RESTORER OF JOY!

Alex Ruskin Antiques in Savannah, Georgia

Four Floors of Antiques ~ Beautiful example of a Preserved Home

The Aiken~Rhett House

Art Gallery in the Aiken-Rhett House

This past week, I was invited to spend a few days in Charleston, South Carolina with my sister.  How gracious of her to share her resources and blessings with me.  Such good company in a place that is truly beautiful!  Nature has been kind to this city, even though hurricane Hugo ravaged some of the homes in the past.  The Historical Charleston Foundation has achieved remarkable results with their historical restoration and their historical preservation of homes, gardens, and government buildings.  If you have not been there, you might consider a vacation in the area.  I can just imagine how the Grand Ladies of these homes would be pleased with the attempts to preserve and restore the homes in which they lived when they were originally built for their families.  Of course, the time in which they lived, even though it was a grand time,  there were also many evils of slavery and  cultural differences that separated people.  Through education of diversity, it seems  much has been accomplished to show the wrongs of those times and today people recognize that each person has a right to equality and human dignity.  The cultural and artistic endeavors of the foundation help instill in each visitor their attempt to share this rich heritage of the low country of South Carolina.

Two words kept me interested~ restoration and preservation.  When something is preserved it is protected from harm or further damage.  When something is restored it is brought back to an earlier or normal condition.  These two words continued in my thoughts as I left Charleston and drove home.  I thought of how God is  THE  RESTORER...."He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  Psalm 23:3   We wander from God and from the paths of righteousness~from following Him beside the still water~till we lose the way, lose joy, lose the sound of His voice.  Then the Master "restoreth our soul"; and brings us back into His way, in the paths of righteousness.  Oh, gracious "Restorer" bring back my wandering soul as a straying sheep, and lead me on in the paths of righteousness "for Thy name' sake."  Amen  I hope this next week, though a busy season, will give us time to restore our souls and lead us on the right path!  Blessings to you beloved!

Christmas Brings Us a Holiday of Hope......

Christmas brings us much hope as Believers!  We see people stepping out of their homes and sharing a smile with people much more often. Children tend to take center stage in even the coldest of hearts.  It could be in the stores, in the post office as we mail our Christmas cards, in our driveways as we talk with neighbors, and maybe even within the circle of our own family and friends.  There is something about the spirit of Christmas that makes each one just a little softer, kinder, and forgiving...... and for that I am thankful and hopeful!  It's a time to magnify the Lord!  One such faithful mother and obedient disciple was Mary.  There is a wonder surrounding Mary, the mother of Jesus, that transcends traditional religious thinking.  That she was a privileged vessel, chosen to bear God's Son, is wonder enough, for she is a participant in the miracle of the incarnation at a level no other human being can comprehend or begin to understand.  Truly, she may have not understood herself, but simply worshiped God in humble acknowledgment of the miracle of which she was a part.  She exclaimed....."My soul magnifies the Lord."  Luke 1:46   She simply walked the path of God's direction in her life.  She chose to walk forward in the next step He had for her, not looking back at her past....... but forward, with hope,  of what she had entrusted to Him.   She lived with a servants heart ~ timeless advice for all generations.  Oh, how I hope to look forward, grasping the Hand of My Savior, the Lord Jesus!  Yes,  He is the Reason for the Season.....Peace, Hope, Faith, and Love!  My soul magnifies the Lord!!!!

Tis the Season........

These lovely and inspiring ideas I hope will get you excited about decorating for Christmas!  I love the soft colors and the beautiful settings of each picture!  Christmas is  so much more about giving than receiving!  Notice the beautiful gifts placed at the front door in the first photo....wouldn't that be a fun way to surprise your guests when they arrive.  Gifts for everyone!!!  The table setting in the second photo is perfect for a girlfriends holiday luncheon sharing about the good things in our lives!  And the last picture looks like a perfect European bakery shop!  What could be more inspiring than listening to Christmas carols and baking sweets and treats for those you love........

I hope you will enjoy decorating your home over the next few days as we prepare our hearts and home for Christmas and all that will take place within our  hearts and our homes.   May you find a few moments each day to focus on the true meaning of Christmas......the birth of our Savior!!!!   " Christmas holidays in families......a tapestry of many places, people, and radiant memories.  Share your faith with your children for FAITH is a gift truly given, and always to  be nurtured."  

   Amen to those beautiful words by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thanksgiving Prayers......

A Beautiful Table at an antique shop in Fairhope, Alabama ready for Thanksgiving!

"Oh Lord, that lend me life,

Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness."

William Shakespeare

"Blessed Lord, we pray thee

to be present at our table

hallowing thy gifts to our use; 

that eating to satisfy our needs

we may remember those who lack."

St. Francis of Assisi

"May God be praised

that all things be so good."

John Donne

"Gratitude is Heaven itself."

William Blake

"O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup,

You maintain my lot.  The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.......You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:5-6

Thank you most High God for Your GREAT love and in this life for the love of family and friends!

May your time with family and friends be blessed! 

Table Manners

Soon, very soon, we are about to begin the beautiful Thanksgiving and Christmas Season!  We will be gathering together with those we love and care deeply about throughout the year.  These are very special times because from those times, memories are made that are deep and lasting within our hearts.  Traditions that are important to families are honored and established  and then passed on generation to generation.  Everyone, I hope, has special memories attached to these holidays.  Webster's defines a memory in this way:  the act or power of remembering (something good)!!!  I added the part in the parenthesis.  Memories establish and empower us to move forward in our lives. When my husband and I married and established our home, we chose to begin with traditions that centered around our faith and belief in Jesus Christ.  We wanted our children to glean from the Scriptures the TRUTH that is found within the Word of God and teach a spirit of thankfulness and giving to our children.  I believe we succeeded, and I say that very humbly, for God is always at work in each life that is given to Him and all of us are on a spiritual journey.  God has blessed us and I am so very thankful.  The blessings I am describing are relationships.  A great joy for me, personally, is the love and laughter and trust that our adult children have between one another.  This is a great gift!

In the Bible, one of the most lovely and beautiful stories can be found in the book of Genesis in chapters 42 and 43.  Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers because they were jealous of him and his relationship with their father.  The father and son relationship was special because Joseph had been born to Jacob in his old age.  The Bible even says that Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons and gave to him a richly ornamented robe to wear.  Favoritism is never good, but our God used the situation for His Glory and good.  Ultimately,  after being sold, bought, and sent to prison, Joseph ended up becoming "IN Charge"  of all of Egypt.  This was a time of abundance in the land,  and wise Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain for the nation.  But soon, the time of abundance ended and there was a great famine in the land which spread over the whole country.  Famine was severe in all the world.  During this time of hunger and need, Jacob sent ten of his sons to buy grain from Egypt, for he heard a wise man had stored up as much as the sand in the sea.  When his brothers came before Joseph and bowed down, he recognized them but pretended not to.  As the story goes, the brothers go back with grain and come back again for more grain and this time, Joseph invites them for dinner.  He gave them water for washing, fodder for their animals, and each a gift.  The men were seated in order of their ages and served large portions of the finest foods available. They feasted and ate freely with him according to God's Word.  Still not knowing who Joseph truly was, they were astonished that they were being treated so graciously and of course used their finest table manners to express their gratitude!   When he finally revealed himself to his brothers they could not believe it!  They all wept and embraced!  You can just imagine the scene of disbelief, forgiveness, mercy, and unconditional love.  Total acceptance!  God's love is like that for us.

In the time of famine when Jacob's family could not produce grain on their own, The Father had stored away, awaiting their arrival.  He wanted their hands in His.  Where are you hands?  Are they in His?  During this glorious season when we will all be with loved ones, I pray that God will allow us to love unconditionally as we place our hands in His and bring out the finest table settings and manners we possess.  Those, my friend, are the best kind of manners at the table......embracing all who have gathered!  Blessings to you and your family during  this beautiful Thanksgiving season!!!!

The Holidays......

I love everything about the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday season!  The blessings and gifts that we are given daily in our lives are celebrated by most everyone in the United States during this season. Seems like people are kinder and gentler with their deeds and conversation.  Sharing the love and blessings that we have been blessed to receive is even more special.

The past week was busy for me, painting and doing a little redecorating in my own home for our guest room.  It is still a little bit in progress.  My hope for the room is "rest".  A place of solitude and restoration for the ones who will visit during this season.  I found this beautiful color in a magazine and it's a Benjamin Moore color called "love and happiness"!  That is what I hope for you this week.....love and happiness.  The pillow is made from a coral/pink duponi silk with a beautiful brocade of grey and cream!  The pillow added just the touch that the all white bed linens needed!  My guest will have a place of their own for a few days.......

Entertaining Angels......

"Let brotherly love continue.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."  Hebrews 13: 1~2


This beautiful verse has always been such a special verse to me!  It's a joy for me to entertain others in my home, it's something that I truly cherish and enjoy.  I love everything about the process~the guest, the menu, the atmosphere that I hope to create, the dishes I will serve, the colors, the flowers, the tablecloth, and most important the love that I hope to share with our guest.

This gift of sharing ones home is hospitality, which literally refers to opening one's home to traveling strangers who  can share in your life.  Many times these "strangers" bring unexpected joys and blessings.  It's a way of ministering to those we care about and hope to bless with encouragement and a meal we've prepared for their journey in life!

Thanksgiving is a special time for our family because it represents a time of gathering together and giving thanks for all the blessings~big and small~in the past year.  The food is always wonderful, but just being together truly is what a Thanksgiving meal should be about.  Who will be at your Thanksgiving table?  Think for a minute about the ones you are expecting?  They could be your family members that you see everyday and just cooking the meal and serving it will be the big part of your day.....but as the family grows and others are gathered into your circle, sometimes there are "strangers" or a softer way of putting it (people we don't know so well).  It could be a family member.  It could be someone you've not really taken the time to listen to or care about as fully you or I could have.  As we enter this season of thankfulness, hopefully, we can begin preparing by focusing on Our Lord and His love for me and  for you.  I hope that we can center our hearts in His and truly be cleansed of all unrighteousness.  Then, perhaps, we will be ready to entertain strangers and our family and  be given FULLY to hospitality.

Enjoy the pictures of my preparations this year!  We live on the Gulf Coast and I always try to include seashells and lighter colors for our warmer weather climate.   As your guest come to the table for food, fellowship and celebration, I pray that you will find blessing in all things good! May you have grace and strength and the joy that can be found in KNOWING Jesus! Blessings to you my friend!

A November Morning

“God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, “Do you believe there is a God?” you may find yourself answering, “No, I do not believe there is a God. I know there is a God.”

~Ernest Boyer, Jr.

Thanking Him for His amazing blessings in my life this beautiful November morning!!! I pray today He brings good things into your life.  He cares for you in all you do.  Look for what He is doing behind the scenes in your life!  Know......The Lord watches over you~

A Colorful World......

A Beautiful and Colorful Refuge 

"The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms..." Deuteronomy 33:27  "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders."  Deuteronomy 33:12

Our eternal God is so generous and kind to assure us that He has created and given us a refuge and shelter found only in Him and His love.  He has created for us an atmosphere in His presence which flows freely and is rich in encouragement, tenderness, patience, listening, affection, and with love.  He reminds us that all we have to do is "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8  His fellowship awaits us each new day for those who trust and rely upon Him.  He wants to lead you into green pastures which are full of promise and blessing.  Did you know that our God chose the word green long before it became the "it" word of our day.  Green is the dominant color in a rainbow, symbolizing mercy.  God has always been about color! Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors because a colorful tunic represented royalty in their day.  What does color mean to you?  Is there a color that you favor?  Most of us do if we are blessed with an ability to see the world around us.  In the Garden of Eden there were flowers and plants which the Lord God made and these plants were described as  "pleasant to the sight and good for food."  Genesis 1:9  

Like most people, when I see a rainbow, it represents to me the majesty and power of our amazing God!  Only God could proclaim the wonder and beauty that a rainbow brings to our spirit when we see one!  I pray dear friend that your world is colored with the assurance that God cares about you and your circumstances.  That He is always working for your good and cares about even your smallest need.  God is not limited by time or space~He created the  Green and colorful WORLD in which you live!!!  His grace, His mercy, His knowledge and wisdom awaits you and me.

The beautiful room pictured above would be just a room without the colorful pillows the decorator used for finishing touches.  God is not finished with you~or me........   After Joseph's coat of many colors was taken away from him by his jealous and envious brothers, it took many years for the significance of the beautiful and colorful coat to be fulfilled.  The story of Joseph's life is a grand foreshadowing of God's restoration process.  Joseph embraced those who wronged him, forgiving them.  He trusted God and remained faithful for His calling and purpose. That is a signifcant reminder for you and for me~stay faithful to your call!  When something or someone is restored in the Scriptures, it is always increased, multiplied, or improved so that its latter state is significantly better than its original state.  Yes, God can put His glorious touches on your life too......to God be the Glory!!!!  Be blessed my friend with a special day...... seeing the colors of mercy and grace!  Love to you in the fullest measure!!!!

Timeless Rooms

The finishing touch to this elegant family room is found  in the beautiful silk fabric!  In making them, I also used a good quality lining and inner lining.  This makes the way they hang look full and luxurious!  I enjoy working with silk fabrics, not only for the finished look they bring but the feel of the fabric is wonderful when sewing!  This client moved and took the curtains with her and we just hung them again......each time with a unique look!  If you find something you really love in a fabric, don't be afraid to splurge....you can take them with you as she did!  Neat!

The dining room featured here is my own~these curtains I actually made for a client who moved and so we decided together that I would hang them in my dining room!  One of those moments when work is rewarded in a beautiful way!  One truly does not know what a day may bring.....so enjoy your day and look for moments when you can accept plans made by a loving Heavenly Father just for you.  "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." Psalm 127:1  Look to His Word for how to live.  Wait for Him to bring the wisdom and guidance you need!  Thank Him for the amazing blessings He brings into your life!  Most of all remember that You are cherished!  Whatever talent or gift you might possess.....use it for God's Glory!

Chosen......

One of the nicest things about decorating a home is choosing the furnishings, colors, and important treasures we appreciate and value.  Opening the door to your own home,  hopefully gives you a gratitude and calmness that can only be found when your are fully accepted within the walls!   As we enter our home, we should sense love and comfort and find well-being.  It doesn't matter if we are poor or rich, those we love are near!

Todays decorator has a vast selection of stores and venues to select just the right look desired.  Beautiful furnishings can be found almost anywhere today and it is always fun to look, even if you aren't in the market for something new.  It cost nothing to look except a little time. Family dynamics usually play a big part in decorating a home.   I hope the interior of your home radiates a passion and reflection of your inner spirit.  If you love color, then obviously selecting colors that you enjoy is important.  I love a pop of color but I also love the serene and warm neutrals.  Furnishings must be as meaningful as they are decorative, so finding a balance is always important.  I think it is wise to begin with one nice anchor piece, such as a sofa or large chest or cabinet and then find pieces within your price range to decorate your home.  Impeccably fine pieces do not have to be in your home to make your home beautiful.  Empty rooms can be beautiful if a loving spirit is there.

I have found a young new designer whose style I really like.  You can check  out one of his decorated rooms below.  I love the lived in feeling of this room!  It's a family room so maybe that is why I like it!

The Bible reminds us in John 15:16-17 of how precious we are to Jesus.  We are much more valuable than a house or any decorating style.  Jesus validated us as worthy when He chose us to belong to Him.  How precious that thought is to me as a Believer.  The Lord wants to be with me.  The Lord wants to be with you.  He wants us in His Presence.......even when He seems to be silent.  Silence before the Lord is okay.  His Word reads....."You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  This is my command:  Love each other."  You  and your loved ones who know Christ have been chosen for the Glory of God!  I hope you feel worthy my friend......for you truly, truly are!  Enjoy your day!!!

ABUNDANCE........

This is a glorious time of the year when our thoughts begin to turn to the many blessings in our lives that we are so grateful and thankful for.  Each day has blessings that we can offer up with thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father!  The farmer has harvested his crop from the growing season and the cooler weather, for us, means more time inside to spend with those we love and want to fellowship with!  God blesses in abundance!  The new mother who is seeing her baby for the first time at birth, a son or daughter returning home from war, the good news that  someone's illness has been healed!  Yes Christ, whose glory fills the skies allows our joys to be abundant!   "I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me."  Psalm 13:6   We can also celebrate our common blessings!  Sunshine and water, a blue fall sky, the first smile on a baby's little face, and the joy and happiness of hearing the voice of someone we love walk through our door!

This small basket on the table, which has been prepared for a fall dinner is simple, nothing  is in the basket, because I wanted my guest to fill it with their thoughts of the abundant ways that God has blessed them in this year of 2010.  Each morning, He welcomes you.  His arms are open.  His mercy and love for you are endless.  You can rest in His powerful and safe presence.  You can hide in Him and let Him take your fear away.  He surrounds you as you take refuge in Him.  As your day begins and ends, I pray that you will pause to think of your own life and your home and no matter what you possess or how your home is decorated the God of Glory dwells with you....... if you invite Him in.  What an abundant blessing we have been given~  "Jesus then came and took bread and gave it to them......"  John 21:13  He offered as a visual thanksgiving for the abundant bounty and provision.  Lord, may our homes be as generous toward all who enter!  Blessings to you to dear friend in this new season.

A Pink Room

Today my thoughts have been centered on a new project I am  soon to assist with!  Someone very dear to me will soon be moving from a crib to her own little room!  Little girl's rooms are so sweet because who can think of a little girl without thinking of PINK!  Of course, not all mommies want their daughter's to be invaded by pink but to me, it's such a sweet part of being a girl and adding a tender and soft feminine side to life.  I have some experience with girls since I am a mother to four daughters!  They all loved pink, early on..... and each one shared or enjoyed a pink room sometime during the years they were growing up in our home.   Little girls add a symphony to our lives!  In just a few words, they can express themselves very cheerfully but strong!  They listen,  but  in turn, we should always listen to their advice and especially their dreams! What a wonderful way to live.....dreaming!  Our job is just to love them and to show them the world is a glorious place because they are a part of our world!  I am thinking pink for this little girl~we will have to see what her Mommy says!  That is what counts!  I'll just listen......and then go to work!  The bottom picture I snapped at The Plaza Hotel on a trip to New York last year and the pink room is one from a magazine  that I just couldn't resist!  Sewing for children brings me much pleasure......little angel's wrapped up as gifts from Heaven touching our hearts forever and ever!!!  Yes....."children are a gift of the Lord!"  Psalm 127:3

A Home Defines Your Style

Decorating for Shelly is a collection of antique finds, expressions of her art, her books, and her travels!

Creative in every venue~a true artist~with HEART and SOUL!

Shelly finds creative ways to store any collection!

New York, Savannah, Los Angeles, Belgium, France, England, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, and .............

numerous other places of interest~this young woman has lived and traveled!  She is the essence of an artist~a beautiful person inside and out and a heart for all things creative and beautiful.  Her kind and gentle spirit flow from her like water flowing from a spring..... naturally.  She has and always will be the life of a party, walking to her own heart felt beat!  She is truly loved and she inspires all who know her.  She earned a degree with highest honors from Savannah College of Art and Design  a few years ago and the story is still unfolding in beautiful ways!  Her home in the photos above definitely defines STYLE with her own signature everywhere!

All  five of our children growing up had their own style and bents.  Each one, I was blessed to mother and enjoyed each and every day that God gave to me when they lived under our tent~so to speak! Be prepared to learn as much as you teach in life!  I would offer six A's that children need to survive and grow (adults need this too)~this was shared with me years ago and it's so true!

1.  Acceptance
2.  Affection
3.  Appreciation
4.  Availability
5.  Accountability
6.  Authority

Children will be different!  Wise and loving parents  will embrace them with encouragement!  I pray you have a day where you are encouraged.  You are valued and you are worthy!  Psalm 139:14 "I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well."

Wow!  What an Artist our God is.....He made you and you are wonderfully made!  Enjoy your weekend!!!

God's Garden

God's Garden

The Lord God planted a garden

In the first white days of the world,

And he set there an angel warden

In a garment of light unfurled.

So near to the peace of Heaven,

That the hawk might nest with the wren,

For there in the cool of the even

God walked with first of men.

And I dream that these garden-closes

With their shade and their sun-flecked sod

And their lilies and bowers of roses,

Were laid by the hand of God.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for mirth,--

One is nearer God's heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth.

For He broke it for us in a garden

Under the olive-trees

Where the angel of strength was the warden

And the soul of the world found ease.

Dorothy Frances Gurney  1858-1932

I was blessed to spend a few days in Savannah, Georgia visiting my daughter, Shelly and her boyfriend, Jeremy.  Kacie, Luke, and Isabel went also with me and we had such a fun and joyous time.  Shelly is such a GIVER!  When we arrived she had her artist touch everywhere in her home!  She was waiting with open arms and shared her home so graciously.  Right up the street from her home,  I spotted this beautiful garden and it became a place I walked to each morning just to look!  I am hoping to recreate something similar in my own garden.  Right now, my garden is still looking like a wilderness!  I found this poem today and the following verse and wanted to share  them with you~ "He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord;  Joy and gladness will be found in it.  Thanksgiving and the voice of melody."  Isaiah 51:3  To me, this says.....when our lives are like a wilderness, that is when God is able to create a garden like Eden, providing beauty and everything we need, He will provide for us and take care of us in a magnificent way! We will find joy and gladness!  I hope that your life is full of joy and gladness but if you are waiting for the garden to grow, be patient......look to Him each day in the morning in the garden!  He has something beautiful, noble, and grand waiting for you~