FMS (For My Sister)-Christmas Edition

I caught my sister taking pictures of my mantel the other night. So, this is me, trying to catch her before she sends it out into Facebook-land...


Years ago, I read an interview with J.K. Rowling. She said she is constantly asked where her magical Harry Potter ideas come from. She continues to find that question strange. Because ideas are just simply...ideas. You can't buy them at a store. They just are. There in your mind. And she took the creations she could see in her head and wrote them down. Magic transformed.

I believe we each have our own J.K. Rowling way of thinking. Everyone has their own individual way they see the world. We all create. It just takes on different forms. Ideas just simply come. And we translate that into something beautiful. Whether it's at work, in your yard, in your relationships, when you parent your children or in your home. We each possess our own kind of magic.

I decorate. Over the years, I've come to realize it's my passion. My own Harry Potter gift. It's when I feel most alive.

It pretty much feels like an insignificant talent. Sure, it's pretty. But it certainly doesn't change the world. Most of the time, my family are the only people who even notice. When you think about it like that, it doesn't feel magical at all. All too often, it feels like a waste of time.

But, maybe all gifts aren't meant to be spread worldwide. Maybe their purpose is to help us see the best parts of us. The parts that only we can offer. The ideas that only we can see. That definitely feels like magic transformed. The kind that is soul deep. Whether it's noticed by one or a million. That's time well spent.

Let's celebrate our gifts. Especially this month. The gifts that no one can really see. The ideas that make us feel most alive. Whether or not we think they're worth it. Because they are. When we use the best parts of us, magic moves. It offers more than words can give. In your home, in a classroom, at your job, in the food you make or in your life. Listen to your ideas and celebrate your gifts.

And decorate a mantel with flare :)