Faith Woven in Tradition: A Holiday Journey of Resilience and Blessings
In our family, our religious beliefs and special traditions are a big part of who we are and how we see the world. I am betting that this is no different from you.
We were raised Catholic and have continued that belief into our adulthood. It's what helps us navigate our day-to-day routine as well as those extra special occasions.
So, here's a secret I wanted to share. We recently sold our house, and I must tell you that the whole story of selling our house to build our forever home is like a mash-up of faith, hope, and practicality. You won't believe it, but we have this tradition where we bury a statue of St. Joseph in the front yard of our house. There are specific rules, it must be upside down and facing the house. We have done it for every house sale, and I believe it helps get the property sold faster. Crazy, right? But it's like a way of showing that we trust in some higher power and believe in all the symbolism behind it. And believe it or not: we put our house on the market, and poof! Sold on the very first day! It felt like a total miracle. It just made us even more sure that prayers and traditions pack a punch.
So, this quick sale was a double-edged sword - we hit this major snag on the closing of our new place, which meant we were stuck with no place to live for like a solid month. Can you believe that played havoc on our holiday plans too? But guess what? We didn't let it get us down. Well, if truth be told, we were a little concerned, but our family stayed strong and made it a point to celebrate Christmas as one unit. Luckily, or as fate would have it, our friends were kind enough to lend us their townhouse, where we had to switch up our usual traditions. We jerry-rigged a tiny fake tree and threw up some stockings, getting into the Christmas spirit. It just goes to show, that we can roll with the punches and keep the holiday magic alive no matter what crazy curveballs life throws at us.
Of course, going to church was part of our ritual, and attempted to give ourselves enough time to attend a mega Christmas Eve mass that was jam-packed with people. It was a bit of a struggle to find a seat, but we managed to stay patient and grateful. The mass was the perfect blend of regular attendees alongside those who only show up for Christmas and Easter. It showed how our community can come together to celebrate the holiness of the season. And it wasn't just the religious stuff that brought us closer -- as we made our way back home, we made sure to check on that mouthwatering Back Creek Wagyu roast we had in the oven for our Christmas Eve dinner. Later, we decided to spice things up and play some games like Farkle and Rummikub. It might not have been the typical setting, but we had such a blast and created memories that will stay with all of us for a long time.
Christmas morning was amazing! We had so much fun tearing into presents, munching on delicious cinnamon rolls, and sipping on yummy Mimosas. It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of celebration that reminded us how important family is and showed us that we can find happiness no matter what life throws our way.
During our holiday celebrations, we took some time to think about all the Christmas traditions that we have incorporated into our lives. Oplatki is a Polish tradition of sharing wafers and wishing the recipient joy. This tradition started back in the early Christian times and these white wafers are made from flour and water. They're very delicate and have Christmas pictures etched into them, like the Nativity scene. Even though we didn't have any Oplatki this year, since they were packed somewhere in our storage unit we did pass on individual Christmas wishes and it didn't take away from how awesome our Christmas was.
We believe in the love and support of friendship and family, which makes Christmas wonderful and special. Even though we did things a little differently this year, the joy of being together and creating memories reminded us of what Christmas is all about.
We're excited for our new place in Florida to be all set, but as our homelessness continues, we decided to join family in Atlanta. We will get to spend time with our two daughters and a couple of our awesome sisters. Since it was New Year's, we couldn't pass up the chance of devouring black-eyed peas and collard greens, a Southern tradition.
To make things even better, while we were there, an employee offered us a spot in an empty apartment. It showed us how tightly we're all connected. The fun didn't stop there though. We ended up going on a last-minute cruise that was all about hockey. Talk about the unexpected! It shone a light on the exciting and adventurous nature of our faith-filled journey.
In the tapestry of our beliefs and traditions, the awesome stuff that makes up our lives, we find this amazing thread of resilience, adaptability, and gratitude. It's this and faith that holds everything together. Our faith in God and the awesome group of family and friends keep us going strong, even when things get crazy. No matter how crazy life gets, our religion serves as a flashlight, reminding us that we're blessed with love from our family and the grace of our faith. What would you do in a homeless situation?
