Grace at Home No. 449

Season's greetings, friends! 

Isn't that an interesting sentiment? Seems that Christmas decorations and cards from my childhood often proclaimed "season's greetings," yet it's hard to imagine anyone actually saying that, isn't it? I guess when we need a generic statement we've replaced it with "Happy holidays."  

Whatever greeting you use, there's no denying that Christmas is now just a few days away, so I'm really grateful to welcome you to the Grace at Home party. At this time of year especially, it's a treat to see how you've been making your homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty.

Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Need a moment to relax and enjoy someone else's hard work? Shelley from Calypso in the Country has a Christmas house tour for you.

Still getting your decorating done but need some new decor? Angela from Simply Beautiful by Angela shares some budget-friendly crafts.

While you're visiting Angela, you might also want to check out her budget Christmas decor ideas.

Need some craft ideas to keep your kids busy as you complete preparations for Christmas? Paula from Sweet Pea shares some free printable ornaments. Kids could proudly cut these out and hang them. Or you could print them out and use them as gift tags.

Need a yummy Christmas treat or a quick gift to share with neighbors? Melissa from Everyday Savvy shares her recipe for candied pecans. Don't these look yummy?

Do you need a quick meal idea for these busy days? Jenny from Not Entirely Average has you covered. Check out her recipe for 15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken.

If you're looking ahead to 2022, you might like to choose one word to guide you rather than making a host of resolutions. Lisa from Lisa Notes can help you.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today'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! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Grace at Home No. 448

Hello, friends! Happy December!

Here we are, barreling along through Advent, and I'm guessing that you're as busy as I am. If you follow me on Instagram (I'd so love to connect with you there), you might have seen photos like these:

My little grandson and his parents were here for two weeks, and what a joy it was to begin the Advent season with a baby in the house! It was a poignant reminder of the way Christ came.

You know, most of my life I've heard warnings not to "reduce" Jesus to the baby in the manger. I've heard preachers say things like "We don't pray to Dear Lord, Baby Jesus." But I think maybe those warnings might lead us to miss the wonder of the Incarnation. The Eternal Son did not come to Earth as a conquering king, but as a helpless infant. Then he grew to be a toddler, a boy, a man—a poor, working man. The one who was there at the foundation of the world came into the world not in a position of power, but in a position of lowliness. 

Isn't it interesting that we often long for power, yet the one we worship laid aside his power to come to us? 

The son of God became a human. The triune God united forever when the Eternal Son "took on flesh." And just as surely as Jackson is my beloved grandson, we are now beloved children of God, adopted by the Eternal Father of our brother Jesus. Today I'm thinking that we should all hang out with babies a little more!

Well, as I've been hosting my grandson, you all have been busy! Here are some highlights from last week's party. 

Looking for some Christmas decorating inspiration? Well, just take a peek at these scenes!

Pam from Everyday Living works holiday magic on a porch:

Andrea from Living on Cloud Nine shares her whole house all gussied up for Christmas:

Marty from A Stroll Thru Life shows how you can add Christmas cheer to any space, even a laundry room:

Need some easy-to-execute ideas for your own decorating? Shelley from Calypso in the Country offers seven ideas for filling glass jars for simple but beautiful holiday decor.

Don't have a Nativity set? Joy from Artful Homemaking shares a tutorial for crafting this precious scene—a great option to do with children.

If you're like me, you love Christmas cookies, and Italian amaretti cookies are a favorite. Well, Theresa from Shoestring Elegance shares a recipe for making your own, and she says they're the easiest and tastiest cookie she's ever made.

On a more practical note, if you need an easy dinner recipe, the LouLou girls share one for Tuscan chicken and potatoes that looks amazing.

Advent is an interesting season—a time of the tension of waiting with the anticipation of coming joy. Michele Morin from Living Our Days can help you to wait well.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today'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! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Grace at Home No. 447

Hello, friends! Happy December!

At times this year seemed to drag by so slowly. . . and now it seems that the weeks are flying by, and it will soon be Christmas. My head is spinning; how about yours?

Meanwhile, I'm so glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate the ways we make our homes and spheres of influence places of grace and beauty.

Here are some highlights from our last party.

Do you need some inspiration for your Christmas decorating? Visit Penny at Penny's Vintage Home to see how she's turned her entry hall into a winter wonderland.

Or take a trip to Debbie's house at Debbie-Dabble. Debbie decorates every room of her townhouse each year, and her enthusiasm is contagious! I think you'll enjoy reading about where she gets her love of Christmas. I especially like this old photo that she shared:

Want to do a little Christmas crafting? Carol at Blue Sky at Home shows you step-by-step how to create these Christmas tiles. Don't they look cute hanging on her range hood?

Need some ornaments for your tree or some inexpensive gifts? Ann at The Apple Street Cottage shares a full tutorial for making jute twine ornaments.

Do you love Christmastime but dread wrapping gifts? Christin from My Homier Home shows you how to create beautiful gift boxes that can be used again and again.

If you enjoy adult beverages during Christmastime, you'll be glad to get this recipe for making cranberry liqueur from Melynda at Scratch Made Food for Hungry People.

If you live with a chronic illness, this time of year can be especially daunting, can't it? You'll be glad to get these tips for dealing with the holidays from Paula at Bless this Mess.

If you're feeling anxious these days, you'll be really glad to read this post from Lisa at Lisa Notes. Lisa is a master at helping to re-frame your perspective.

Now that the calendar has turned to December, we're into the season of Advent. But these December days can get so busy, I sometimes find it hard to find time to pray. So I created a prayer guide to use during Advent, and I'd be delighted to give you a copy. Waiting Together: An Advent Prayer Companion is available for free by clicking here.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today'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!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter