Learning to Dance in the Rain...

Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved gifting - it's one of my love languages. I would always enjoy putting my pennies into the charity swirly whirl y machines and watch the money spiral round and round as it went into the deep black pit at the bottom.  As I grew older, I would always want to buy my mum a little something if I went out to the shops, it was often flowers. When I was around thirteen or fourteen, a new gift shop on our local high street emerged and this was when I found my absolute love of gift shops. I adore a trinket or two and if we ever spot one, much to my husbands dismay, I just have to go in and have a little scoot around.

When my eldest daughter was in nursery school a mum friend of mine, now one of my best friends, had opened an online gift store and home selling parties were organised, of course I held one at my home, as well as attending craft stalls. I had offered my time to be a helping hand as and when was needed, so one evening I went along to a Christmas craft stall as the helper. It was absolutely freezing, we were in a barn on a National Trust estate in Stafford shire, and I hadn't realised it would be quite so cold. My friend asked if I was warm enough, to which I lied, "Yes, yes I'm fine". My desire to look nice whilst dwelling amongst the beautiful things outweighed my thought process about the need to be warm and cosy in more than a thin leather jacket! Anyway, this was the moment where I discovered my love of "quotes and signs". Amongst the treasure trove of beautiful pieces of home-ware, that would be a delight to house in any home, there were all kinds of gift items, signs and plaques which had many different quotes imprinted on them. There was one particular sign that kept on catching my eye, it said:

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain

Why that particular sign captured me, I had no idea; life was good I was in a stable place. I had got married that year and had two beautiful children. I had a beautiful home and I had given my life back to the Lord - life couldn't have been much better. However, that quote just kept on appearing wherever I seemed to be; friends homes, shops, Facebook. Anywhere I was, those words were there and would appear in my thoughts regularly. 

If you have read my last blog post, Struggles and Breaking Point, you will be caught up to speed to a fashion as to why that quote had been placed over my life to remember. Now, I know in my heart that they were in fact God given words  that I have often played over and over in my head in order to help me through each week, month or even each day at some point over the years. I have come to realise that it's during the hard times, the difficult times and the utterly depressing times where we learn so much about ourselves; how we tick and the strategies we need to learn to use to cope with the ups and downs of life. I have had to learn so much about myself, the good, the bad and even the embarrassingly ugly bits. I have had to learn all these things:

• to have patience
• to be happy whatever the circumstance
• to be grateful for absolutely everything no matter how small
• to forgive quickly and be slow to anger
• to be responsible, understand and accept there is a consequence for all actions both positive and negative
• where to place my energy in order not to be burnt out we all have our own limitations
• how to trust people again-living in relationship with people means still liking people despite past hurts
• to have more compassion as you just never know what someone is facing behind their facade
• to ask for help  
• to dwell in God's timing- it's actually very freeing to relax just know God is in control
• that God's timing is perfect - He know's what is best for us at every moment in our lives for He knows the plan for us
• there is a wonderful thing called GRACE

Through the difficult times, I really have learnt that there really is very little point in sitting around in a puddle of complete and utter misery just waiting for the good times to come again. We do not know what things will be sent to test us, but I do know it is so important to keep on smiling, learn to replace tears with laughter, fear with peace and simply dwell in God's presence and just know that