Thursday, December 16

Grace at Home No. 449


Season's greetings, friends! 

Isn't that an interesting sentiment? Seems that Christmas decorations and cards from my childhood often proclaimed "season's greetings," yet it's hard to imagine anyone actually saying that, isn't it? I guess when we need a generic statement we've replaced it with "Happy holidays."  

Whatever greeting you use, there's no denying that Christmas is now just a few days away, so I'm really grateful to welcome you to the Grace at Home party. At this time of year especially, it's a treat to see how you've been making your homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty.

Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Need a moment to relax and enjoy someone else's hard work? Shelley from Calypso in the Country has a Christmas house tour for you.


Still getting your decorating done but need some new decor? Angela from Simply Beautiful by Angela shares some budget-friendly crafts.


While you're visiting Angela, you might also want to check out her budget Christmas decor ideas.


Need some craft ideas to keep your kids busy as you complete preparations for Christmas? Paula from Sweet Pea shares some free printable ornaments. Kids could proudly cut these out and hang them. Or you could print them out and use them as gift tags.


Need a yummy Christmas treat or a quick gift to share with neighbors? Melissa from Everyday Savvy shares her recipe for candied pecans. Don't these look yummy?




If you're looking ahead to 2022, you might like to choose one word to guide you rather than making a host of resolutions. Lisa from Lisa Notes can help you.


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 space 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 or sphere of influence 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! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Thursday, December 9

Grace at Home No. 448


Hello, friends! Happy December!

Here we are, barreling along through Advent, and I'm guessing that you're as busy as I am. If you follow me on Instagram (I'd so love to connect with you there), you might have seen photos like these:



My little grandson and his parents were here for two weeks, and what a joy it was to begin the Advent season with a baby in the house! It was a poignant reminder of the way Christ came.

You know, most of my life I've heard warnings not to "reduce" Jesus to the baby in the manger. I've heard preachers say things like "We don't pray to Dear Lord, Baby Jesus." But I think maybe those warnings might lead us to miss the wonder of the Incarnation. The Eternal Son did not come to Earth as a conquering king, but as a helpless infant. Then he grew to be a toddler, a boy, a man—a poor, working man. The one who was there at the foundation of the world came into the world not in a position of power, but in a position of lowliness. 

Isn't it interesting that we often long for power, yet the one we worship laid aside his power to come to us? 

The son of God became a human. The triune God united forever when the Eternal Son "took on flesh." And just as surely as Jackson is my beloved grandson, we are now beloved children of God, adopted by the Eternal Father of our brother Jesus. Today I'm thinking that we should all hang out with babies a little more!

Well, as I've been hosting my grandson, you all have been busy! Here are some highlights from last week's party. 

Looking for some Christmas decorating inspiration? Well, just take a peek at these scenes!









Don't have a Nativity set? Joy from Artful Homemaking shares a tutorial for crafting this precious scene—a great option to do with children.


If you're like me, you love Christmas cookies, and Italian amaretti cookies are a favorite. Well, Theresa from Shoestring Elegance shares a recipe for making your own, and she says they're the easiest and tastiest cookie she's ever made.


On a more practical note, if you need an easy dinner recipe, the LouLou girls share one for Tuscan chicken and potatoes that looks amazing.


Advent is an interesting season—a time of the tension of waiting with the anticipation of coming joy. Michele Morin from Living Our Days can help you to wait well.


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 space 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 or sphere of influence 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! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thursday, December 2

Grace at Home No. 447


Hello, friends! Happy December!

At times this year seemed to drag by so slowly. . . and now it seems that the weeks are flying by, and it will soon be Christmas. My head is spinning; how about yours?

Meanwhile, I'm so glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate the ways we make our homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty.

Here are some highlights from our last party.



Or take a trip to Debbie's house at Debbie-Dabble. Debbie decorates every room of her townhouse each year, and her enthusiasm is contagious! I think you'll enjoy reading about where she gets her love of Christmas. I especially like this old photo that she shared:
Want to do a little Christmas crafting? Carol at Blue Sky at Home shows you step-by-step how to create these Christmas tiles. Don't they look cute hanging on her range hood?


Need some ornaments for your tree or some inexpensive gifts? Ann at The Apple Street Cottage shares a full tutorial for making jute twine ornaments.




If you enjoy adult beverages during Christmastime, you'll be glad to get this recipe for making cranberry liqueur from Melynda at Scratch Made Food for Hungry People.


If you live with a chronic illness, this time of year can be especially daunting, can't it? You'll be glad to get these tips for dealing with the holidays from Paula at Bless this Mess.


If you're feeling anxious these days, you'll be really glad to read this post from Lisa at Lisa Notes. Lisa is a master at helping to re-frame your perspective.


Now that the calendar has turned to December, we're into the season of Advent. But these December days can get so busy, I sometimes find it hard to find time to pray. So I created a prayer guide to use during Advent, and I'd be delighted to give you a copy. Waiting Together: An Advent Prayer Companion is available for free by clicking here.


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 space 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 or sphere of influence 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!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thursday, November 18

Grace at Home No. 446


Hello friends! Welcome to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty.

In case you haven't already seen it, I want to be sure you know about a wonderful giveaway. I know, I know--it's easy to think that internet giveaways are just a scam, but this one is not--it's just a group of women who are pooling resources to offer two great prizes. The first prize is a $225 gift card to the retailer of your choice (yes, you get to pick any store!). The second prize is a package of books and other gifts, with a value of over $200. My book Mythical Me is one of the prizes in that second package. If you'd like to enter, simply click here for all the details.  There are multiple ways to gain more entries, and you can do as many or as few as you like.


Here are some links from last week's party I think you'll enjoy.

Do your dining chairs need an update? Niky from The House on Silverado recovered hers easily and cheaply--and she shows you exactly how to do it.


Would you like to have a wreath that can welcome folks during the fall and then transition to Christmas? Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns will show you how to make this gorgeous wreath (no glue or wire required!).






Or maybe you'd like something simple and fun to greet your guests. Linda from Crafts a la Mode will show you how to make this fun cheese ball.


Thanksgiving is a wonderful day for giving thanks--but how do you make giving thanks a daily habit? Michele Morin from Living Our Days can help.




Of course, the Advent season begins right after Thanksgiving. If you're looking for a prayer guide to use during Advent, I'd be delighted to give you one. Click here to gain access to several free resources, including Waiting Together: An Advent Prayer Companion.


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 space 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 or sphere of influence 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!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Monday, November 15

An amazing giveaway


Friends, have I got good news! Just in time for the holidays, I have an amazing giveaway to share with you.

I know, I know--it's easy to be skeptical about online giveaways, but I promise you that this one is legitimate. It's easy to enter, and there are two prizes. That's right: two separate winners will be selected.
 
Here's the scoop. My friend Becky Beresford lovingly cares for a community of women she calls "Brave Women." Once a week she features a writer sharing the way she's found courage (click here to read the way I needed courage). 

Well, Becky is celebrating the three-year anniversary of this community, and to celebrate several of us "Brave Women" writers have teamed up to offer prizes to two lucky winners. Here we are:


The first prize is a $225 gift card to your choice of retailers (seriously, you get to choose!).

The second prize is an amazing package worth over $200, and it includes all these goodies:


You could enjoy all these gifts yourself or give away each piece and bless a bunch of people in your life.

All the details of the giveaway can be found here. You'll see that there are lots of ways for you to gain entries; you can simply complete the ones that work for you.

This giveaway isn't sponsored by anyone except this group of writers. There's no catch; we just pooled our resources to bless two readers.

I would be so happy if two of you were the winners of these fabulous prizes! 

Thursday, November 11

Grace at Home No. 445


Hello, friends! 

If you're in the U.S., you know that today is Veteran's Day. If you're like me, there are some special veterans in your life. Here's my favorite:


That's my son Will, who is a pilot with the U.S. Navy.  Actually, Will is still on active duty, and he was deployed when his son was born. Seeing the sacrifices Will and his family make has made me even more appreciative of the men and women who serve in our armed forces, so this day when we pause to appreciate all veterans means a lot to me.

Today I'm happy to share with you some highlights from the last Grace at Home party. 

Thanksgiving is approaching! If you're planning to host Thanksgiving dinner this year (I am, praise God!), you might like these ideas for decorating.



Ann from Ann's Entitled Life made a silk flower swag for a lantern, and she gives step-by-step directions for making your own.




Planning a road trip for Thanksgiving? If you have little children, you'll appreciate this post from Dave and Jamie of PhotoJeepers.


If you have little ones at home, you might want to make some fun pumpkin pie playdough. Joy from Artful Homemaking shares her recipe.


Would you like to incorporate some lighter fare into your Thanksgiving dinner this year? Jennifer from Wanderlust and Wellness shares a beautiful spinach salad recipe that looks just right for the Thanksgiving table!

As Thanksgiving approaches this year, most of us are seeing many more people than we were at this time last year. I was challenged and encouraged by this post from Amy at Wasteland to Graceland: As One Who Has Received Grace, Am I Living a Life of Grace?


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 space 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 or sphere of influence 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!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter