Imparting Grace: April 2021

Thursday, April 8

Grace at Home No. 419

Hello friends! Happy Eastertide to you!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I was grateful that our church was able meet via Zoom on Sunday morning, but I must admit that it was a little depressing to still be meeting electronically instead of in person.

It's times like this when I find myself especially grateful for the psalms of lament, when the writers are so honest with God about their losses, their disappointments, their heartbreak. It's helpful to remember that I can be completely, gut-level honest with God about my feelings. I used to think I had to "adjust my attitude" before I could talk with God, but that's simply not true. Do you know what I mean?

Now, once again, I am reminded of the need to count my blessings, and one of those is certainly the fact that you're here for the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace and beauty. How grateful I am for this community! Here are some highlights from last week's party I think you'll enjoy.

Now that it's springtime, are you hoping to freshen up your home? I surely am; I have several projects lining up for my attention. So I was glad to see these posts:

"How to Paint a Checkerboard Floor" from Renae at Peacock Ridge Farm

"10 Pretty Ways to Use Green Plants in Your Home" by Carol from Bluesky at Home

"Best Sewing YouTube Channels" from Helen at Hello Sewing (I'm so excited about these—my sister gave me a sewing machine, and I really want to learn more about sewing!)

Looking forward to having friends gather at your home once again now that we can gather outdoors or when we're all vaccinated? Then you might enjoy learning to create a charcuterie board from Jennifer at Wanderlust and Wellness.

Looking for some good books to read this spring? Lisa from Lisa Notes on Seeing God shares a list of book recommendations, including a one-minute video review of one of the books (definitely worth watching!).

And here's another list of good books from Rebecca Hastings. I just love the fact that bloggers are sharing their book recommendations (and as an author, I have a special appreciation for this!).

If you need a good reminder of how to combat negative thoughts, you'll appreciate this post from Dr. Michelle Bengtson at Hope Prevails.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today's party. Here at the Grace at Home party, you can link up any post you've written that demonstrates how you're filling your own home with truth, goodness, and beauty. I invite you to link posts about

DIY projects
decorating
recipes
hospitality
homemaking tips
parenting
marriage
faith
self-care
soul care

Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I'd like to hear about it. Here's what I ask of you. Please include the permalink to your post, not your blog's home page. Please let people know that you've linked up. No more than three posts per person, please. Note that if you link a post here, you are giving me permission to share your post, including a photo. And visit at least one of the other party participants--that's what really makes it a party, and during these difficult times, it can really make someone's day!

Thursday, April 1

Grace at Home No. 418

Friends, what a joy it is to welcome you to this little corner of the internet.

I am writing this during Holy Week. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling nearly overwhelmed with emotion. The heaviness of Maundy Thursday, the darkness of Good Friday, the bleakness of Holy Saturday threaten to swamp me.

In order to be awakened and astounded rather than engulfed and crushed by my emotions, I find myself consulting some old friends: the hymns of the church. I've put together a little booklet of some of these, and I'm delighted to be able to give it to you.

Simply head to my author website, richellajparham.com, to download the collection. I pray it's a blessing to you!

And now I'm so pleased to welcome you to this week's Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace and beauty. Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Looking for some inspiration for freshening up your home for spring? Check out these home tours!

Niky from The House on Silverado shows us her lovely home all decked out for springtime.

Paula from Sweet Pea is a master at mixing new items, treasured antiques, and DIY projects.

Pam from Everyday Living shares the lovely Easter decorations in her Sunshine Cottage.

But if checking out all this lovely decor tempts you to comparison, check out this post from Julie at My Wee Abode.

And if you need even more help with comparison, I've got you covered. Comparison was the huge struggle of my life, and my journey away from it was arduous. I share what I learned in my book, Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison. You can click here to read the first chapter for free.

Looking for a small project to help you brighten things up this spring? Check out these cute fabric-covered pots created by Carol from Blue Sky at Home.