inspiration

This is Easter Morn

~ Teresa ~ 2 Comments

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes, we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)

As many of you know my mother wrote poetry.  She was never formally published but I wish we had pursued that while she was alive. She was in a poetry writing group for a while and had a few published in a couple of newspapers.  She also generously shared poems with others when she felt a poem had a message that could encourage the person in whatever circumstance they found themselves. If you have a handwritten copy of one of her poems I hope you keep it as a treasure.

I promised her when she was in hospice that I was going to see that her poetry was published for the whole world to read.  I have published a few on my blog, but I have plans, God willing to do a book of her poetry.  Most of her poems were written in the mid-seventies through the mid-eighties.  They were actually quite good; some, a little rough around the edges, needing some final editing.

In 1975 during Holy Week, on Good Friday, she wrote an Easter Poem and titled it Hallelujah. Because of the repeating refrain of This is Easter Morn I thought about changing the title of the poem but decided that the whole concept of Easter is definitely one big Hallelujah and that must be how she felt about it, so I left her title. I’d like to share it with you:

Mom's Easter Poem

Happy Easter! I hope you find a church and attend on Easter Sunday to Worship our Risen Savior!

Celebrating in Grace,

Teresa

If you haven’t read it yet, I shared a whole series about losing my Mom to Alzheimer’s. I shared a few of her poems throughout the series. You can click here to check it out.

calm sky

 

On the Front Porch

~ Teresa ~ 2 Comments

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Yesterday I updated you on what I had been doing while not writing.  Today I had a break in the weather so I did some rearranging and staging on my new old front porch.    You can read yesterday’s post to see a lot of the in progress pictures and the before.

I’m linking up over at Imparting Grace so please click on over and check out the other links for more home inspiration. It’s all about “making our homes a place of grace”.  And while you are there browse around Richella’s blog – she will inspire you with her wisdom as well as her decor.

If you found your way here from the link-up party at Imparting Grace, Welcome!  I’m so glad you stopped by.  Please leave a comment and let me know you were here.  I love to meet new people.  That is one of the ways I find blogs that become my favorites.

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Just a quick (ish) update for those who haven’t been keeping up with our porch reno – We live in an older home that was our weekend home, but due to some changes last year, has become our full-time home (and here) while we wait on God’s direction for what comes next.  We lovingly refer to it as the Little House (aka StoneLeaf Cottage).

This blog was originally started to chronicle the Little House, but I haven’t’ done much of that as I have found other things to write about.  I think over the summer I am going to add more posts about the house. Stay tuned.

Our most recent project has been our front porch.  The porch ceiling was vinyl.  I don’t really care for vinyl porch ceilings, especially on old houses.  And, I desperately wanted a blue porch ceiling.  A southern porch at it’s best.  You can’t paint vinyl – yuk! And our vinyl had seen better days; it was sagging, which meant probably a leak was lurking. The floor boards were in good shape but had grayed over the years; the shutters were pitiful and the porch just was not overly inviting. I wrote a poem about it here. I’d had a swing for the better part of two years and had not hung it because one of the hooks was missing and the sag was where the hook should have been.  So, not knowing what I’d find or whether or not I’d have to replace all the old boards, we decided to do what any sane person would do.  We took the vinyl by the claw hammer and let her rip.  No going back.

That was the best decision ever.  Yes, we had to replace the old boards.  Yes, we replaced them with tongue and groove pine boards and yes, we painted them blue.  Summer Sky blue from Lowe’s.  Valspar I think.  Does Lowe’s sell any other brand of paint ;).  And yes, I have pictures to show you in a minute or two.  To make a long story as short as possible, we also freshened up the porch wall paint ( an Olympic color called Puppy Paws – not my choice, but we’re not painting the whole house, so we went with what was already established.)  And we painted the floor and today I did some “staging” and took pictures.  Lots of pictures.  I’ll try to refrain from sharing all 57 of them.  (all pictures were taken by me.  Please link back should you share any of them.)

Enjoy how our transformed front porch has helped “make our home a place of Grace”:

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100_1876I hope you enjoyed the pictures of our new old front porch.  You probably noticed how the accessories jumped around a bit. I had  fun trying out different combos.  The porch floor paint is a Glidden color, Handcast Pewter, in Valspar porch and paint from Lowe’s.  The cushions and furniture are from Oxford Garden.  You can go online to check out the where to buy link.  The rug is a lucky find at Wal-Mart.  The only one of this style left in their outdoor rug bin.  The colors could not have been more perfect for all the different blues and greens in my cushions.  It even has a beigy neutral color that picks up on the pinkish tan tones of the house color.  And, of course it compliments my summer sky ceiling paint perfectly. For now I’m ignoring the black retro railing because I can’t afford to change it to a wooden white railing and columns.  We will probably need to freshen the paint on it soon.

All the pops of color excite me and make me happy.  My swing makes me happy!

My front porch makes me happy!

click the quote for a song:

All I wanna do when the day is through, is linger here on the front porch with you

Swinging on the front porch in Grace,

Sadie

PS – The house you see behind the swing is the home we moved to when I was a teenager; my parents still live there. We’re so blessed to have them close by.

PPS – I still have a few things I want to add, like string lights and some kind of art on the wall, and maybe a hanging plant or two.  But I’m so excited for the progress.  I’ll keep you posted on any updates.

31:18 – A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words or 14

~ Teresa ~ 1 Comment

I had a creative writing class in high school that I absolutely loved.  That was probably when I first realized on a conscious level that I had a way with words.  That was the stirring of wanting to be a writer.  It just took me awhile to think of myself as a writer.

One of my favorite writing assignments was using a picture for inspiration.  We would choose a picture, then write a story to fit the picture.  I chose a picture of an old man that was on the back of a Readers Digest magazine.  The picture and story are long gone, perhaps hidden in storage somewhere.  I used to have a file of schoolwork at my parents, but haven’t seen it in years.

For several years Mr. Piano and I went to the mountains of Tennessee for retreat.  I could look at the beauty around me and be inspired by the “Pictures” of nature that were all around me.  A few years ago I was inspired to write My October based on the sights from the front porch of our cabin,it was posted last year on this blog. Autumn Road, another post from last year was inspired by a picture I took while on retreat.

When I see beautiful art or photographs, it can inspire words.  For me, the opposite is also true,the written word conjures up images.  As I read I can see the scenes in my mind’s eye.  Either way the words and images are linked together.  I have always wished that I could paint beautiful scenes, but then I remind myself that when the written word stirs my soul, that too is art.

One of the best compliments I ever received about my writing, was when I had written a letter to our church about the new sanctuary.  I had gone with the theme of New House Smell and had written about all the changes.  A lady from the congregation came up to me the following Sunday and said, “I loved your letter – I could smell the paint!”  It was a letter, not a prize-winning novel, but I made her connect with her senses as she read and that is what the writing is about.  Making a connection.  Painting a mental picture that makes the words come alive.

What picture is inspiring you to write a thousand words today.  Or maybe 14?

Sunlight dances in tree tops splashing across Autumn skies, covering my soul with peace.

Inspired by Grace,

Sadie

31:10 A Day for the Mundane

~ Teresa ~ 1 Comment

“…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

Sometimes life is interrupted by the mundane.  In my case “life” represents those things that drive my passion.  Like sitting at my computer writing. I  Imagine myself  being inspired to weave wonderful words in an idyllic setting much like the one in Funny Farm minus all the comedic escapades, of course.

However, sometimes the mundane interrupts and we must tend to business.  Today is such a day for me.  I have a construction crew (sidewalk repair) I have to feed and dishes to wash (that should have been washed yesterday).  Which reminds me.  Sometimes even in the mundane we can find inspiration.

Inspired by Grace,

Sadie