Imparting Grace: September 2020

Thursday, September 17

Grace at Home No. 396

Hello and welcome to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace.

I pray that you've had a good week. As for me, I'll admit that this week has been really hard. If you follow me on Instagram (and I so wish you would; I'd love to connect with you there!), you may have seen that we had to put our beloved dog Snickers down. Snickers turned 17 years old back in June. She was deaf and blind, but until this summer she was pretty healthy. In recent weeks, though, she'd been very sick, and we finally had to make the decision. Our vet is a curbside-only service right now, but they allowed me to wear a mask and come in to hold Snickers, which was gut-wrenching but also healing.

Anyway, it seemed as if the week passed and I didn't get much done, but I've learned that grieving is important work.

Now for some highlights from last week's party.

Looking to make just a few changes to your home to make it seem more like Fall? Check out this family room from Marty at A Stroll Thru Life. (By the way, if you don't already know Marty, you're going to want to get to know her. She's one of the kindest bloggers in the world. I'm so sorry to say that Marty and her husband both contracted COVID-19 this summer. Marty recovered, but her beloved husband did not. I know Marty would love making new friends as she makes her way.)

If you'd like to add Fall touches in focused way, check out this post from Denise from My Home of All Seasons. Great ideas for using a tiered tray to pack a big punch in a small space.

If you'd like to create some new Fall decor for yourself, check out the free printables from Carol at Comfort Spring.

If you're changing your closet out for the seasons (I need to do this!), you might like these closet organization ideas from Chas at Chas' Crazy Creations. Chas always has creative but very practical ideas!

Looking for a new dinner recipe? Check out the bourbon apricot chicken from Estelle at Homemade on a Weeknight.

Need some encouragement for your soul? Be sure to visit Michele Morin at Living Our Days and read her words of wisdom.

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 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

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.