Imparting Grace

Thursday, November 17

Grace at Home No. 487

Hello, friends!

Well, this Autumn just presents our family with one adventure after another. I'm so sorry that I missed last Thursday's party, but we were back at the hospital for yet another complex procedure for my husband. We're hoping that this will be the last hospital visit of the season for us, but we're learning to take one day at a time and to trust God more and more for the outcomes.

Meanwhile, y'all have been busy! And I'm glad to have the chance to share some of what you've been up to lately at today's Grace at Home party, where we pause to celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace and beauty. Here are some highlights from last week's party I think you'll enjoy.

Do you ever find pieces of furniture at a thrift store that seem like they might work for you but they just aren't quite your style? You should take a look at this amazing side table remake from Regina at Saved from Salvage.

Do you want your home to be decorated for Thanksgiving but you just haven't gotten around to it (I'm raising my hand!)? Carol from Bluesky at Home shares nine tips for creating a Thanksgiving mantel in just 30 minutes.

And if you need some Thanksgiving decor to use, check out these free printables from Julie at My Wee Abode.

I'm betting you like to read. Do you read mostly fiction or non-fiction? (As the author of a non-fiction book, I'm hoping you read at least some non-fiction!) Lisa from Lisa Notes on Seeing God shares five ways to get more from reading nonfiction books.

In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm always looking for new and different dinner ideas—nothing resembling turkey and dressing! Kimberly from Loulou Girls shares a recipe for Creamy Lemon Pork chops that looks delicious.

Are you in a season of needing to trust God more fully? I certainly am, so I appreciate the way Dr. Michelle Bengtson shares her wisdom in recognizing God as her protector.

Thank you to everyone who linked up! I'm so thankful for your presence here.

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!

Thursday, November 3

Grace at Home No. 486

Hello, friends! You all have probably heard these words from L.M. Montgomery: "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." Fictional heroine Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables uttered those words, and they're just right for Anne, who lives in the village of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Well, I'll tell you what. Here in North Carolina, I'm glad I live in a world where there are Novembers! I snapped this photo as I was walking the dog a couple of days ago:

Our trees are gaining their brilliant Autumn colors and leaves are beginning to fall, and we're grateful to finally be past the hot temperatures of summer. What's it like in your neck of the woods?

Thank you so much for all your kind comments about my husband. We're so thankful that he's home and seems to be doing well, gaining strength day by day.

Now I'm glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places o grace and beauty. Here are some features from last week's party.

Are you enjoying having your home decorated for Fall, or do you still need some design ideas? Meagan from Decorative Inspirations can help.

Or are you looking ahead to getting things decorated for the Christmas season? If so, you'll love visiting with Kristin of White Arrows Home.

If you're looking for some unusual Christmas gift ideas, check out this post from Dave and Jamie of Photo Jeepers.

Need to declutter your home before hosting guests for Thanksgiving, but don't have much time? Alison from Organized Motherhood can help you get started.

Do you plan to host Thanksgiving dinner but don't have a big group to feed? You can still make it fun and festive, and Marty from A Stroll Thru Life will show you how.

Do you need a good recipe for pumpkin bread? Here's the best I've ever tasted.

If these busy days have you feeling terribly impatient with yourself, you'll appreciate this encouragement from Lisa of Lisa Notes on Seeing God.

Thank you to everyone who linked up! I'm so thankful for your presence here.

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

Thursday, October 27

Grace at Home No. 485

Hello, friends. How glad I am to greet you today.

You might have noticed that I've been absent from these parts over the past couple of weeks.

If you can read the dates on these name tags, you'll know why I was absent. The first is dated October 9; the second, October 22. These are my visitor badges from the day my husband was admitted to the hospital and the day he was discharged. One day short of two weeks at Duke Hospital.

Some of you know that he was hospitalized back in September. This hospitalization was related to that same incident—only the situation was much worse. I'll spare you the details, but I want to say one thing: this might have ended very differently. If not for the grace of God, I would have lost my husband.

These past few weeks have been really difficult, but the times when God protected and sustained Jack's life have been startlingly clear. I can't tell you how many times I've shuddered while thinking "What if we had. . . ?" I had to turn that thought onto its head and say, "Thank God" instead.

Friends, I can't explain to you how God works, but I can tell you with certainty that God DOES work. Our lives are full of tiny happenings that may seem insignificant to us—but taken together, they demonstrate the work of God. My friend Dallas Willard used to say "The hand of God is best seen in the rear-view mirror." Isn't that right? And once we catch a glimpse, how can we respond? For me the answer is found in the refrain of an old hymn:

Oh Savior, my Redeemer,

What can I but adore

And magnify and praise thee

And love thee evermore. (Frances R. Havergal)

I believe that God continually displays his love for all of us, which is why I am privileged to host the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty. It's my custom to feature posts from the previous week's party, but today I don't have any features to share. I'm sorry about that, but I'm so glad to welcome you today!

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