I get tempted too..

The devil is sneaky. I've not had the best of December's if I'm honest. And he tried to get me.

I opened the cupboard and found the bay leaves waiting there like a quiet memory. Bare in mind, I havent bought any in years. Yet there they were.

Once they would have meant wishes and hopes folded into ritual. Once this is exactly what I would have done on New Years Eve when the year felt thin and fragile and my heart felt unsure. I am feeling lost now and confused and sad in ways that sit heavy right now..

The leaves seemed to whisper an old invitation to take control when life feels unkind and uncertain.

I stood there longer than I meant to, just holding the temptation in my hands. It struck me how the Enemy comes softly and patiently especially when we are worn down. Not with fire or fear but with familiarity and comfort, and the promise of relief. I saw clearly how easy it would be to reach back for what once felt powerful. And still I put the leaves away. Not because the ache is gone but because resistance is its own quiet act of faith. I choose to sit with the sadness rather than dress it up as magic. I choose to trust that being empty and honest is safer than being comforted by an old lie. God is the only way, even when it makes no sense.

When that temptation comes in, run away. For me, it was lobbed in the bin.