Another year draws to a close, and while most people have already put away their Christmas pretties, I linger.  I sit beside the fire in the den sipping hot tea and gazing upon the figures on my woodland themed mantle, dusted with shimmering snow.  I see the glow of the Christmas tree lights in the living room behind me reflected brightly in the den’s windows before me.  The rains pour down outside my windows and the dark clouds have cocooned my home in darkness.  Here in my den I find shelter from the heavy winter storm.  

Shhh . . . don’t remind me that the temperature outside is in the 60’s and that Christmas is over.  Let me spend a little more time enjoying the Wonder of Christmas.

Looking back on 2015 today I’ve compiled the most viewed posts of the year.  They are in two categories, Home Decor and Inspirational, since my blog is comprised of both!  If you choose to see more of any of these posts you can simply click on the pictures.

Here’s the countdown:

Drum roll please . . . because I’m kinda goofy like that!

10. At Long Last Dining Room Reveal

9. Southern Etiquette & How to Make Your Neighbors Jealous of Your Front Porch!

8. My Secret to a Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers

7. Giving Baskets a Vintage Look With Chalk Paint

6. Southern Gardens Tour Part I

5. Spiffin’ up The Screened Porch The Easy Way

4. Decorating With Preserved Boxwood

3. Living Room Reveal

2. One Fantastic Easter Table

 And finally, in the Home Decor category,

1. Ideas For Adding a French Country Look to Your Kitchen

Next is the Inspirational category which was special to me.  It wasn’t just the traffic that caused me to share the top three, but there were also personal emails and stories shared behind the scenes that blessed me to no end as people related to the words God inspired me to write.  Whenever I wonder if I should include these posts on my site (because most people don’t want a Home Decor site that is “preachy”), the response I receive back confirms that I am to continue to speak what God lays on my heart.  I am probably more blessed than anyone who reads one of these posts by the feedback received.

So, moving right along, the top three Inspirational posts are:

3. Freedom Friday – on Hospitality

2.  Freedom Friday – On Forgiving Yourself

Finally, the top post in the Inspiration category was the most heartbreaking for me but also a blessing to have been loved by a dog this good.

1. Freedom Friday – Wise Words From a Dog Named SnoopyGirl

So, looking to the year ahead, I am excited that I’ll be continuing as a contributing author for Faith’nFriends (I hope you’ll all go over to the website and show some of the other writers some love), my friend Debbie Kitterman and I will be teaming up to teach on online course about starting a Mastermind Group, as well as getting our own group off the ground, I’m praying that I will have the opportunity to attend another writer’s conference this year, I’m looking forward to being on the launch teams of a couple of different books that author friends will be releasing in the new year, and I will also be plugging away here at home as I work on my own book and #write365.  Of course I will continue to make home improvements to share on Old Things New.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the year with me.  I have certainly enjoyed meeting new friends here on the blog and continuing relationships with those of you I’ve come to know and love through this wonderful job I get to do called blogging.  I am MOST blessed of the Lord!

Happy New Year and abundant blessings to you all!

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, Sunday Stillness