Who determines your success??

Its been almost exactly one year since I decided to start this blog.  I named it "Fresh Vintage Home" with the intention of starting up another home staging and re-design business. Realizing it was more than I wanted to take on alone, I decided to just do what has come naturally my whole life....find "junk", make it cute, get creative and decorate with it.  With the help of my husband, we started the booth, and worked towards my "vision".

After several months of spending a few dollars here, a few there...on a lot of things... it started adding up to more money than I wanted to spend, to more stuff than I could find room to store in my little house, and not enough time or work space to get it done. The atmosphere of the antique mall wasn't as youthful and inviting as I'd envisioned, and business was slow.  Soon came the realization that something had to change.  I still have a creative desire, that will never change, but my path is shifting once again.

The end of this month marks the closing of the booth (so get over there and make an offer on whatever you like!!)  Honestly, I feel a little bit of relief.  Although, I have to admit I could hear the negative voices telling me I had failed.  That I'm not smart enough, young enough, good enough.  That, after 25 years,  why have I not found a career or made "something" of myself.  After all, I look at others who have had great success making a life of the same passions.

Then, I woke up one morning and looked in the mirror.  WHO decides what success looks like?  WHO knows my life and my heart and created the desires within?  Its not the world, its not family members, its not even me!  Its Jesus, my Creator, my Hope, my Joy...my God!  He showed me what success looks like for ME. A happy marriage (not perfect, thank goodness, because trials have made us grow stronger!), meaningful and deep friendships, wonderful children who love each other and are kind. The ability to be a stay home mom for years while my husband spent months at sea. A home to nurture and clean (yes, even cleaning is a blessing), pets, and the time and energy needed to help friends and family during difficult seasons.  I am successful! I am grateful for finally defining success as God intended. 

Every day is a new opportunity to grow and learn and experience life completely. Some of those days are not glamorous or even very productive.  God knows us deep within.  Our hurts, our passions, our sense of humor and our nature.  You ARE ALWAYS where you are supposed to be...because God knows what you need, and when you need it. He is teaching us to be humble, strong, smart, content, and trusting among so many other things. Breathe it in, soak it up, look in the mirror and remind yourself!!

I forgot that I loved to write.  As a child and teenager, I LOVED to write.  Blogging has reminded me of this voice inside. We are still working hard on our little house, and I want to continue to share those changes with  you.  But there is so much more to me, as there is to each and every one of you.  A lifetime of stories and experiences that makes us who we are.   I truly don't know where this is going, but Im just going with it one step at a time.  I hope you will continue to visit, I would sure miss you if you didn't!

xoxoxo

Jodi

UPDATE:  As I tried to share this link on my Facebook page it gave me a message that I'd been reported as spam or something like that. Not nice, right?  I was able to link the post on my Fresh Vintage Home facebook page, however.  I apologize if this creates a problem if you try to share the blog.  Let me know if it works for you. Im working on it at this end:)