Collin County Living Well Magazine May/June 2017 | Page 20

Live Loved—
M
Live Fearless—
Live Free
any times when people come into our
home they comment how they wish
they had a home like ours. They tell
us how beautiful our home is or share
how it makes them feel. When they
ask me if I’ll help them with their space,
I’m always happy to do that. But one of
the first secrets I share with friends or cli-
ents is the reason they love my home––its
simplicity. Walk into a space that is open
and light with a few well-appointed touch-
es and you feel good. That’s my secret
sauce—nourishing minimalism.
My home is a reflection of what I’d like the rest of my life
to look like. Unfortunately life is not always simple. Some
seasons are a struggle. Life can get chaotic, complicated,
and challenging. We’ve been in such a season. We have
aging parents who need our help transitioning to a senior
living home. My husband and I have been in the automo-
tive repair business for a number of years and found it
necessary to build a new facility. Our son started college
last year and our daughter got married. We were supposed
to be empty nesters but my daughter and son-in-love, along
with all their dogs, temporarily moved in so that we could
launch a new business. This is just the highlight reel. There
are so many new beginnings.
For a number of years we enjoyed margin in every area of
life—financial, emotional, spiritual, physical, etc. Today, I
find myself wondering, “What happened to my life?”
Here are some things I’ve learned as we’ve been in so
much transition.
1. In order to regain margin you have to remain
dependent on God. It’s the Matthew 6:33 principle.
I love the way The Passion Translation phrases
it: Treat worry as an enemy you never let into your
house. “So above all, continue to chase after God’s
kingdom-realm and His righteousness, then all these
less important things will be given to you abundantly.
Refuse to worry about tomorrow but deal with each
challenge that comes your way, one day at a time.
Tomorrow will take care of itself.” Matthew 6:33-34
2. Stay connected to people who are life giving. It is
easy to grow weary and isolate. It’s also easy to find
people who would like to just commiserate. But when
we surround ourselves with people who cheer us on
and cheer us up, we’ll stay encouraged.
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COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MAY/JUNE 2017