Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

2012 flew by, and here we are in a new year!  What joy there is in having a fresh start!

As I contemplated my goals and resolutions for this new year, I realized something important: once a year is not enough for me. One brand-new, clean-slate day per year is just not enough.

• I'm not organized enough to proclaim the ways I'll be more organized this year.
• I'm not goal-oriented enough to make a long list of goals for this year.
• I'm not resolute enough to number the resolutions I need to make for this year.

I contemplate the new year, and I can easily feel overwhelmed and under-qualified. The fact is, I need a brand-new, clean-slate day every day.

And then I am reminded:

This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

His mercies never come to an end;

They are new every morning.

Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

So many times I have put my hopes in my well-laid plans, in my desire to succeed, in my heartfelt determination to improve myself. And so many times I have had my hopes dashed as I failed to live up to my own expectations.

But oh! God is the One of whom the prophet could say "Great is Your faithfulness." His steadfast love never ceases; His mercies never end.

And His mercies are new every morning. Not just on New Year's Day, but on every day.

Which is just how often I need them.  How about you?

**I'm joining Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading.**

2012 in review

I can scarcely believe that 2012 is nearly over!  I've always heard that the older you get, the faster time flies.  I believe it!

Here are a few of my favorite projects from this year.

I dabbled with homemade chalk painting and turned an old chest from Bombay Co. into a pretty nightstand:

Then I re-did the guest room around the new nightstand!


I turned our bonus room into a very functional space for very little money.


I made some pretty updates to our screened porch for just a few dollars.


I created a gallery wall of mirrors in our master bedroom.


Speaking of mirrors, I made one myself--a clothespin sunburst mirror for the laundry room.

And my favorite project of all was re-doing our "outdoor living room," also known as the front porch.


All in all, it's been a good year at our house; I hope it's been a good year at your house, too!

I'm joining Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for her Top DIY Projects of 2012 Party
and Jen at Tatertots and Jello for Favorite Projects of 2012.

Feature at Southern Hospitality

I'm so excited to be featured at Southern Hospitality today.  Rhoda is such a dear person, and I'm honored to be her guest today.  Check out her post here!

And if you're visiting here from Southern Hospitality, welcome!  I'm so glad to have you.  Come on in; the door's open!


If you'd like to look around a bit while you're here, you might want to check out the "My Heart" and "My Home" tabs at the top of the page.  They'll give you an idea of what Imparting Grace is all about.

I'd love to have every one of you sit right here in the kitchen with me.  We could have a cup of coffee and visit. . . .


You might like to know that I host a weekly party to celebrate the ways we make our homes places of grace.  Grace at Home runs every Thursday, and I'd love to have you join us.

Again, many thanks to Rhoda for the feature!  Please pay Rhoda a visit and leave her a comment.  She is a bright spot in the world of blogging!