So why am I hooked on hectic? Why do I look for a sign to see whether this season is going my way? It’s as if I have this cookie-cutter idea of what I expect from the holiday, and if it’s a fraction of an inch different than my expectations, I moan and marvel at how it just doesn’t seem like the way I experienced it before. Goodness, how nostalgia can tempt and trap.

Abiding in the True Vine was my lifeline, and disconnection meant a slow death.  As years went on, my circumstances shifted. Sometimes they were better, other times they were worse, but time with Him was non-negotiable. I have learned and am continuing to learn that abiding in Him has different iterations.