As we journey together “let us think of ways to motivate one another in acts of love and good works”(Hebrews 10:24 NLT)

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith is a unique book on home decorating.

It takes the approach of if you like it go with it!

The book is skillfully written to encourage the reader to step outside of your comfort zone!  It’s geared towards both homeowners and renters with the weight leaning more towards  renters but please don’t think that it is exclusively so.  

The whole first part of the book goes into great detail on each of the authors many past and present dwelling places…and trust me she describes each so well that it feels like you are standing right in the middle of that particular room. And don’t worry even if your minds eye isn’t quite catching on most of her descriptions are captured in beautiful photographs illustrating, projects, problems and real life!

Let me start off my critique by saying this….THIS IS NOT A BOOK I WOULD NORMALLY PICK!   I picked it out of sheer lack of interest in all the rest offered.  I am a crafty person by nature but I have always felt true home decorating just out of reach!   This book changed my outlook completely

As a pastors family decorating money is slim to none!  So when I read the chapter on shopping your own home, I was instantly inspired to do this !   I visited three locations in my home and found just what I needed

1.the kitchen for 3 Mason Jars (1quart and two pints)

2.the Garage for White spray Paint

3. And my front yard for DAISYS

Yep that’s it….and this is what I got…..

This  simple country centerpiece literally took me 10 minutes!   

And why didn’t I think of this sooner?????

Another chaper talked about the MIStreatment of your windows.  She relates a story that she became impatient with waiting to take expense fabric to be sewn professionally for curtains.she just  cut the fabric, hung them with curtain clips (she didn’t even finish the seams!  *GASP*.  So when a designer friend showed up she though she had already had them done!  The friend was surprised when the author admitted to her impatience and their incomplete state.  The designer friend would have never known otherwise!  She goes on to explain that sometimes we get it in our heads that we can’t do something because it’s NOT THE “RIGHT” WAY!!   We think that it has to be this kind of Fabric, or only professionally done or……the list goes on and on and on!!   Well when it comes to decorating you can go with what you like, what you can afford……and anything weird you so desire!  So I need dark curtains in  two rooms….and guess what I will be using?   SHEETS!  Yep brand new 5 dollar cotton sheets.  I can make the dark curtains for four windows…2 in each room for about 20$ and get exactly what I want and need without spending LOADS of money!

So here are a few other things I will implement in the coming months

A gallery wall.  Showcasing all the things I love (and I won’t be afraid to change it often!

Stumps as end tables…probably white washed, but maybe plain as well!   (don’t knock it, they are pretty cute)

I’m going to paint furniture.

I’m going to repurpose things that were once used for something else.

I’m not going to be afraid of something new…and if I don’t like what I did, I will redo it!

So I must absolutely give this book a five star rating!  It was such a joy and an encouragement to read!   Even if you are not crafty or the decorating type this book can help you love even the most undesirable of situations!   

DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook, with no obligation of positive review.

…..and you embrace it.  But sometimes SOMETHING has to give.  For me over the last two months, I have had to set aside my blogging in order to do things well!  To be a good wife, a good mom, and a good ministry leader, and most importantly a good Princess…I am a child of the King after all..  

So this is my return.  I am refreshed and renewed.  I have soaked in God’s word (as I continue to do so).  My house is clean…(mostly) and my kids are all snug in beds….ok so I am sitting outside of a bedroom as I type this struggling with a special needs kiddo who thinks sleeping is old fashioned!

These last two months of veritable silence  here in my little home sweet home has not just been full of busyness (and it has) but it has been a time of peace, renewal, a time of wrestling with God(more on that in a bit) and a time of new insight, not just into my heart but into the lives of my hubby and children.

Does this all mean that my life is any less crazy right now???   Not a chance!  I will ALWAYS be busy!  That is quite ok though.  I would rather have a gazillion things on my plate than to be absorbed into a fake world that leaves me with countless hours of wasted time, money and brain cells.  

So what just has happened over the Last two months

Well Hubby finished his M.A. In Linguistics

      So for those keeping track

         Associates in Wood Products engineering

          Bachelors of Religious Education Pastoral/Languages Emphasis

           Master of Divinity

            Master of Theology

             Master of Arts in Linguistics.

Words cannot express at just how proud of him I am.  Not because he has 5 pieces of paper, but because of his diligence to what God has called him to do, always willing to better himself to help others!  It makes every single second worth it!

Then there is the end of the school year activities

Along with picnics, awards ceremonies, 2 zoo trips, 

A drive across the state for a retirement recognition for hubby’s parents

And THIS…..

We were so saddened to hear of the death of a dear mentor of hubby’s.  This actually pushed back my original restart date by two weeks as my dear husband grieved the hardest I have ever seen him grieve. And even though he has done over 20 funerals in five years he was still touched very deeply by this loss!  But we can rejoice that he is with God in Heaven learning even more of the ins and outs of Greek and God’s word than ever imaginable, he is still greatly missed!

And you might as well

Because I too have engaged in a wrestling match with God over the contents of a book I am working on.  Thankfully no dislocated hip was endured, but a process of dealing with stuffed emotions for many years has culminated in a recurring theme. A friend (ok MORE THAN ONE FRIEND) has been repeating themselves, “share your story you’ve been given,” as they encourage me. Sometimes we don’t want to for whatever reason, but I have laid down my preferences, I have cried uncle and I will press forward.  I don’t know how I am going to do this BUT, in all of it, I will trust God to hold my hand!

So in a VERY abbreviated nutshell this is what has consumed our life over the last few months!  

It’s not been easy but the refiner’s fire gets rid of the impurities so we may shine all the brighter for the one who died such a radical death for me.  So here I am ready to run this race again.   Be watching for some changes and encouragement .

With much love,

 

 

 

Hello!  Do you remember me?  Oh good…

I just wanted to let you know YES I am still alive!

Over the last few months life has been hectic to say the least AND. I had a major finger infection!

ICK!

But hubby is now done with school AND has passed!  He will receive his diploma some time in mid June AND the two oldest children will be done with school within the next week and a half….at that point I will return to my normal blogging schedule.  But have no fear I have a huge list of fun things to talk to you about AND there are going to be some new stuff around here as well.

We will refer to it as BLOGGY SPRING CLEANING! 

So if you will just bear with me and we will see you soon 

Love,