Keeping Things Real

It’s been a bit since my last post. So many things have been going on in my personal life, and to be honest, I have just been drained. Though I started this blog as a place to share my home and decorating/party ideas, I also want to be careful to keep things real.

Though social media can be an amazing way to network, share fun ideas, and even make new friends – it can also create feelings of inadequacy, doubt, and frustration. I believe that we can all easily fall into the dangerous trap of believing that what we have isn’t enough, who we are isn’t good enough, and that everyone else’s lives are perfect but our own. This is often all based on a picture we see on Instagram, a post we read on Facebook, or a quick tweet we read on Twitter. What we all often forget, (myself included!) is that we only see what others want us to see (and others only see what we want them to see). Come on, let’s be honest, we have all taken a picture of the pretty clean spot in our house after quickly removing all of the clutter, and throwing it into another corner so that the mess doesn’t show up in the picture.

For the last two years, my life has been anything but perfect. I am a total type A planner. I plan everything out as much as I possibly can. I plan for the worst case scenario in just about every situation, and I often struggle with even letting myself think about the best case scenario because I never want to disappoint myself if/when things don’t work out. This can be draining. Some plans just don’t work out. Even worse…some things just can’t be planned for.

I worry all too often about what others think of me. The small town that I was raised in was not an easy place to grow up. We moved here when I was a kid, and as a transplant to an area where everyone seems to know each other and/or be related, things were often times just rough. It really wasn’t until college that I figured out exactly who I was, and what I wanted in life. College was where I really began to care less about what others thought about me, and more about doing what I believed was the right thing to do. I finally figured out that as long as I followed God’s calling for my life, this was all that mattered.

I still often struggle with what others think of me, but I have come a long way. I still get mad at God (often!), and I still question His plan for my life. This is something that I have really been struggling with lately. I have some really hard decisions coming up soon, and I’m praying that I will know what to do when these decisions have to be made. All of that aside though, I know that God hasn’t dropped me yet. Even in my darkest times, I have always known that He loves me. I know that God has incredible plans for me. For now, I just have to trust in His plans for my life. I have to believe that he is going to use me for something special one day. For the past two years, I have held on tight to the verse below. Some days, these words are the only thing that get me through the day.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

This week I have been decorating for spring/summer in my own home, as well as working on a few designs for clients. As some of you know, I earned a spot in the Summer Tour of Homes that, Gina, over at Shabby Creek Cottage, hosts every year (insert huge squeal – SUCH AN HONOR!). I have been plotting some cool things that I am working on, as well as finishing up a few projects that I have already started in order to get our home ready for the home tour. If you haven’t visited Gina’s blog, I highly suggest doing so. She is so fun, and works hard to keep things real on her own blog as well. I have a lot of respect for her, so hop on over and check out her blog!

Sorry that this isn’t a super fun post, but I felt the need to share a few things that I have been struggling with lately. My promise to you is that I will always do my best to keep it real. Life can be rough, and we aren’t created to do it alone. Have a prayer request you want to share? Send it my way! I would love to pray for all of my praying friends. Not a prayer? That’s totally cool too – I’m sending good vibes your way! 😉

I challenge you to find one little space this week, and make it your own using materials you already have around your house. If you follow me on Instagram, tag me so that I can see, or feel free to e-mail me your little space. I always love sharing other people’s beautiful homes as well. Remember, what makes a home beautiful is the love you put into it. Beautiful cabinets and drapes are great, but they are not what actually make a house a home at the end of the day.

I’ll leave you with a sneak peek of my favorite little space to decorate. I’m all about incorporating things I already have laying around the house. I used some of my old books to make the cute little triangular garland, and incorporated what was left of the books into the space as well. Making a space look pretty doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Sometimes, it’s amazing what you can do with things that you already have lying around your house.