Grace at Home No. 473

Hello, friends! Can you believe that 2022 is half over?

This has been such a trying year in so many ways. A scourge of violence plagues our world, and political battles loom large over so much of the landscape. It's easy to become discouraged, isn't it? 

Yet there are many people—like you!—who are working to make their homes and spheres of influence places of grace, and I am grateful to be able to celebrate that fact at the Grace at Home party.

Here are a few recent highlights I think you'll enjoy.

Want some inspiration for laid-back summertime decorating? You'll enjoy visiting Kristin from White Arrows Home.

Are you in need of some new furniture but don't have much to spend? You need to visit Rita from Panoply, who is furnishing a new house beautifully but inexpensively.

If you're looking for ways to refurbish inexpensive or free furniture finds, you'll want to check out this desk and bookcase makeover from Angela at Simply Beautiful.

Struggling to keep your home clean this summer? Alison from Organized Motherhood has some great tips for summertime cleaning.

If you're hosting a gathering for Independence Day and need some last-minute decor, check out these free printables from Allyson at Southern Sunflowers.

Looking for a simple but fun treat for July 4? Kelli from 3 Boys and a Dog shares a fun cake mix cookie recipe. 

Or maybe you'll want to try these darling crispy rice bars from Lois at Walking on Sunshine Recipes.

If you're finding yourself in need of some encouragement and hope, check out this post from Donna from Soul Survival. 

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. 472

Friends, I am so glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party. I have to confess, though, that I'm not a very good hostess this week.

I've been out of town all week at a retreat. What has always been an annual retreat for the Ministry Team of Renovaré hasn't taken place since June 2019. . . but this week, we were able to gather once again. We are so grateful!

Renovaré is a ministry dedicated to helping people become more like Jesus. It was founded in 1988 by Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline. I'm grateful to have been a part of this ministry for many years and a member of the Ministry Team and Board of Directors since 2010.

I'll share more about our week after I've had a little time to digest it. For now I'll just share this photo my friend snapped on our last morning there:

That's a (very tired!) me with Richard, who is a dear friend and such an humble man. 

Anyway, I've not had a chance to read your posts from last week, so I don't have any highlights to share today.  I thought about simply not posting today since I'm not able to be a very good hostess. . .  but I am eager to see what you've been up to. And if we only extend hospitality when we feel like we can "do it right," then we won't be very hospitable, will we? I look forward to sharing some highlights from both weeks next week.

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. 471

Hello friends! I wish I could invite you to come sit on the front porch with me. We'd turn on the ceiling fans, sip a glass of iced tea, and relax, but we would not be sitting there in the middle of the afternoon, because we'd melt! Is it hot in your neck of the woods? It's been scorching here in North Carolina.

Hot or not, I'm so glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate the ways we make our homes places of grace and beauty. Here are some features from our last party I think you'll enjoy.

Want to cover up your fireplace for the summertime? Diane from In My Own Style shows you how to make a decorative screen quickly and inexpensively.

Got a bunch of ribbon that needs to be organized? Ann from The Apple Street Cottage shows you how to make a ribbon holder (and she has a lot of ribbon!).

Want some fresh decor for summertime? Allyson from Southern Sunflowers has a free printable for you.

Want some patriotic decor for your home but like to keep things understated? Julie from My Wee Abode shows you how to make these cute little flags from scraps of fabric.

If you prefer your patriotic decor not to be understated, you'll enjoy visiting Debbie from Debbie-Dabble Blog, who goes all out with the red, white, and blue.

If you're just hoping to get away this summer, you'll appreciate this list of destinations from Dave and Jamie of PhotoJeepers.

Looking for a yummy summertime treat? Michelle at The Wooden Spoon Effect shares a key lime cookie recipe that looks delicious.

And these Key Lime Bars from Michelle at Powered by Mom look delicious, too!

If you need some soul food to nourish and challenge you, head over to Linda Stoll's and see what she means by "becoming like Nancy Drew." So good!

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. 470

Happy June! Wow—I can hardly believe that 2022 is nearly half over. To say that "time flies" is an understatement.

I hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend. We were excited to talk with our son who is currently deployed with the U.S. Navy. It's always sobering to think of those who served just like our son but never returned home to their families. 

I'm so 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 features from last week's party.

Want some fun, lighthearted decor for summertime? Check out this "donut" wall decor Jennifer from Studio 27 made by painting donut pans! 

Need a tray for summertime serving? Allyson from Southern Sunflowers shows you how to make your own with some simple paint and decoupage techniques.

Want a special American flag piece to display for summertime? Carol at Bluesky at Home shows you step-by-step how to paint one.

Need some fun summertime ideas for kids or grandkids out of school? Leslie from Lamberts Lately shares a "bucket list" (plus a free printable) with lots of fun suggestions.

Want to do some summertime traveling with your family? Dave and Jamie from PhotoJeepers have great ideas for summer road trips, including suggestions from all over the U.S.

If you're like me, summertime makes you want more crockpot dinner recipes—no need to heat up the kitchen with the oven. Check out this "crack" chicken recipe from Melissa at Blessed Simplicity.

And for a fun summertime treat, I think I'll try these strawberry-banana popsicles from Raquel at Organized Island.

If you're in a season of feeling overwhelmed, you'll appreciate this encouragement from Jerralea to spend time at the feet of Jesus.

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