Saying yes to the Ms Dots in your life

There is a hashtag going around on Instagram called #thestoriesofourhouses. My wise friend Lori (environmentsofgrace) started it to encourage us to share the memories attached to our houses, furniture and special pieces in our homes.  That is right up my alley because  pretty much all my stuff comes with a story.  The one I wanted to share about today was  apparently three sentences too long for Instagram  and there was nothing in the story I wanted to cut out so here I am.... forced to blog. lol.

Anyways, thank you for taking the time to pop over here to read it.  I pray it blesses you.  

Years ago when Nick was called to his first church, there was a sweet lady who lived in the community named Ms Dot. She and her husband were very active at a church in town where they had been members  for many years. I would stop by to visit them from time to time to check on them and was so drawn to Ms Dot's demeanor. She had a quiet spirit, the most inviting smile and always had a twinkle in her eye.

She would call me often to invite me to the ladies bible study that her church had each week and always mentioned it when I stopped to visit. But as a brand new pastor's wife with young children and demands of our own church activities, I would always decline her invitation. Ms Dot never gave up though and one day she caught me in a "weak" moment and I said yes.  Mad at myself for adding yet another thing to my over committed schedule, I begrudgingly kept my promise out of my respect for Ms Dot and went with her. 

 Well, that bible study turned out to be a game changer for my entire life. It was the first in-depth bible study I had ever done and God used it to ignite a flame and passion for His word that I had never experienced before. This became the foundation for all that I am and all that I am still becoming in Christ today!  I am forever grateful for Ms Dot's quiet tenacity and persistence to not give up on the young new preachers wife down the road.  

Now how do these peacocks fit into this story??  Well, a few years later Ms Dot's husband passed away and she decided to move into town to be closer to her church family. Our church bought her house and  it became our new parsonage. When we moved in, I found these little beauties in a box out in the shed that Ms Dot had made years ago.  They became instant treasures of mine...reminding me of Titus 2 & the role we as women of God, have to mentor and invest into the next generation whose coming behind us. 

"Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God.  Tell then not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of virtue.  In this way they will teach young women to show love to their husbands and children, to use good judgment, and to be morally pure, Also, tell them to teach young women to be homemakers, to be kind, and to place themselves under their husbands' authority.  Then no one can speak evil of God's word." Titus 2:3-5

Maybe you have a Ms Dot in your life that you have been putting off because life is just too busy to add one more thing. Girl, when you have a woman whose willing to make time to pour into you what God has taught her through the years from His Word along with her life experience, she is worth her weight in gold!  Make the time. You won't regret it.

 And maybe some of us are supposed to BE a Ms Dot to a young woman in our lives. Not only is that a privilege, it's a command for us in God's word. It's how we help make the Body of Christ beautiful and  powerful  and functioning the way God designed.  

Make the time.

#sayyestoyourMsDottoday #beaMsDot

Choosing to bless instead of impress

I can remember the text like it was yesterday.
It was from my friend Ruth and she and her husband and their six boys would be making a trip soon from New Mexico to Florida and she wanted to stop along the way and spend the night with us.

In our home.  In our tiny home.
With her six boys.  gulp.

Now I love having company.  And more importantly I love Ruth.  I "met" her through Instagram and my heart  instantly connected  with hers.  All that she shared resonated with my soul and encouraged and challenged me in the Word. I knew I wanted to make the effort to connect with her…not just "like" her pictures but really get to know her.  I practically ran her over at Hope Spoken to hug her neck when we first met and we exchanged cell numbers and all that good stuff with the promise to keep in touch.  I was so blessed the Lord had crossed our paths in real life.

Then came her text.  She wanted to come spend the night in my home.  My tiny little home.  My tiny little cluttered up and messy  home.  And did I mention she has six sons?  

Now I'm gonna get real transparent today.  I'm usually not one who worries about stuff.  That's just not my nature.  I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants it will all come together so no worries kind of girl.  I usually don't get worked up over feeling the need to impress people or concerned if they will like my house.  or food.  or me.  I mean, of course I want to be liked…don't we all?  But that need doesn't govern me or control me. 

But for some reason when Ruth asked if they could stay with us, I kinda got a little panicky.  Now let me make it clear that Ruth has never done a thing to make me feel this way.  She is as genuine as they come.  The real deal. And I can't say enough good things about what rich blessings social media has brought into our lives through the people God has connected us to.  

But there is also another side of social media. And that is the pretty filtered side that we post for the world to see..the side that if we allow our flesh to go there,  we can often throw ourselves under the "comparison bus".  And that ain't ever a good place to be.  You see, I had seen Ruth's home….her pics literally look like something straight out of a magazine.  Big, spacious and incredibly beautiful.  I was looking around at my mess that I had let get totally out of hand and panic begin to take over.  They couldn't stay here! My home was not presentable. I still had wedding projects piled up in the corner. And her food!  Oh gosh… don't even get me started on her culinary skills.  Every thing she shares looks gourmet and I had no idea what I would feed them.  I mean, I love to cook but I don't cook like that!  

A part of me wanted to take the easy way out and just say we had something going on that night.  But besides the fact that that would be straight up lying,  I also knew deep down that I would be missing  one of the greatest blessings if I said no.

So I said yes. 

And I'm so glad I did. 

The words of my pastor (who I happen to be married to) began to ring loud and clear…" A wise woman doesn't build her nest to to impress those who will peek in from time to time…no, she builds it to bless those she loves.  Use your home to bless not to impress."   So after I let the enemy wreck havoc with my mind and emotions for a brief moment,  I came to my senses and put into practice the principle that we have always lived by. One of my favorite things over the years is to use my home to minister to others… so I   began to focus more on the privilege of being able to bless this precious family as they traveled on their journey.  And I immediately began to experience the joy that  comes from serving others well. 

Now even though it was a brief visit, not even 24 hours,  the Lord supernaturally made our time together rich and full of great fellowship.  We magnified His name together as we all shared our lives and the journeys the Lord has us on for His glory. We testified to His unfailing grace and steadfast provision and how rich His redemption is and how much He has changed and sustained our marriages over the years. The same love I felt for Ruth had now spread to her entire family.

 When they did pull out of our driveway, I felt a tiny taste of what the elders of Ephesus must of felt like when they said their goodbyes to Paul as they prayed for him, hugged and kissed and watched him leave. (acts 20:36-38)  The body of Christ is such a gift to each other when we walk in the way that God has commanded us to.   I thought that Ruth and Troy were so brave to plan a trip where they would stay in "strangers" homes with their six boys all so that they can build fellowship  with those they wanted to invest their time with in the body of Christ.  It would have been much easier  get a hotel room, grab some dinner, enjoy the swimming pool and then get back on the road.  But instead they chose to get past the first hellos and introductions and trust God that they would be among family.    I'm so thankful they made the effort.  

Here is  a glimpse of the rich fellowship the Lord blessed us with..

I loved having all these little men around my tiny table.

This is how you make room for five boys to sleep in one bedroom.

I apologized for all the pink stuff and they were very gracious about it and said it didn't matter to them.  Such gentlemen these boys were.

They arrived at night and it was dark so they couldn't wait to go exploring the next morning.

I loved seeing our yard through fresh eyes filled with adventure.

(and yes,,,I'm still in my pajamas.  Hostess with the Mostess for sure. lol)

Nick had fun showing them around the yard and picking fresh plums.

They all got to see a nest up close and personal.

Ruth whipped me up some amazing chalk art on my coffee table.

 And so did Asa.  :)

 Ruth is an incredible artist. (this took her all of five minutes)

 You can check out her shop here.

Home Sweet Home.

"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches." 

 Proverbs 24:3-4

Are we building our nests to impress others or to bless others?

Because it's not what's on our walls that makes our homes beautiful.

And we don't exercise biblical hospitality just because we've provided a bed or cooked a meal for someone.  Hospitality goes beyond a beautiful house, clutter free guest room or scrumptious snack. 

True hospitality is not just to offer our homes but to offer our lives.

Making ourselves available to people right where we are.

As much as I love social media and can testify personally to how the Lord uses it to glorify Himself and advance His kingdom, like anything in this messed up world the enemy can use it too. To make us compare. To make us covet. To make us discontent. Friends, we will miss out on so many blessings waiting on our spic and span floors and Pintrest worthy homes.

I'm all for pretty settings. I'm all for going the extra mile to fluff our nests to make people feel special. I like putting chocolate on the pillows and lighting candles and setting the table.  But we can't let that become the main thing. People are the main thing.

 Don't wait til the backyard is landscaped before you have your small group over.

Don't wait til your floors are mopped and you've baked a cake until you invite your neighbor over.

Just pour her a cup of coffee and sit down and ask her about her day.  I promise she will remember the conversation more than the scrambled eggs still on the floor from breakfast.  

True hospitality is loving on people smack dab in the middle of our messes with whatever the Lord has provided. 

Decking the Halls

My front door.

My back door...the one we actually use.

Some of my collection of antique balls...

A glimpse of my trees...

My girls Christmas decorations from days gone by...

A few of my Christmas books from when I was little....

This teddy bear was the first thing Nick ever gave me when we were dating...we were 15 years old.  The dress it's wearing was what Elizabeth wore on her first Christmas 23 years ago.   (Teddy's bff is Lauren's gingerbread girl she has had since she was 2..she needs repairing!)

A sweet lady in our previous church made these when my girls were little.  Now my grand babies play with them.  They have been loved on tremendously.

This is a new little guy that I will keep for years to come.  I bought it to remember Lauren's recent discovery that reindeer are indeed REAL...they just don't fly.  She thought they were in the same category as unicorns and mermaids.  Gotta love our LaLa. 

This is my oldest Christmas treasure.

He is probably around 85 years old.

So thankful my mom decided I was old enough and responsible enough to take care of him last year when she surprised me with him.  Thanks mom!

Have you decked your halls yet?

Stephanie :)

linking up with Krystina

The Handkerchief

This is a handkerchief that sat on my lap last week on my way to a funeral.

But it wasn't for me.

It was for one of the sweetest ladies I know who was having to let go  of her beloved brother who had been sick for a long time.  I was bringing it for her.

To wipe away the tears that were sure to come.

~Bringing a handkerchief to someone~

That seems so small doesn't it?

Well, a gesture so small can mean the world to someone who is hurting.

It did for me.

You see, I didn't come up with this thoughtfulness on my own.

When I was the one in need, when my own brother died tragically in an accident,

I was on the receiving end of a handkerchief.

A dear friend gave one to me and my mom as she hugged us both.

Few words were said but her thoughtfulness that day has lasted a lifetime.

We both used our little hankies throughout the day when the tears would come.

I still have mine.

Such comfort even when no words of wisdom can be found to share, 

when the grief is strong, the situation is unfair, and hearts are breaking...

a simple handkerchief can speak volumes and bring great comfort.

Death is inconvenient and interrupts our lives when we least expect it.

Because of this, I buy hankies in packs and keep them ready to give away in times such as this.

Maybe you can do the same.

I am forever thankful for the thoughtfulness of my friend who took the time to do that for me.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Matthew 5:4

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ."

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Stephanie :)

today I am thankful for:

~thoughtful friends~

~my husband's calling and that God is using him to advance His kingdom~

~my favorites slippers~

~my daughter who speaks up for God's word even when it cost her~

Eleanor's got a new BFF

Do y'all remember meeting Eleanor?

She's our new vintage couch who got a little make-over.

You can read about that { here }.

Well Eleanor just got a new BFF!!

Meet Lola!

With Eleanor's stellar self, we knew we had to find just the right friend to hang out with her.

Don't she have the most beautamous legs you've ever seen?

This lady has actually been in the family for a looooooong time.

She goes way back to when I was little.

That's me and Lola back in the day.

Back when my momma used a can of Pledge a week to keep Lola shiny.

And back when my momma let me wear my hair like THIS!! 

Here is Lola again.

..And me and my brothers.

(That's me in the middle in case you can't figure out which one's the girl)

Like I said, she's been in the family for a while.

And one day I was perusing Pinterest and saw this picture....

source

And I was in LOVE.  

I could just see Lola in all her glory done up just like this with her beautemous legs.

In my original vision she was painted turquoise just like the pic but then I went and painted my kitchen a lovely shade of aqua and thought we'd be swimming in too much blue so I decided to go a different direction....a  happy sunshine yellow :)

So this last trip I made to my momma's, 

We loaded up Lola and brought her home.

My mom was a little apprehensive about her pending makeover and she made me promise not to sand or buff out a single scratch on the top.  She said every scratch had a memory behind it and was full of family history... which is so funny to me since that is NOT how she felt about the scratches when me and my brothers were growing up!

My sweet husband, who is not that fond of little projects such as these and that's why I thank him so much for this, spray-painted her legs a lovely almond color and then we brought her inside to paint the top. Since we only had a teensy bit to paint, we bought a sample jar of the paint color I wanted. It cost us a whopping $2.86!!

So, he pours it out and I'm like "Hon was it this  French's mustardy in the store?"

Now I'm beginning to get a little nervous.

 But no problem.

We just put the Holden Motto into practice...

Improvise,  Adapt,  and Overcome.

That's when my drawers full of craft paint came in handy.

We just mixed up some green and then added a little brown...

 and then finished rolling her out....

And now Eleanor and her new BFF 

are getting along just great!

Don't they look cute together?!

I think so.

Momma, I hope you approve of the makeover.

Don't tell me if you don't.

Although somehow, I know you will anyway...

:)

And Mom, while we are on the subject..

What WERE you thinking when you dressed me this day?

Although, I do like the purse I'm carrying.

But seriously Mom... those thighs were never meant to be in a dress that short.

And the hair?...  Well we won't even go there!

Happy Friday Y'all!

Stephanie, Eleanor and Lola :)


today i'm thankful for:
~spray paint~
~my amazing hairdresser, Amber~
~daily deals at Subway~
~A package in my mailbox I ordered from a friend's{Etsy shop} filled with gorgeousness
and extra unexpected gorgeousness~

Meet Eleanor

 A couple of weeks ago I posted this picture.

That's Marcus and Blake moving in my "new" vintage sofa.
(And thanks AGAIN to Jason and Sherri for the blessing!)

I was out of town staying with my daughter helping her after the arrival of their new baby.

So... I wasn't there when they moved it in.

I don't like missing out on stuff.

Especially when it comes to my "nest".

So I made my girls take pics with their cell phones and send them to me...

Honestly, I wasn't feeling it at first.

It takes me a little while to adjust to change.
There was just too much going on with all the colors.

...And she was looking a little "frumpy".

But then.....

I made a few changes.

I removed the skirt so you could see her pretty little legs.

Now I'm starting to feel it...

Ain't she just the prettiest thing?

We named her Eleanor.

What?  You mean you don't name your furniture?!

And she's comfortable too.

Don't ya just want to plop down on that?

Even us tall folks can stretch out  and still have room.

And yes, that is a gun propped up in the corner. What? I guess you don't do that either!
Well, I wouldn't do that either but I do share this home with my husband, who I adore, and for some reason that's where he likes it.. I got one in the dining room too...
just another part of living in the country...You never know what you gotta "take down" fast.
Did I mention I shot my first armadillo a while back? Pesky varmints!
 Anyways....back to Eleanor.

Eleanor brightened things up so much I had to get some new curtains
 to match her bubbly personality.

These turquoise beauties are from Target via Dirt Cheap of course.

$4 a panel!  Yowza!  I love it.

And while I'm professing my love of Dirt Cheap again

I must say that it came through in a big way this last trip...
(For those of you who have no idea what a Dirt Cheap store is... it's a salvage store that sells all kinds of stuff REAL cheap. Stuff from Target, Kohls, Sears, Walmart....just about anywhere. The stuff that people change their mind on and return to the store...it often ends up at Dirt Cheap.  But you gotta dig for it. It's wonderful.  By the way...that rug came from DC...$20 from Target!  Cha Ching! love it!)

I went in looking for turquoise panels and when I found one I was thrilled..

but to find ALL four that I needed...well that is amazing.

And if that wasn't enough...my hubs was in need of a release for his bow.

As in bow and arrow stuff to deer hunt with....

And you guessed it....he found one.  At Dirt Cheap.  That just shouldn't happen.

But it did.

God's good like that.


Happy Monday Y'all!
Stephanie :)


linking up today over at