What is more refreshing, physically as well as SPIRITUALLY, than a Women's Retreat! I spent this past weekend refreshing in the Spirit at Veronica Joy Ministries annual Women's Retreat! Nestled in the hills of Calabasas, right down the road from Malibu Beach in Southern California!
What TIME is it??? It's time to get these JOURNEYS started again!!
What a JOURNEY it has been. Most of you know my craft studio my husband loving built for me, inside our BEAUTIFUL metal barn burned down in February. I posted a blog about it, and about how GRACIOUS so many fellow crafters have been. There is a long road ahead, but it's time to start taking baby steps.
Thank you all for your kind words, heartfelt thoughts and overwhelming generousity.
The Bible tells us that we should have 'joy' in the midst of our trials. Joy is not the same as 'happiness'. Happiness is proportionate to your surroundings, 'earthly' happiness. It comes when things are good and goes with the situations change. It's temporary. But the JOY we find through Christ can't be shaken unless we 'choose' to let it be. I 'choose' joy. I took this picture this week, digging through the rubble of my burned down craft studio. Twenty-six years of collecting my 'FAVORITE' craft products, the new stamp I just couldn't live without. The new tool that would make my life AMAZING! Each purchase brought me 'happiness'. Temporary happiness, because the next scroll through Pinterest or Facebook just found my NEW form of happiness... an even better, brighter crafting product. The last 'must have' item, just sat on the crafting table, or maybe shoved in a drawer, not even used. Forgotten.
Friends, I don't even know where to begin. In between the rollercoaster emotions I am trying to gather my thoughts, so I can share the story of beautiful metal barn and a 'dream come true' craft studio. Then explain the loss after a barn fire destroyed absolutely everything I had accumulated in my craft studio over the last thirty years. The saddest part, is my insurance company ONLY includes the structure of the barn. No personal items.
