Bye Bye 2020
Was 2020 ever a dumpster truck fire???? Every time I think about this past year, I remind myself that I am truly living in the midst of history being made — a time that will go down in the books as one of the most historically chaotic times in our lives. So here we are, in the eye of the storm in this little blip looking out to the rest of eternity. Gosh, 2020 was so hard for so many reasons — the election nonsense, loving and losing, COVID hysteria, searching for jobs and houses in a pandemic…more than once…the list goes on. It was hard, and it is okay to feel that.
The Good Stuff
What was good in the past 365 days? At the end of January, I went to Barcelona and London right before corona took its course — Rachel and I are itching to get back out there and see the world once more. I started my job at the lobbying firm also right before corona and stayed there until July. From there, I got a job on the Presidential campaign which was historic and crazy town, but something that I needed to do and grew me in so many ways. I can’t say that I wish to work late nights and weekends again for a long while, and am emphatically basking in the work/life balance currently. I stepped away from the political arena to transition to the private sector life at a small defense contracting firm. I am so happy to be where I am now, as defense is one of the practice areas that I am most fond of within the government.
Homecoming in 2021
If you know me at all, you know that I contemplate life a lot internally (and then externalize by writing blogs lol hello). Professionally speaking, when I was unemployed for about a month in between the campaign and my current role, I truly thought I was going to have to move back home to Florida and start from scratch. I was also in a brand new living environment, which shook up a feeling of unfamiliarity and discomfort. During that time, I trusted that my friends were praying for me & even was vulnerable with new friends here. One day, I relinquished control and told the Lord, “I surrender everything to you. I want you to control.”
Boom — was hired. There was a lot of pain and uncertainty in between that…but you know what I mean. We grasp at our lives, we grasp at what we think will satisfy us. Jesus says, “No, you silly girl, allow me to show you.”
As you might recall, I read Love & Responsibility with Book Club this past year, which opened up a whole new door of amazement for the wisdom of JPII. I also learned that even with such knowledge, we will always be the Prodigal Son — returning over and over and over again to this Truth that we have once discovered. The heart wrenching pain of humanity is so alive within us, but it also provides us with such splendor when we return again to the Bridegroom saying, “Knock on my broken heart, look at me and make me new.” As I have been typing this, I have discovered that my word for 2021 will be ‘Homecoming’. Did I ever tell y’all that I am a creature of habit (sometimes perniciously, sometimes innocuously)? When I find something that I like, I cling to it until an affectionate hatred forms. Therefore, I have been listening to Rescue by Lauren Daigle on repeat for the past 5 days and this is the soundtrack to my year.
I will send out an army to find you
In the middle of the darkest night
It’s true, I will rescue you
I will never stop marching to reach you
In the middle of the hardest fight
It’s true, I will rescue you
We will come home to Him, we will return to him and see the splendor of His glory revealed to us. We will return with all that we have, even when what we have is nothing.
On a less serious note, I am excited for the coming year to collect more coffee mugs with cutesy phrases, have grass time when the sun returns, travel the world eventually, be my silly and candid self, and kill a bouquet of flowers bi-weekly for my personal enjoyment. Can someone ensure that I stop online shopping this year? My credit card is particularly irascible. Thank you for joining me on this journey of life — we are brought here together in the Year of Our Lord 2021 and it is good. What a freaking nutzo thing it is to comprehend that. I love you with the entirety of my heart. Blessins xoxo.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam | City Living
