This week's forecast

Calmer seas ahead...

Kate came to visit this weekend and I had an absolute blast! We have known each other our whole lives, which makes it impossible to feel anything less than completely comfortable. We had great conversations full of updates about her new little one, her loving husband and all the changes that having said little one brings to life. It was so awesome to see the love in her eyes when she talked about her "little puffin" and the family she and her hubby have created. Naturally, we laughed until we cried and talked our little hearts out about what life has brought our way throughout the journeys we are on.

Kate asked me a few questions that necessitated some difficult answers this weekend and when we were finished with the conversation, she said, "Lizzy, I want to tell you something. You're going to be fine. Some things have happened here that have been really unfortunate and I am sorry you had to go through them. You know what to avoid in the future now and sometimes we have to make really stupid mistakes so that we can learn from them."

I felt like God had pulled up a chair in the chat and was using Kate as a tangible comfort. Sometimes, the sea gets so choppy that we lose sight of the horizon and forget that there's a beautiful sunrise in store for us when the weather breaks. I've started to see a break in the clouds, allowing a little sliver of light to escape in the last couple of months. Kate's ability to verbalize what I didn't even know I needed to hear gave me even more excitement about the day where the clouds will disappear completely and I'll have to wear my favorite shades to protect my eyes from the glare!

Forgiveness is such a difficult thing for me and I'm not sure how long it will take me to forgive the people I made the mistake of trusting when I first moved to the sunshine state. I am confident though that God is softening my heart to the idea of forgiveness. Having Kate here to laugh with, lay on the beach with, girl chat with and all of the lovely things that come along with a girl's weekend, helped me realize that God's blessings are plentiful in my life. Piece by piece, He's allowing me to feel His embrace by putting friends and family in my life who are willing to help me rebuild what has been shattered and move the heck on.

After all, God never says that the storms won't rage and our boats won't get racked. He just promises to help us bail our boats and re-direct our paths towards the horizon!