Imparting Grace

Thursday, September 10

Grace at Home No. 395

Hello, friends! Time for the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace.

This past week was a special one for me: I celebrated my 57th birthday! I am grateful that I got to enjoy a special dinner (at a restaurant! Wow!!) with my husband and two of my three sons. (My oldest son is now stationed on Whidbey Island in Washington State, so he couldn't be here.)

Here's a photo of Jack and me. Would you believe we've now been married 35 years?!

And here I am with two of my "boys." (Funny how I always call my sons "the boys," even though they're all adults now.)

In this crazy time of global pandemic, a birthday is not something to be taken for granted, is it?

Now for a few highlights from last week's party.

Have some planters that are looking tired after the long summer? Pam at Busy Lifestyle Gal shows you how to transition those to beautiful fall planters for just a few dollars.

Need a desk for a small room? Check out this fold-down desk from Stacey Risenmay at Not Just A Housewife.

Want a fun decoration for your front door? Check out this wreath from Kathy at Petticoat Junktion--made from a purse!

Looking for a fun new dinner recipe? You may want to try making this stuffed meatball pasta from Estelle at Homemade on a Weeknight.

Do you ever struggle to forgive yourself for mistakes from your past? Then you'll be glad to read this post from Dr. Michelle Bengtson at Hope Prevails.

Thank you to everyone who joined last week's party!

Now for today's party. Here at the Grace at Home party, 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, September 3

Grace at Home No. 394

Hello, friends! Happy September! The turning of the calendar always reminds me of these lines from "Autumn Journal" by Louis MacNiece:

September has come. It is hers

Whose vitality leaps in the autumn. . .

We'll still be experiencing summertime temps for awhile in North Carolina, but I definitely consider myself one "whose vitality leaps in the autumn"! What about you?

Before we get to the Grace at Home party, I have a quick announcement to share with you. My friend The Nester has a new book releasing on September 15, and I'm giving away a copy of it along with my book Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison over on Instagram. Click here to enter!

Now! I'm glad you're here for the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace. Here are some features from last week's party.

Looking for some good ideas for Fall decorating? Julie from My Wee Abode has you covered!

If you're feeling crafty, you might want to make a Fall yard sign like Carol from Blue Sky at Home. Bonus: it starts with signs from the Dollar Tree!

For a fun back-to-school craft, check out this frame made by Beth from My Crafty Corner.

If you or someone you love is sending their kids back to school in person, you'll be interested in reading how Lindsay from Lindsay's Sweet World is keeping her kids safe. (And if you don't have kids going to school, please pray for the families who do!)

If you're longing for some hot food but the weather is still too warm for you to heat up the house, try these hot sandwiches from Arlene at Flour on My Face.

If you're longing for the smells of Fall, check out this post to make your home smell like fall using ingredients you probably have in your pantry!

Last but certainly not least, I encourage you to read this post from Nylse from LifeNotes. Nylse is a beautiful black Christian woman, and she bravely shares what she wishes she would hear from her brothers and sisters.

Thank you to everyone who joined last week's party!

Now for today's party. Here at the Grace at Home party, I invite you to link posts about

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

Thursday, August 27

Grace at Home No. 393

Hello friends! It's the end of August—can you believe it?

I think most of us are ready for 2020 to hurry up and be over—January and February seem so long ago, don't they? And yet when I think about the fact that Christmas is just four months away, I feel a little bit panicky. Do you know what I mean?

Anyway, I'm delighted to see that so many of you are doing wonderful things as you work to make your homes places of grace. Here are some highlights from last week's Grace at Home party.

Looking forward to decorating for Autumn but not quite ready to pull out all the Fall decor? Coco from The Crowned Goat gives you lots of ideas for easing into fall.

Struggling to stay organized now that school is back in session? Serena from Thrift Diving shows you how to make a huge white board--I can just imagine how useful this would be!

Wish you had a bag for carrying essentials when you're out and about (and one that you didn't have to set in a cart)? Helen from Hello Sewing provides a complete tutorial for making your own!

And in a separate post, she gives full instructions for making a carrying pouch for your face mask. Good idea, right?

If you're interested in reading book reviews, I heartily recommend Michele Morin's blog Living Our Days. Recently she reviewed Soul Care in African American Practice, and her review is insightful and wise, sure to make you think.