Whether you are humming Santa Claus is Comin to Town while a batch of homemade Christmas cookies bake in the oven or you are struggling to muster the strength just to take a shower, I honor you. Times remain uncertain, and you have done oh so many hard things in 2020. Finding New Depths of Hope No Matter What the Holidays Hold picks up where reflections from a few Decembers ago left off. Writing about mystical matters is a challenge, but I hope in this imperfect attempt, you’ll somehow be reminded of your utter belovedness.
Finding New Depths of Hope No Matter What the Holidays Hold
Today was filled with beauty as my husband and I spent it with our best friends. We reflected on the highs and lows of the year, expressed awe at how much anguish and healing happened. It has been a doozy.
Here’s the thing. Whether your days are colored with wellth, illness, addiction, recovery, grief, joy, divorce, success, failure, or betrayal, I stand with you. I honor your journey.
I’m just like you. Struggling too. Muddling through. And seeking transformation to become new.
The holidays pose a challenge to feel peaceful for plenty of folks. Even if you focus on the holiness of the birth of Christ with an open heart and are grateful for His teachings and your blessings, the consequences of 2020 may still overwhelm.
How do we recover our bearings and calm? I find I must slow down enough to notice how the reason for the season–the Christmas story–is also my story, right where I am.
It’s a story of incarnation and transformation.
(These before/afters prove our home’s story is also about transformation!)
As I slowly grow, what I sense is a deeper level of Christmas hope and peace within the mystery.
Peace which meets me just as I am in the dark lowly stable of my depravity. In the dark night of my circumstances, new hope rises as I consider how the Light of the world sees me during this holy season.
That Light somehow deems me a worthy home for royalty.
Oh what transforming light beams from THE RADIANT GLANCE OF MERCY.
It’s always beaming, and when life’s complexity distracts me from the radiance, then I must seek the grace to find it again.
Unlike 21st century DIY whole-house renovation, the mysterious mechanics of interior transformation and whole-making are beyond me.
I only know I sense a trustworthy energy feeding me from a lighter realm and somehow holding everything in the cosmos together.
Let’s face it. Most days, the eyes of my heart are closed, and where I remain in my head and ego, I cannot see the everlasting. Thank God each new day is a chance to awaken and transform. To become still enough to surrender thoughts, judgment, and mental chatter in an emptying of self.
The soul opens, and deeper sight suddenly becomes possible.
I express this not with certainty, but in pure wonder:
a heart can become Bethlehem where something new may be born.
Heartfulness is a word I love; I learned it along the wisdom path from teachers Cynthia Bourgeault and Matthew Wright.
Cultivating heartfulness is one of the most meaningful pursuits I know and involves aligning with qualities like sweetness and gentleness.
It blossoms with faith, trust, and spiritual practices such as meditation, silence, solitude, and daily rhythms.
A sacred rhythm in my own daily life has helped me cultivate heartfulness for decades, and it’s as simple as…
Sweeping the floor prayerfully. Whether it’s your floor or someone else’s, to be alone in the room with a broom is all that is required.
I allow the rhythm and tender sway of dust and crumb to have its way, and as I work in stillness, the task transcends simply sweeping.
Indeed I am preparing room in my heart for heaven and nature to sing. Tears often arrive, and I allow them to cleanse what requires cleansing.
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room
How to honor the deeper, divine fullness of CHRISTMAS? Ilia Delio helps me find the vocabulary and heartspace…listen to her wisdom here:
I share this vulnerable territory with a tender heart
prone to feeling residual pain as an empath during the holidays,
But heart pain can be transformed!
Rather than numbing, repressing, or transmitting pain (hurt, anger, betrayal, sadness, disappointment, shame…),
I long to surrender it.
I long to place it near the manger,
alongside Frankincense and Myrrh,
under the Christmas blessing of faith and truth.
I long to meet and reflect
that Radiant Glance of Mercy
shining like a Star in the East,
awakening my soul to beauty and
reminding me of who I am (love) and to whom I belong (Love).
It’s as if I must keep relearning the depth, intimacy, and sublime privilege of greeting the divine with a soulful
HELLO, LOVELY.
**********
You’re so lovely. This community has upheld me and my family through a devastating year, and I’m forever grateful.
With 6 days til Christmas, I will be praying for each of you, asking for strength, comfort, and supernatural resilience to cover you and bless your soul. I’m with you.
Sending hope and…
peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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Michele this is such a beautiful post. So many struggle during the holidays and it is a beautiful message to share that they are not alone. I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas surrounded by the love of your family and friends and the love and peace of Jesus.
Author
Thanks, Elizabeth. I know it’s a bit of a melancholic, heavy sort of post so I appreciate the kind words. 🙂
Beautifully written, Michele! This is such an inspirational piece.
Author
Thanks for reading, PJ. Peace to you.
This is such a beautifully written post and echos some of the feelings I’ve experienced in Christmases past. This year is different as we are moving and not decorating and my home is nearly bare. As I wrote to a friend last night, I think that in the simplicity I might sense His Presence more this year than any other.
I don’t know where you’ve been Hello Lovely, or why I’ve never seen this blog before but I can’t wait to read more. I can tell I’m going to love it!
Thank you and have a blessed holiday season.
Patti
Author
Thank you for finding me and adding so much beauty to this post, Patricia. So happy to hear you are sensing His Presence in the simplicity, and I think I know just what you mean. Peace to you, new friend. 🙂
Beautifully and wonderfully put.
Author
Thanks so much for reading and for your kindness, Alice. Peace to you. 🙂
Beautiful, Michele. I love the thought of transforming heart pain by placing it near the manger! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Author
Thank you for reading with such a lovely heart, Kathy. Merry Christmas to you and yours! 🙂
You have such a beautiful way with words my friend! Know that you’re not the only one feeling overwhelmed in TJ Maxx. It’s hard to measure up to the holiday ads I see on TV. My life isn’t that perfect ? But Bethlehem IS in our hearts and the light ALWAYS overcomes the darkness. xoxoxo
Author
It is so comforting to feel joined, and I honor you for doing this for me. Thanks for being a radiant source of light and encouragement, friend. xox
Thank you for sharing your heart. I pray peace of our Savior Jesus for you during this season. I have always loved Christmas although because the passing of our oldest son several years ago I found it so difficult. Even though our holidays will be forever missing the one who is no longer with us, I have once again found the joy in the birth of our Lord. Having 2 little Grand boys helps with the joy as well! Peace to all your readers.
Author
Thank you for the loveliness of your vulnerability, Kristin. Thinking of you this very moment and praying that love will meet you just where you are in your grief and loss. I’m so encouraged by your words “once again found the joy in the birth” which is so life-giving and beautiful. So happy your grandchildren shine so much light in your darkness and sending peace to you and yours. 🙂
Oh my, you are richly blessed. God created you to do exactly what you are doing. Thank you for your honesty and for allowing the love of God to flow through you to others.
May we all feel His glory and love during this Christmas season.
Blessings to you and your family.
Susan in MT (wintering in AZ)
Author
What kind words to share. I receive them as a precious gift, Susan. Peace and love to you, friend.
What a beautiful heart and soul you possess. And, how lucky we all are to gain inspiration from you. I tend to feel sadness at Christmas because I lost my mother December 27 of 2004. I still feel the sadness during the holidays after all this time. However, I try to remind myself how truly blessed I am, especially when I see all the devastation in California amid the fires. Thank you for reminding me once again of my blessings, of which I count you as one.
Author
Thank you for adding to the beauty by sharing your loss, Rhonda. Each Christmas I feel compelled to reach out to those who may have mixed feelings about the season – the emotions and excitement trigger painful memories in many of us and can cause us to feel alienated. I hope I can offer reminders and comfort that even though despair may be stirred up, we are NOT our feelings or thoughts, we are lovely souls experiencing them and need not feel shamed or damaged because of them. I am so grateful to have you following and uplifting me with your encouragement and light. xox
What a beautiful post. Merry Christmas to you. And thank you.
Author
Thanks so much for reading and for your kindness. Merry Christmas, friend. 🙂
Simply beautiful, Michele. You have a way of blessing others with your words of inspiration and encouragement. May you and yours feel the Peace of His Presence this season and all through the year. Blessings to you.
Author
Thanks for your kind encouragement, Karen. Peace to you, and thank you for reading. xox
Thank you for your beautiful post. Blessings to you and your family.
Author
Merci beaucoup – peace to you and yours this Christmas.
Your generosity of spirit and love of beauty and grace is so calming and uplifting. Thank you for all you have done for your readers throughout this crazy year, while in the midst of your own turmoil. Wishing you and your family a wonderful year, filled with peace, improved health and respite from the storms. Blessings to you and yours.
Author
What a blessing your words are as they add beauty here and to my heart. Thank you for all of the support and encouragement. So grateful. xox
Hi Michele, your words are so beautiful and tender. You touch everyone in your path❤️
God bless you and your family this Christmas 🙏
XOXO
Author
Thank you, Holly. Thank you for the lovely Christmas card and another year of friendship. It is such a pleasure to watch you on your artful journey and connect across the miles. Peace to you and Ron, and cheers to 2021!