Imparting Grace

Sunday, February 13

Prayers for the week

If you're like me, you could use a little pause for prayer during each day.

I like to start every day with the Lord's Prayer, and I pray throughout the day for various needs. But sometime during my workday, I like to pause and just spend a moment apart—a little time to re-orient my thoughts, a brief respite to center my thoughts once again on God.

If that sounds like something that would be nourishing to your soul, too, I'd love for you to join me. Here are small prayers to share for each day of the week.

Sunday

Lord, we worship you. As we begin a new week, we acknowledge all things belong to you, and it’s by your grace that we live and love and work and play. Bless us, we ask, and help us to live well, love faithfully, work hard, and play freely. Amen.

Monday

Lord, as we begin this week, many of us are still tired from last week’s labor. The troubles of life weigh us down. We bring our burdens to you, trusting that you are able and willing to help us. Help us to rely on your everlasting love and care for us. Amen.

Tuesday

Lord, sometimes we think of “faith” as believing something that’s not really true. But your presence and your love for us ARE true, and we ask for your help to understand that we can trust you. Help us with our thinking and then help us with our living. Amen.

Wednesday

Lord, so much of life is confusing, even confounding. We struggle some days to know what to say or not to say, what to do or not do. Help us remember that we can always come to you for acceptance, encouragement, guidance, strength, and never-ending love. Amen.

Thursday

Lord, we need help. And we need courage to ask you for what we need. May we never be ashamed of asking you for help, never doubt that you are able and willing to help, and never believe that you don’t care. Lord, we believe; help our unbelief! Amen.

Friday

Lord, as this week draws to a close, we realize there are things we've done that we should not have done and things we've left undone that we should have done. We ask you to forgive us for our sins, help us learn from our mistakes, and grant us peace. Amen.

Saturday

Lord, you have told us that you are with us, and we take you at your word. Help us to remember that your presence with us is one of pure goodness, holy guidance, and unwavering love. May we learn to see ourselves as people in whom you dwell and delight. Amen.

I like to imagine all of us pausing to pray these prayers at some point during each day. It's a beautiful picture, don't you think?

Much love to you this week!

Thursday, February 10

Grace at Home No. 455

Hello, friends! I am so glad to welcome you 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.

Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Are you looking for a DIY challenge for your home? Angela from Simply Beautiful by Angela constructed these gorgeous built-ins beside her fireplace--and she gives a full tutorial so you can make your own.

Or perhaps you'd like to tackle a tiny DIY project. Jennifer from The Everyday Farmhouse shares detailed instructions for making these darling lavender sachets.

Looks like winter will be with us for several more weeks, so why not make your indoor spaces cozy and beautiful? Kristi from French Creek Farmhouse shows you how she made her breakfast room especially inviting for the season.

To truly enjoy the cold season, you need a good hot beverage, right? I think I'll make this homemade chai shared by Vicki from Five Spot Green Living.

And why not make February more fun by celebrating special days? DIY Party Mom shares a complete list of special days, including a printable calendar.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. If you'd like to make a gift for a loved one but don't have much time, Julie from My Wee Abode can help you out.

If you'd like to make a special Valentine's Day dessert, Nancy from Nancy C has a red velvet bar cookie recipe to share.

No time to devote to a Valentine's Day treat? Patti from Pandora's Box shows you how to make the quickest Valentine's Day dessert ever! Aren't these darling?

As winter drags on, it's easy to become irritable, isn't it? Do yourself (and the people with whom you come in contact!) a favor and read this post from Barbara Lee Harper at Stray Thoughts.

Thank you to everyone who joined last week! Now for this week'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!

Thursday, February 3

Grace at Home No. 454

Hello, friends! And hello, February! Were you surprised at the news from Punxutawney Phil? I wasn't—it seems that this has been a very wintry winter. We had a bit of snow again this past weekend, but I know some of you have been enduring blizzard conditions.

I've been staying very busy the past few days caring for my son's puppy, Kaiba.

Isn't she adorable? She's a Shiba Inu, and I think she looks just like a little fox. My son is attending a friend's wedding, so Kaiba has come to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a bit. We're glad to keep her, but I've been reminded that it's a good thing puppies are so cute. Know what I mean?

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

Need a bookshelf or file cabinet? My DIY will show you how to make your own from some crates and scrap lumber. (Just click on English at the top of the page if—like me!—you don't read German.)