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The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement – Book Review

September 28, 2018 by Patti 12 Comments

Happy Friday friends.  As promised, I’m back today with a review of my friend Debbie Kitterman’s recently released book:

The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement

Prophecy.  I know.  An uncomfortable word for some, but in this book Debbie, in her very engaging and down to earth manner, teaches us about Biblical prophecy with the backing of plenty of Scripture.  She explains in detail the four types of Biblical prophecy before focusing in on the gift of prophetic encouragement which is all about hearing the words of God for others.  She is passionate in her belief that it is a very necessary gift for today.

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Filed Under: Book Review, Books, Giveaway Tagged With: Book Review, Books, Giveaway

Bursting With News to Share!

March 7, 2018 by Patti 10 Comments

Where do I even begin to tell you everything I have to tell you about life over the past couple of months?

The last time I wrote, before leaving on a long Christmas vacation and much needed break, I was here, living in our Southern Colonial.  What I didn’t tell you at the time was that our house was SOLD.  In fact, it sold over Thanksgiving weekend but our Realtor, wanting to err on the side of caution, suggested that I not make any announcements until the final papers were signed. THEN, we held off the closing until January – so of course I haven’t shared the news until now.

But wait, this is March.  Yes it is, and I’ve been doing a ton of things I’m bursting to tell you about, but this post is going to give you a only glimpse of what’s been happening here, because I have far more important news to share today.

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Filed Under: Book Review, Books, DIY, Home Building, Home decorating, My Home, Southern Living Tagged With: Book Review, Books, DIY, Home Building, Home Decorating, KariAnne Wood, The DIY Home Planner, Thistlewood Farms

God’s Personal Pep Talk

November 10, 2017 by Patti 34 Comments

 “I really dislike my book.  My character is an insipid female with no strength of her own,” I typed in a text to my-friend-with-the-big-publishing-house-contract.

Which friend you might ask, and you’d be right in asking, because I have several friends who have contracts with major publishing houses.  I’ve seen these friends rise to the top of their game with #1 ratings on Amazon, calls to speak hither and yon, and multiple future book deals even now in the works.  I’ve had the privilege (and it has been a true privilege) of being there with them through beta reads, pre book launch discussions, launch team insider groups, and finally, sharing in the excitement of BOOK LAUNCH day!

I know, I know, I may be doing a little comparing of myself to others, and comparison is the thief of joy, right?  I’ve preached that with the best of them.

Here I sit with my little blog, occasionally checking in with y’all, while working on my own book on the side.  The book that alternately consumes every waking moment or lies dormant and forgotten under the other demands of life.  Namely, this “staging to sell” mode I’ve been in.

With all in order here on the home front I picked up the book writing again this week and began skimming through the pages to remind myself of where I was, and after reviewing only a few chapters, I came to the conclusion that I dislike my book.  Yup, if I were to pick it up in a bookstore and read the first few pages I would realize right away how beginner-ish it is and lay it right down again without giving it a second thought.

Y’all!  Fiction writing is H.A.R.D.! 

Making likeable characters is hard.  Showing instead of telling is hard.  Drawing readers into the story with all of their senses is hard.

I’m sure my husband does some inner cringing every time I tell him that I don’t know how to write good fiction and that I don’t know if I’ll ever get the hang of it (this has been an off-and-on theme in our household by the way).  He looks especially dismayed when I question whether or not I should give it all up.  After all the money invested in classes, conferences, computers, and tech help?  Not to mention the bazillions of hours of pouring my heart out on the keyboard, only to go back and realize that what I’ve written simply won’t make the cut.

How do I know?  Because I’m a reader.  I know good writing.  And I know that really good writing is kind of a rare thing.  But that’s what I want my writing to be!

So am I giving up?  No, not today.   Let me share with you some things I’ve learned in my QT this week (a week of extreme frustration and discouragement) that have caused me to determine to press on.

  • Monday, at my ladies-of-the-lake Bible study we had to fill in the blanks of the following statement:  “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me ____________.  And when I do ______________, I feel His pleasure.”  You might guess that the answer to this was writing.  Writing is frustrating at times, but I do feel God’s pleasure when I know that the words He’s given me have touched the heart of someone else.
  • Tuesday, in my quiet time I was reading a passage in the book Chase the Lion, by Mark Batterson. Here are some key thoughts I wrote down in my journal: 
    • God-given dreams are more about others than they are about me.
    • The goal of a God-given dream should be to honor the God who gave it to me in the first place.
    • Am I living to make Him famous?
    • On the days when I feel like a no-name I must remember that if my dream is to honor God it doesn’t matter.
  • Wednesday, I wrote this quote, also from Chase the Lion: “If you stay humble and stay hungry [for God], there is nothing God cannot do in you or through you.”
  • Then Thursday: “In every dream journey there comes a moment when you have to quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. You have to go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.”
  • And today, Friday, my quiet time brought me to Psalm 63, A psalm of David, when he was hanging out in a desert.  I wonder if his desert was anything like this writing desert of mine?

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

I had to ask myself what I wanted more, for this book to come to fruition or God Himself? 

Down on my knees I confessed and repented and declared my choice out loud, “I choose You God.” Click To Tweet

And I am humbled.

This week has been five days of God pouring encouragement into my heart every time I’ve turned to Him with my complaints and inadequacies.  Do you know what the meaning of the number five is in the Bible?   The number 5 symbolizes God’s grace, goodness and favor toward humans.  Isn’t God good that He spoke to me each day this week? 

Side note:  If I weren’t in the habit of journaling I might not have heard God’s message to me.  In truth, my journal often turns out to be God’s Personal pep talk to me.

So back to the writing table I go.  At least until I hear the Lord say it’s time to lay it down.

Maybe you too, are in a place of discouragement as you pursue your own God-given dreams.  If so, I hope the words that encouraged me this week might also encourage you.  

Blessings friends,

 

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

SundaysAtHome, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired,  InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends, InspireMeMonday, GodSizedDreams

 

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday,  WriterWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration,  Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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Filed Under: Books, Christianity, Fall Decor, Fall Porch, God's Grace Tagged With: Books, Christianity, Faith, Fall Decor, Fall Porch, God's grace, Writing

Hope Prevails – A Life Changer!

October 25, 2017 by Patti 17 Comments

I know I haven’t been here much lately, but I felt the need to TAKE-A-BREAK-FROM-MY-BLOGGING-BREAK today because I have something to share with you that I feel is SO important: 

Depression is an epidemic and it is only expected to grow worse, but this book, Hope Prevails Bible Study by my friend Dr. Michelle Bengtson, has REAL answers!  I had the opportunity to preview this book as a beta reader and I cannot say enough about it.  There are many books written about depression but this one really does surpass them all!

… 

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Filed Under: Book Review, Books, Christianity, Health Tagged With: Bible Study, Book Launch, Book Review, Books, Christianity, Hope Prevails, Mental Health

So Close to Amazing Farmhouse-Thistlewood Farms

October 11, 2017 by Patti 36 Comments

I’m writing this post from an unexpected place today.  Flat on my back.  Due to a probable herniated disk the doc has ordered complete rest in order to get the inflammation down.  I’ve been pushing too hard, right through the pain, until this morning when I was nearly brought to my knees in the shower when bending over to pick up my shampoo.

I want to tell  you what I’ve been up to and why I’ve been pushing so hard but today, while I’m “under the influence” -Advil and Tylenol with a Tramadol chaser- isn’t the best time to try to communicate anything.  I’m so loopy I might tell you my deepest, darkest family secrets, and that probably wouldn’t go over well with the fam.

So instead, I’m going to share with you pictures I took at Thistlewood Farms when I went to KariAnne Wood’s book launch party a few weeks ago.  This really is an amazing farmhouse and I only call it “So Close to Amazing” because that’s the name of KariAnne’s new book in which she shares all the ups and downs involved in making Thistlewood Farms a home.

Rather than try to think and type at the same time, I’ll just take you right to the pictures.  Most are not full room views as I tried to zoom in on all of the wonderful vignettes.  MANY of the items KariAnne decorates with are handmade and the tutorials are available on her blog and in her book. Enjoy!

Beautiful KariAnne signing her books.  She really IS beautiful, inside and out!

KariAnne’s own smocked burlap curtains.  Love these!

 

 



I know that water bottle wasn’t meant to be a part of the vignette.

One of my favorite ever DIY’s from KariAnne was this pom-pom pillow.  On my to-do list.



Chandys, chandys everywhere. I think there was one in every room.

 



Kari’s famous recipe plate rack.  I HEART this and I want one.  Mr. OTN?


Isn’t this butler’s pantry fabulous?  It’s where Kari’s refrigerator lives.


This laundry room has long been a favorite room of mine and it was fun to see it in real life.




The guest room.  I would be very comfortable in here today.

The master bedroom where Kari’s own sweet sister was creating artwork for the guests at the party.


Outside on the screened porch we had some live entertainment goin’ on.

Including Kari’s own sweet husband Denny.  He is so proud of her book success.

Mr. OTN came to the party with me and this is where he chose to hang out for most of it.  It really WAS a wonderful place to sit and relax.

The view from the porch.

Finally, here are some other pictures I took outside.

 

The studio.

 

The back porch. Kari painted the design on the floor herself.

Artwork depicting Thistlewood Farms.

If you don’t know Kari and her wonderful blog you are really missing out on something special, and her book, So Close to Amazing, is her personal story of leaving the big city life in Dallas, Texas to live in small town Kentucky.  She shares her joys and her sorrows and her faith in the one who says she is amazing even when she is feeling far less than amazing.  You can purchase the book by clicking on the picture below.  It’s even on sale!

If you do know Kari you probably know by now that she and her family have been called back to Texas and have left Thistlewood Farms behind.  How lucky the person who gets to live in this wonderful home, a place that will always hold a piece of KariAnne’s heart.  Her heart has long been in her new home too though, as they’ve purchased the very home she grew up in.  I’m looking forward to following along as she renovates and decorates this grand Southern colonial.

Speaking of Southern colonials, I’ll be updating you on the status of ours once I get to a place of being able to do that.  A lot has happened during this blogging break of mine.  Soon.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of KariAnne’s home and that you’ve gotten lots of farmhouse decorating inspiration and I hope my words haven’t been too jumbled by the pain cocktail I’m under the influence of.  Falling asleep even as I sign off here.

Blessings friends,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

SundaysAtHome, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays,RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope,Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage,ThreeWordWednesday,  WriterWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  Thought Provoking Thursday,SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration,  Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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Filed Under: Books, Craft Ideas, DIY, farmhouse glam, Home decorating, Inspiration, Rustic Glam, Southern Living Tagged With: Books, Decorating Inspiration, Farmhouse Glam, Farmhouse Style, Home Decorating, southern living

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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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