Grace at Home No. 247

Friends, welcome to this week's Grace at Home party! Can you believe it's nearly the end of April?

Here are some links from last week's party I thought you might enjoy.

Paula at Sweet Pea made this gorgeous farmhouse style tray. She gives step-by-step instructions on how to build one yourself.

Isn't this flower arrangement lovely? Jamie from Anderson + Grant created it from silk flowers from the craft store—and she explains exactly how to make your own.

I know that essential oils are all the rage these days, and I use a few of them myself, but I need to know how to use them better.  Stephanie from Wife Mommy Me gives very simple, doable tips on how to use essential oils for spring cleaning. I'm going to try some of these!

Angela from Living on Cloud Nine shared a recipe for making Fried Caprese Balls. What?! A cross between fried mozzarella and caprese salad?? Yes, please!

Dr. Michelle Bengtson from Hope Prevails shared some very helpful thoughts about anxiety and what Jesus would say about it. As a neuropsychologist, she has some very helpful insights.

A big thank you to everyone who joined last week's party!  I'm so grateful for each person who links up each week. If you've been featured, feel free to grab the "I was featured" button.  I'd be so proud if you displayed it!

Now for this week's party!  Grace at Home is a place for you to share anything related to making your home a place of grace. 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!

Grace at Home No. 246

Hello, friends! Hope you're having a wonderful Easter week. Welcome 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 links from last week's party I thought you might enjoy.

Patti from Old Things New gave us a springtime tour of her lovely home. So much inspiration here!

Handan from The Navage Patch showed us how to make these beautiful candles. She created them from printable maps, LED pillar candles, and Mod Podge, and she gives excellent step-by-step instructions for making your own.

Marilyn from Marilyn's Treats shared 20 ways to use leftover ham. This is just in time for me, since I purchased a big ham for Easter dinner and we have a lot left over!

Lil at Embracing the Lovely wrote of the need to be still before God and shared a beautiful printable. Visit her blog to download it for free!

A big thank you to everyone who joined last week's party!  I'm so grateful for each person who links up each week. If you've been featured, feel free to grab the "I was featured" button.  I'd be so proud if you displayed it!

Now for this week's party!  Grace at Home is a place for you to share anything related to making your home a place of grace. 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!

Happy Easter

Oh, my friends, I hope that today is filled with blessing for you. I pray that you can gather with others and hear the blessed words, "He is risen!"

But I know that this day may not bring that opportunity. You may be at home with a sick child. You may be ill yourself. You might be in a hospital room, either attending a patient or the patient yourself. You may be holding the hand of a precious loved one as they breathe their last. You might even now be weeping at the death of one of your nearest and dearest.

Wherever you are, take heart. Death has been defeated.

The tomb was empty.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, we will rise.

Because Jesus defeated death, death will not have the final say in our lives.

Wherever you are today, whatever your circumstances, this is the truth. Jesus died and rose again. As final as it seems to us, death will not have the final say. "Oh death, where is your victory? Oh grave, where is your sting? (I Corinthians 15:55).

May you be inspired as I was by reading the words to this old hymn.

We saw Thee not when Thou didst come
To this poor world of sin and death;
Nor yet beheld Thy cottage home,
In that despised Nazareth.
But we believe Thy footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, Thou Son of God.
But we believe Thy footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, Thou Son of God.

We did not see Thee lifted high,
Amid that wild and savage crew;
Nor heard Thy meek, imploring cry,
“Forgive, they know not what they do!”
Yet we believe the deed was done,
That shook the earth and veiled the sun.
But we believe the deed was done,
Which shook the earth and veiled the sun.

We stood not by the empty tomb,
Where late Thy sacred body lay;
Nor sat within that upper room,
Nor met Thee on the open way.
But we believe that angels said,
“Why seek the living with the dead?”
But we believe that angels said,
“Why seek the living with the dead?”

We did not mark the chosen few,
When Thou didst through the clouds ascend,
First lift to Heaven their wondering view,
Then to the earth all prostrate bend;
But we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies;
But we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies.

And now that Thou dost reign on high,
And thence Thy waiting people bless,
No ray of glory from the sky
Doth shine upon our wilderness;
But we believe Thy faithful Word,
And trust in our redeeming Lord;
But we believe Thy faithful Word,
And trust in our redeeming Lord.

                                                  --Anne Richter and John Gurney

He is risen indeed!