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Archives for November 2014

Freedom Friday – On Becoming Who God Created You to Be

November 21, 2014 by Patti 11 Comments

“Let me give you a hug,” said the 82-year-old Maery, as she bustled out from behind the sales counter.  Then, wrapping me in a hug bigger than expected from such a tiny lady, she proclaimed for all to hear, ” I LOVE you!” 

More later . . .

Welcome to FREEDOM FRIDAY – A new devotional, emotional, spiritual and sometimes hysterical series that I will be sharing on occasional Fridays, in addition to my regular Old Things New posts.

Today is my birthday and I’m bursting at the seams with excitement!  No, I’m not really excited to be 59, hanging on the precipice of 60!!!  I’ve not really minded the change from one decade to another before, but this one seems more intimidating.  Maybe that’s because there have been so many changes in my life this year and I’m feeling a little less secure.  I’m still standing on The Rock though so I’ll wait to see how I feel next year!

What I AM excited about is a birthday present I received this year.  It was an early present that I’ve been just dying (slight exaggeration) to share with you.

Buffet 039Would you like to play the same “What is it?” game we played in the last Freedom Friday?  Let’s not!

Blue Heron 001 Because I want to get right to this gift from my amazing husband who knew, in spite of the price, that this was a treasure that couldn’t be passed up.

He knows well the deep meaning Blue Herons hold for me.

Blue Heron 003Let’s go back to a day, not so many years ago, when I was struggling with depression and despair.  Though I was active in a good church and doing all of the things that good Christians do, I felt as if I wasn’t enough.  I didn’t measure up to all of the “beautiful” Christians around me.
Blue Heron 006It wasn’t their fault that I felt this way.  It was something inside me that was broken . . . a deep sense of shame and feelings of unworthiness.  I had spent a lot of time attempting to build my life into something impressive so I would be deemed worthy of love.  I tried really hard to be “Perfect Patti” and I looked pretty good to others . . . on the outside . . . while on the inside I still believed words of condemnation I’d received early in life and had accepted into the depths of my being.  These words defined me.  Sinner, failure, not enough, reject . . . the list goes on.

Blue Heron 022These words became part of how I defined myself and I wore them as labels.  No one else could see the labels but I knew they were there and sometimes others sensed it too and treated me accordingly.

So back to that day, not so many years ago, when I was at the beginning of my healing journey, surrounded by people who saw the pain within me and began showing me the way to freedom and healing.   I was taking a Bible study by Beth Moore. I don’t remember exactly which one but in her video message she talked about recognizing the way God smiles at us in little ways throughout our days.  I wanted to experience that!  I wanted to know God in a deeper, more intimate way and hear Him speak to me.  I wanted to recognize the smiles He sent my way. So that is what I prayed, sitting on my couch, in the living room of our lake house.  After praying I stood up and went to the window.  Looking out at the lake and down at our dock below I saw a Great Blue Heron standing there.  We saw them occasionally in that house and it was always a treat, but never moreso than this particular day.

Blue Heron 016

The Great Blue Heron stood on the dock while in the water near the shore a flock of ducks swam circles around each other, quacking excitedly, diving beneath the water and popping up again with seeming glee.  Not to anthropomorphize little duckies but that is what it seemed like to me.  They brought to mind all of the “beautiful” Christian women I knew, energetic, friendly and full of joy.

Blue Heron 012I saw that all of the cute little ducks paddling around were content to be just who they were created to be.

God spoke to my heart that day and He gave me more than just a smile . . .

Blue Heron 027. . . as He showed me something about the Great Blue Heron also.

Blue Heron 019I saw that he was a bit awkward compared to the others and from past experience I knew that he was terribly shy, sometimes flying away as soon as one came to stand near the window.  He was very awkward when he walked, with his funny knocked-knees (something I share in common with him by the way).  Though pretty in color (a nice dresser) he didn’t exhibit a lot of grace standing all alone on my dock.  Then, that Great Blue Heron began to move, taking one slow step after another down the length of the dock.  And in an instant, his wings came up, his feet pushed off and he was in the air, soaring with great grace and beauty.  When he stopped walking and used his wings to rise up and soar . . . he became a magnificent sight to behold!

Blue Heron 018

Yes, God smiled at me through the antics of the duckies and the magnificence of the Great Blue Heron that day.  It was as if He spoke to my heart personally and said, “You are a Great Blue Heron.  You may feel awkward but you were meant to soar!”

Do you think it odd that I would say that God spoke to me that day?  It wasn’t an audible voice and it wasn’t in the usual way He gets my attention, through Scripture or another person speaking to me, or even that still, small voice.  This was a different type of experience and one I’ve only had a few times in my life.  It was an experience never to be forgotten that began a big shift in my life.

Blue Heron 023

It wasn’t much longer after that, that we began teaching Freedom Session, to share with others the healing we’d received ourselves.  Then, a couple of years into Freedom Session, another amazing thing happened on a regular old day while I was mopping the floor.  I was suddenly filled with great joy as the thought came into my head,

“I’m not the same person I once was but I’ve become the person God created me to be!”

It was a sudden recognition of how dramatically I’d changed on the inside and the difference it made on the outside.

Through my healing journey and through our own teaching of Freedom Session, old labels were removed and new ones put in place, my cloak of shame was replaced with a robe of righteousness, my fear was replaced with confidence that God would work through me . . . even when I was weak . . .  especially when I was weak.  I realized in that moment the extent of the transformation that had taken place within me.

 Becoming a Christ follower doesn’t mean that everything suddenly becomes perfect.  Some of us have more wounds than others but we all have them and we all need to learn to offer them up to the one who died to take them from us.  He bore in His body all of our sin, our hurts, wounds, abuses, and heartbreaks.  This post today isn’t meant to give you all the answers for how to do that (I wish you could all find a Freedom Session near you, or teach one yourselves!) but it is meant to offer you hope in knowing that with God change is possible.  God has delivered me, he is delivering me and he will deliver me.  It is a process, this working out of our salvation, this being transformed from glory to glory.

Blue Heron 028

I wonder, does it seem prideful of me, to claim to be like a Great Blue Heron as opposed to a cute little duck?  I don’t mean to give the impression that God was saying I was better than others, just different.  And we are all different.  We are all uniquely endowed with individual gifts and talents.  YOU are special! Are you acting like it?  Are you using the gifts God has blessed you with or are you hiding behind old labels or words that others spoke into your life?  Words that have inhibited you from doing what you should be doing?  If you feel a little tugging at your heart here, that’s God!  Life is so much better when you can stop walking awkward and lift your wings.  Let Him take you soaring.  Let Him take you into the places where you’ve been afraid to journey and allow Him to be your strength . . . because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Blue Heron 014

So back to little Maery, who owned the store of “pretties”, where we found The Great Blue Heron.  She is a woman interested in others and she questioned me about my excitement over the Heron.  So I shared, and as I did it became obvious to me that in hearing my story she was moved with some emotion of her own.  She then shared a bit of her story, a story of loss and the pain of being a refugee from her home country.  Her story had the happy ending of God’s provision, restoration and a life well lived.  Isn’t God amazing?  He used my story that day to bless Maery and He used Maery to bless me by lavishing her (and His) love back on me.  This makes me think we should all be sharing our stories a bit more.

Blue Heron 034

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, We know that you formed us in our mother’s wombs.  You’ve numbered every hair on our heads. You know our beginning and our end.  You created each of us and you have a path for each of us to follow.  Lord, show us your path and then be our strength to walk it out.  Show us how to lean into Your strength and draw from You what we need to push off, to lift up and to soar to new heights.  Not to be great ourselves but to make Your name great with a testimony of Your transforming power.  Please Lord, show everyone who reads this, and feels like they don’t measure up, that there is so much more for them.  Show each one the way to become the person that you created them to be.  Amen.

Blessings,

My Signature

I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:

 SUNDAY

Beauty in His Grip Button

MONDAY

Project Inspire{d}

TUESDAY

Holly Barrett

 

WEDNESDAY

Joy Dare Blog

 


Photobucket

THURSDAY

Thriving-Thursdays1

FRIDAY

 SATURDAY

countingmyblessingsAmanda’s Books and MoreSandra Heska King - Still SaturdayFaith Along the WayRenewed Daily - Recommendation Saturday

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Filed Under: Freedom, Freedom Friday, Freedom Session, Meditation, Prayer Tagged With: Freedom, Freedom Friday, Freedom Session, Meditation, Prayer

A Color Wash in Layered Greys

November 20, 2014 by Patti 23 Comments

Buffet 015I’m SO excited to share this post with you tonight as it is the first furniture project I’ve completed in my new home.  Please read on for all the details on how to do a Color Wash in Layered Greys.

Buffet Before 001This is the “before” picture of a buffet that we found at a great local antique/junk store.  It was very dark in the store and the buffet was kind of hidden behind a lot of other stuff so I wasn’t sure of the condition of the piece until Mr. OTN brought it home.  I thought the burled wood on the drawer fronts might be worth restoring but it is veneer and had a lot of hairline cracks on the surface so I decided to just paint over it.

Buffet Before 002The top had some surface scratches but they didn’t look too deep so I decided to see if I could sand back and re-stain the wood.

Buffet 006Here is the “after” of my gorgeous new buffet.  I used two tones of grey, painting on the darker color first and then adding a color wash of the lighter grey.  I then used white wax as a finish.  I have a ton of “how to” pictures and also some other shots of the piece so read on please . . .

Buffet with gray wash 001I began with a color I had custom mixed at Home Depot to match the Annie Sloan chalk paint color French Linen.  I buy the sample sizes and make my own chalk paint.  I’ve tested and reviewed several home made chalk paint recipes and my favorite can be found HERE

Buffet with gray wash 003After the first color was dry I painted on a wash of Home Depot’s version of ASCP Country Grey.  This was also made with my home made chalk paint recipe and watered down quite a bit so it would wipe off easily.

Buffet with gray wash 004Here I’ve wiped it off using one swipe of a crunched up paper towel.  The important thing here is to use a new surface of the paper towel for each swipe.  Otherwise you’ll be putting paint from the paper towel back onto your piece of furniture and it sort of ruins the look you’re going for in a wash.

Buffet 003After everything was dry I used some Miss Mustard Seed white wax to seal the paint.  It is a different look completely than some of the pieces I’ve done with dark or clear wax and I really like it on this piece.  According to the ASCP website you can add white chalk paint to clear wax to get the same effect.

Buffet Befor 002I sanded the old finish off the top of the piece and, luckily, there weren’t any deep scratches that couldn’t be removed.

Buffet 001I used a Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner by MinWax to prepare the wood to receive a smooth stain, then stained the top with MinWax Wood Finish in the color Cherry.

Buffet After 010Finally, I sealed the wood with three coats of a water based Polycrylic, also by MinWax.  I used a clear satin finish for this piece.

Buffet 024So this is my new buffet standing all alone in my new dining room.

Buffet 007 The wallpaper is in the process of being stripped behind her but that job has become bigger than I ever imagined . . . and I’ve removed a lot of wallpaper in my day!

Buffet 008So far I’ve removed the second layer of wallpaper and in doing so found that the first layer was glued directly to the sheetrock, without the use of any sizing to prepare the surface . . . Ugh!

Buffet 035So I’m working on tearing it off one little piece at a time with my steamer in one hand and my scraper in the other.

Buffet After 003I’ll be moving a Craigslist dining room table and chairs into the dining room for our Thanksgiving dinner.  They too are in need a lot of work but just a good cleaning will have to do for now.  Chairs take hours and hours to paint and, as my sister said, “Don’t worry about the house.  FOOD is all that is important!”  Haha!  Food AND family.  I’m so happy that my sister and her hubby are coming out from SoCal for the holiday and also that we’ll have our dear college friend Holly here with us as well. 

Buffet 014

Buffet 031By the way, remember the old tarnished brass hardware?  I rubbed just a touch of Martha Stewart’s Metallic Craft Paint in Silver over the metal.  Not too much as I wanted the dark color to still show through.

Buffet 029 I’m pretty happy with this piece and I’m excited about my vision for this room.  I’m not sure what colors I’ll use on the dining room set.  Maybe the same colors but in the reverse order for a completely different look with the same color base.  I’ll have to do some experimenting to see what feels right.

Buffet 018I do have a color scheme in mind for this room by the way and my grey buffet with the bluish undertones fits right in.

Buffet 039Here’s a sneak peek at my inspiration piece.  Curious?  If you’d like to see more pictures of this piece and hear the story behind it, please join me tomorrow for Freedom Friday – On Becoming The Person You Were Created to Be.

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
SundaySoiree,
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday,
BetweenNapsOnThePorch
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, WeCallItJunkin’
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday

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Filed Under: Annie Sloan, Antiques and Collectibles, ASCP, chalk paint, Chalk painted furniture, Furniture Painting, furniture restoration, Home decorating Tagged With: Antiques and Collectibles, ASCP, Chalk Painted Furniture, Home Decorating, Home made chalk paint

Welcome to Our Den!

November 20, 2014 by Patti 10 Comments

Den and Kitchen Pictures 044The real estate listing called it the “den”.  I’ve never had a house with a den before but I liked the sound of the word and the feelings it stirred up in in me.

The word den brings to mind a warm, cozy place to hang out in winter.  A place with a crackling fireplace, comfy seating, books to read, soft candlelight, and a cup of something hot to drink. As I pondered how to decorate the den I decided it should be a place filled with things both old and new, an eclectic mix of items collected over the years.  I expect that the den is the place the family will gather for Thanksgiving and Christmas to catch a snooze after the big meal or to watch our favorite Christmas movies.  I can’t begin to express how excited I am to share this new place with family and friends this holiday season!

What does the word “DEN” conjure up in your mind?

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 059Welcome to Our Den!  Please come inside on this chilly Fall day, kick off your shoes if you’d like, find a seat and make yourself at home while I tell you about our den, the first “real” indoor room I’ve shown you in our new home.

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 060First off, our den is backed by the screened porch which I shared with you HERE.  This makes the room a little darker than the other rooms in the house  . . . but that’s okay because it goes along with the enclosed feeling a den should have.  Just like the furniture on the screened porch we negotiated in the real estate contract to have this leather couch included. 

Den and Kitchen Pictures 057This is the cushiest, coziest couch, and without all my pillows (my little obsession), it is wide enough to fit two for a nap. But no napping today!

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 042You may recognize my decoupaged door from one of my very early posts, the tutorial of which you can access HERE.  I’m thinking about how I might change it up a bit to fit the atmosphere of the den a little better.   The armoire was in our old master bedroom and was always a little large for that space but it fits perfectly in the den and keeps the TV hidden away.  Hooray for not having to hang the TV over the fireplace!

Antlers 004You may also remember these gold tipped antlers from my Golden Entry Hall post last Fall.   The antlers made the move with us and I’m glad they did because I believe that every den should have a great set of antlers! Mine are hung over the doorway leading from the Entry Hall into the den.

Bookshelves in Den 027I already mentioned that a den should have something to read . . . and bookcases to keep the reading materials in of course.

Den and Kitchen Pictures 002We have quite a collection of books, some of which I’ve displayed here in the den along with some of the other things we’ve collected along the way.

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 052For this room we purchased a new rug, the round table and the linen covered chair.  The table and chair were a complete impulse buy when we went to buy the rug.   Normally, I prefer to find used furniture and give it new life but this time I’m glad we succumbed to impulse because it gave us one completed room to enjoy right away. 

Den and Kitchen Pictures 067I’ve had this little chair for quite awhile and originally purchased it at an antique store in Olympia.  I think I’d like to recover it with linen to match the other chair and possibly even give it a coat of paint.

Den and Kitchen Pictures 064This one is pretty even though she isn’t old, and she has become mine, almost all mine!

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 050I’m toying with doing something with the backs of the bookcases also. Wallpaper or paint?  What do you think?

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 045Finally, this is my fireplace with a REAL mantel . . .

Den 001. . . and a place for my mirror.  I can hardly wait to start decorating it for Christmas!!!

Den and Farragoz Clock Face 061As you can see I’ve added a lot of light colored pillows to the couch in an effort to brighten the room.  I love the caramel wall color . . . it adds to the warm and cozy feeling . . . but it also darkens the room.  I may try a color similar to the light background color in the rug.  I’ll leave it alone for now though as I have enough projects I’m working on for the other rooms in the house, and it really is nice to have a room that isn’t “in process”.

So there you have it, a quick overview of our den.  I didn’t really “zoom in” to show you some of the details that help create the “feeling”, but that’s for another post.  I’m glad you took the time to stop by today and I’m thankful for your comments and suggestions on my other posts.  Since my old friends are so far away and I haven’t met my new friends yet, I really do appreciate  your input.

I’ll be back tonight with the “big reveal” of something I’ve been working on for my dining room.

Buffet Before 002Sneak peek!

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
SundaySoiree,
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday,
BetweenNapsOnThePorch
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, WeCallItJunkin’
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday
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Filed Under: Home decorating Tagged With: DIY, Home Decorating, The Den, thrifting

Freedom Friday – On Seeing Differently

November 7, 2014 by Patti 8 Comments

Have you ever heard of the game called “What Is It?”

Okay, that might not be the official name of the game but the gist of it is to figure out what an object is by looking at only a small portion of it.

Let’s play!

Fall in my yard 047What do YOU see?  Can you tell me what this object is?

Fall in my yard 049I’ll zoom out a little so you can see a bit more.  Got it?

Fall in my yard 060Here is another portion of the object,

Fall in my yard 066and another,

Fall in my yard 051and yet another.

Fall in my yard 064Okay, by now I’m sure you’ve come up with some really good guesses and from this last picture you’ve surely figured out that this is a building of some sort . . .

Fall in my yard 065. . . and you are absolutely right.

Fall in my yard 053It is a bird house of course!

Fall in my yard 055So what was the purpose of this little game?  Because there always has to be a purpose, right?

Welcome to FREEDOM FRIDAY – A new devotional, emotional, spiritual and sometimes hysterical series that I will be sharing on occasional Fridays, in addition to my regular Old Things New posts.

Looking at things from a different perspective . . . or Seeing Differently . . . is something that has been on my mind a lot lately, especially since we are in a new place, a place of transition, and we really don’t know what the future holds for us here.

But then none of us really knows what the future holds do we?

 Smokey Mountain Parkway 068

I don’t know if you are at all like me but when I am in a place of uncertainty, whether that be a minor insecurity or a great upheaval of my little world, I tend to look waaayyyy . . . off into the distance and try to figure what the future holds for me.

When I’m in a place of insecurity I tend to come up with a lot of ideas of my own as to what God might have planned for my future.  Maybe I’ll be doing this or maybe I’ll be doing that.  Maybe I’ll be serving in this church or that one.  Maybe . . . maybe . . . maybe . . .

I tend to think too much!

Smokey Mountain Parkway 079And pretty soon my head is spinning sideways.

It is all futile really because we have no idea what the path set before us will hold.  In fact, it can all change in a moment, as I’ve seen recently with two different friends whose husbands have had strokes, disrupting all of the plans that they had laid out so precisely before them.

So what can I do?  One thing I can do is to stop focusing on things that “might” be and simply see the beauty in today.

Fall in my yard 039This is a view through my camera lens, zoomed in to show detail.  The texture, the play of light and shadow, the imperfections of my subject, all are clearly shown.

Fall in my yard 011As I walked through my yard this morning I walked (carefully because I have dogs) looking through the lens of my camera.  I am able to see things much differently that way . . . things I don’t notice with the naked eye.

Fall in my yard 003There is great beauty in the details that I often miss when I look at the whole picture.

Fall in my yard 014Like this hard and grainy rock.

Fall in my yard 007 Trying to take in the whole picture of my life at once can be overwhelming!

Fall in my yard 001Seeing a small piece of the whole picture and choosing to be thankful for the beauty that is in each day gives one a sense of peace and also a new appreciation for the whole.

Fall in my yard 042Getting down low to take a close up can open your eyes to new wonders you’ve never before known!

I know from personal experience that life can be hard.  Perhaps you too are in a difficult season.  What can you do about it?  You can fall into worry, and start asking all the “What if” questions:

“What if I can’t save enough money to retire?”

“What if my health fails?”

“What if I never find a husband?”

“What if I never get a good job?”

“What if the economy fails?”

And for me:

“Will we ever find a church home?”

“Will we ever make friends here in our new city?”

“Will we ever feel like we are making a difference in others lives again?”

In the midst of our worries we will almost certainly neglect to take in the beauty around us.  And it is there!  No matter what your circumstance there is beauty to be seen if you will open up your eyes to a new way of seeing and ask God to show you the beautiful.

Fall in my yard 029If I truly trust God I can leave my future in His hands and turn my focus toward what is happening in my life today, right this moment.  I can choose to enjoy the beauty of the moment even as I might also be feeling the pain of the moment.  The message here isn’t about seeing the world through rose colored glasses, though sometimes I wish I had a set of those.  It is about releasing control of the hard things of life to the One who knows what is best for me, and then choosing to see good even in the midst of it my pain.  Then giving THANKS in all things!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossions 3:15

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Finally, a thought from Corrie Ten Boom, who had more to worry about in her life than most of ever will:

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.

Since God is in control I think, for today, I’ll let Him do His job and rest in the fact that His plans for me are better than anything I could come up with on my own.

Prayer:

 Papa God, I cast all of my fears and anxieties upon You, for you care for me, you sustain me and you promise that the righteous ( Christ followers) will not be moved.  I lay aside every weight and sin of worry and fix my mind on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and deserving of praise.  I commit to live free from worry in the name of Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. I choose to find joy in each day and trust you for tomorrow.  Amen
Blessings,
My Signature

I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:

 SUNDAY

Beauty in His Grip Button

MONDAY

Project Inspire{d}

TUESDAY

Holly Barrett

 

WEDNESDAY

Joy Dare Blog

 


Photobucket

THURSDAY

Thriving-Thursdays1

FRIDAY

 SATURDAY

countingmyblessingsAmanda’s Books and MoreSandra Heska King - Still SaturdayFaith Along the WayRenewed Daily - Recommendation Saturday

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tweet

Filed Under: Freedom Friday, Freedom Session, Meditation, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Freedom Friday, Freedom Session, Prayer and Meditation, Thanksgiving, The Bible

Gilded Artichokes and Doggy Love

November 7, 2014 by Patti 20 Comments

Sometimes I wish I could gild everything around me and make all aspects of life shiny and wonderful. 

My life is good, REALLY GOOD, but there have been hard things in the past and there are hard things now that I can do nothing about . . . other than trust.  Trust in a God who cares about my feelings of sadness, even when that sadness is caused by a sweet little dog named Snoopy Girl.  More later . . .

Gilded Vegies 013bDo you like artichokes?  I do.  I like to eat them but I also like to have them on display in my kitchen.  I think they are delightful to look at!

I’ve seen some lovely faux artichokes in stores like Pottery Barn but, OH MY GOODNESS they are expensive!  Too expensive for me to justify buying them for myself.  Now before you go saying that I don’t value myself enough (I’ve heard that) I will tell you that I do believe in treating myself from time-to-time with key home decor pieces that I truly love.  Especially if it something that I know will always have special meaning to me.  My (early) birthday present this year is like that but since it isn’t my birthday yet I can’t share.

Gilded Vegies 003These plastic artichokes aren’t in the category of family heirloom, and they weren’t very inexpensive.  They weren’t up to PB standards but they looked okay and I used them last year . . . buried toward the bottom of a Fall arrangement.  This year I decided to brighten them up a bit with gold paint.

Gilded Vegies 004I used this paint from Michael’s (purchased with my 40% off coupon) but any gold paint would do.

Gilded Vegies 003bA few swipes of the paint brush and here you have it!

Gilded Vegies 007bGilded Artichokes!

Gilded Vegies 025bI think they add a nice touch to my wooden bowl of Fall veggies and nuts.

Gilded Vegies 034bHere I’ve tucked one into another Fall display.

Gilded Vegies 018bI love how they catch the light!

Gilded Vegies 021bDraws your eye right in doesn’t it?

Gilded Vegies 040bScene stealer!!!

Gilded Vegies 015b

Gilded Vegies 014bI’m glad that gold is back “in” as I never really stopped decorating with it.  I’m glad too that gold and silver can be used together in home decor.  I’m definitely doing a lot of that in my new home.

Snoopy on the Screened Porch 004So back to our little Snoopy Girl.  She has been failing for a long time.  We thought we would lose her on the 4th of July but she rallied.  We didn’t know how she would handle the cross country trip but she did great.

In the past few weeks Snoopy hasn’t wanted to leave Mr. OTN’s side when he is at home.  We bought her a bed of her own that we put on his side of the bed.  When he is gone she often goes upstairs to sleep on her bed rather than stay with me.  We think the thought of him makes her feel safe.

Snoopy has been off her feed for a few days so I’ve been hand feeding her . . . but she is eating very little.  She is very unstable on her legs and she’s lost a lot of muscle due to a medical condition that she’s being treated for.  This morning we had to carry her downstairs and outside.  She just stood on the grass looking confused. Since Mr. OTN had to go to work I brought her bed downstairs and laid it near me.  She isn’t doing very well today.

The Vet said that with this condition, a tumor on her pituitary, there could be “sudden death”.  Or she may rally once again and surprise us all.  She is almost seventeen years old so either way, we know we won’t have her around much longer.  So today . . .  we are going to spoil her with special treats and lots of good “scritches” behind the ears.Buffet and Screened Room 025

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
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Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday,
BetweenNapsOnThePorch
Tuesday:
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VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
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SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday
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Filed Under: Craft Ideas, DIY, Dog Love, Fall Decor, Home decorating, Re-purposing, Tablescapes Tagged With: Crafts, DIY, Dog Love, Fall Decor, Home Decorating, Tablescapes

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OldThingsNew

I am Perfectly Imperfect Patti, daughter of the King, wife to the amazing Mr. OTN, mom to two grown daughters, a great son-in-law, and companion to two spoiled dogs. At Old Things New I share DIY’s, budget friendly home transformations, as well as posts about how God transforms our souls. I myself have been made new and I love to share what I’ve learned through WRITING and SPEAKING. To view a short Vimeo of “Our Story” (Mr. OTN and I) please follow the link at the top of the page.

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