was here, the craziness has begun! Then at that moment I realized that I will be working black Friday!

I have always managed to avoid that day, really all of my life! We usually walk outdoors or visit friends.

I love lights and natural Christmas decorations not the gaudy stuff in the stores, its just a personal preference. I'm not a scrooge, but i am not a big fan of some of the mainstream Christmas music ethier. There are a few of them that I like but a lot of it that plays in stores just adds to the stress.


I do like Christmas and all the feels that come with it. Snow days, candles, peaceful nights and a cozy fireplace with beautifully lit up churches singing Christmas carols all around the world. We usually have tamales at our house and other goodies made once a year. I do believe that you can make beautiful things for Christmas out of nature, fresh tropical flowers, branches, shells, lights and a lot of glitter! I usually put colored lights on one thing but the rest is white and soft amber. This helps a lot during those dark winter days. The light shines more brightly in the dark anyways!

My company starts tomorrow and with my mother sick, my job, cooking and entertaining company I thought I would take measures for self care, rest, exercise and having the right attitude in me to get me through the next few months. :) Really just to focus on what this season is all about, the birth of Christ, gratitude, joy to the world, love with family and friends and of course...
peace on earth good will toward men.


God loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.

For God so loved the world 
that he gave his one and only Son, 
that whoever believes in him shall not perish 
but have eternal life. 
John 3;16

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 63:3-4

In a nutshell, why is it so hard not to get stressed out this time of year?

By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8

 “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy

I gathered a collection of songs, verses and pictures, many of the songs have finger picking as Im learning the Ukulele. to put in this room ⬜, space, post, for a retreat from the day. They are a little on the calming side and I hope that you like them too if stress during this time of year is an issue with you too. Feel free to suggest new songs to me, to add to the "retreat room during the next few months in the comments below and we can survive this together. :)

"The Caregiver" oil on mini canvas

Praying for California and for all the fires to stop.  I grew up in Southern California and  lived outside of Malibu in Pacific Palisades in my very early years and  I have memories of my Father on the roof with a hose because of wildfires that were getting close.
⍆ It is a beautiful place and lovely people. ⍅

There is no better survival guide then the Bible.  

God's word is a brightly lit lamp under our feet. 

Come sit down, and take a breath and visit awhile. I don't mind how many times you come. ♫ I will be adding to this list. 🛋

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” -Anne Lamott

About midnight Paul and Silas 
were praying and singing hymns to God, 
and the other prisoners were listening to them.
 Acts 16:25 

I am doing a little better on my new ukulele. I have learned about five chords now and I am practicing my fingerpicking.  I still have a long way to go, but I am hopeful that it will actually sound like music someday. ;)


Verified account

A little collection of "calming" songs to fill this room here, find the cds for yourself of some of your favorites this Christmas.

Welcome · Big Daddy Weave

Once and for all- Lauren Daigle

Morgan Harper Nichols - Storyteller

Water And Dust - Cory Asbury

Lauren Daigle - Everything

Your Love is Extravagant - Casting Crowns

Danny Gokey - Give Me Jesus

Salt & Light - Lauren Daigle

Christmas Must Be Tonight-The Band

Danny Gokey - O Holy Night

 Hawaii Acoustic Ukulele

A Hallelujah Christmas- Cloverton

Endless Alleluia- Cory Asbury

I Will Be Here - Steven Curtis Chapman

Born Again- Cory Asbury

Cloverton - God Help Me to Be

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. 

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:46-47

“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” -Unknown

Donate for gifts this year, there are many beautiful things in the World Vision catalog for Christmas and doing a good thing for a child in need will change your heart too! https://donate.worldvision.org/giftcatalog

Sponsoring a child is one of the most effective ways of tackling poverty ♡  https://www.worldvision.org/sponsor-a-child?campaign=226220126

Photo credit/World Vision. #shinebright #giftcatalog