THE PORCH
WEEKEND NEWSLETTER
gentle conversation & calming snapshots
uplifting linkage & occasional surprises
Hello, it's me again.
I pulled this wreath together from the ample grapevines growing wild on my daughter's property. Literally. The brown hues glisten silver in the bright sunlight, a warm welcome on her richly red front door.
And then I gathered a handful of links I think might be well worth your time. When all was said and done, they all somehow seemed to go together. I love how God does that.
Enjoy!
Vintage Easter Home Tour
Emily @ My Weathered Home
"While I adore the charm of bunnies this season, I also love the idea of showcasing lambs as well. During the Easter season especially, I am reminded of the verse John 1:29, 'Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!' This year I really wanted to create a space that would remind me of this verse."
23 Things to Declutter
Joshua Becker
"I often use the words minimalism and decluttering interchangeably. They are different of course, but still connected. Decluttering focuses on removing surface possessions. Minimalism helps us discover how little we actually need."
Marsha Crockett
"Gratitude can easily slip away if not intentionally practiced. At times, it is replaced by the temptation toward grumbling in its many forms including whining, judging, regretting, complaining, begrudging, and resenting. My favorite form of ingratitude is offering unsolicited advice to 'make something better.'"
How to Uproot Shame
Beth Broom, LPC-S, CCTP-II
"I call shame the ‘growth-killer.’ More than any other intrusion or feeling, shame hinders (and sometimes completely stops) the ability to process pain, think creatively and believe that change can happen. When counselees experience shame, we as helpers should support them and show them the truth. But how can we support without enabling? How can we share truth without seeming trite and condescending?"
271: A Blessing For Friendship
Emily Freeman
"Here’s to you, a friend to someone, and here’s to your someone who is a friend to you."
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May you appreciate the possessions you've gathered ... and experience the grace-fueled freedom to bid farewell to stuff that has lost its appeal. May you discover that cultivating a bounty of gratitude pushes the pull of excess materialism, as well as the detritus of shame, far from your soul. And may you spend the weekend dreaming up lovely ways to show your friends how priceless they truly are.
A very special welcome to all our new subscribers this week. I couldn't be more delighted that you've joined our happy, worldwide family. Feel free to introduce yourself in the comment section, ok?!
Linda
Was gonna pack 'em all away,
ReplyDeletethe things I can no longer do
when God Above stopped by to say
my assumptions were not true.
Sure, I'm hurt and compromised,
sure, I am not what I was,
but I might be more than surprised
if I'll keep keeping on because
now I very truly know
that I can't do it on my own,
and His help can really go
way past where I went alone.
So He said, and so it seems
that I need not yet quit my dreams.
Yep. Keep living the dream, pal. You just might be in your creative prime.
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More lovely photographs! Your sunflowers brightened my morning! Decluttering seems to be an on-going process. Somehow, stuff finds its way in - so my latest mindset is to use what I already have and NOT bring more stuff in. Keeping track of what I thought I might buy - and its cost - so I might add the $ saved to our travel savings account. We'll see ...
ReplyDeleteOh I love that idea of adding your savings to a travel account. For years we saved $5 bills and when all was said and done, it helped us in buying the house we now live in. Every little bit counts. You go, girl!
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I LOVE the sunflowers, Linda. So bright and cheery. :) And I assume the two girls are your beautiful granddaughters. :) Of the links, I especially like Beth Broom's article. So insightful. Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Beth's article was wise, gentle, and deeply insightful. She's a fresh new voice in the field of Christian trauma therapy and I'm an avid fan. Thank You, Lord, for the next generation of healers You are raising up.
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Thank you, Linda, for introducing us to these bloggers. I'll be visiting to see what else they have to say. Looking forward especially to reading Joshua's suggestions about decluttering. We've been in process, clearing out stuff we no longer use or need. Trying not to be sentimental about old things that the kids don't want. No sense leaving them a house full of possessions to sort and dispose of!
ReplyDeleteNancy, yes, your last sentence is such good motivation to continue sorting through our things layer by layer. The last thing our kids want is our random accumulations of stuff, especially if they are already dealing with our end of life care or death. Thanks for the nudge in this direction. I appreciate that encouragement to refuse to be daunted by this task.
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I need to go read the one on shame right now!
ReplyDeleteSuch an excellent piece, Lauren. I hope it blessed you ...
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I love sunflowers. Your wreath is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmy, thanks!
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Your wreath is beautiful, Linda! And your post is timely. I'm in the midst of figuring out what items I'm going to keep and what I need to let go of for an upcoming move into an already furnished house. Right now, I look around and it seems like all my things still have "appeal." :)
ReplyDeleteI hear you about thinking that it seems impossible to let anything go, Lynn ... everything has a memory or a use or is something we can't dream of living without.
DeleteI'd love to hear how you work through this in the days ahead. I'm sure it would be intuitive and wise, filled with common sense and grace. Humor, too ...
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I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt was jam-packed and wonderful! And yours?
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I love your wreath, Linda. So full of joy, just like you. I'm heading off now to look at Joshua Becker's post. I'm always drawn to decluttering posts more than actual decluttering. ha. But I do prioritize decluttering almost more than cleaning. I breathe easier with less clutter.
ReplyDelete'I do prioritize decluttering almost more than cleaning. I breathe easier with less clutter.' I never thought of it that way, Lisa. Fascinating perspective. Unlike cleaning, I do love decluttering. And a good decluttering post inspires me to do more in that direction.
DeleteBut cleaning? Ugh.
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The sunflower pictures are beautiful, Linda. So exciting to see the response to your desert island bookshelf post! I jotted down a few ideas when I read the decluttering article ... I apparently have plenty of opportunities to declutter around here. :-)
ReplyDeleteJoshua Becker does great work. He motivates in such a humble, gentle way, with an emphasis on how this all impacts relationships. I'm a fan.
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I love your Weekend newsletters. The sunflower theme is so cheery. Life should be all about gratitude. It is always a perspective-changer for me.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your sentence about gratitude, Mary, I heard myself saying 'yes' right out loud. Thank you for taking me there this evening. God is good to speak to us through our sisters and brothers.
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Love visiting you on the porch Linda! the wreath is lovely! My Mother's favorite flower was sunflowers. As my brother and I cleaned out her apartment after her unexpected death this past January, I found a wreath she had made with sunflowers, similar to the one you made. I have it on my door, now, missing her so very much.
ReplyDeleteOh Donna, my heart goes out to you tonight. In your grief, to find that wreath was a hidden treasure, a lovely, bittersweet gift indeed.
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🌻Your sunflowers are such a joy to see, Linda 🌻🌻
ReplyDeleteI love your wreath.
It's always a pleasure to visit you on the porch.
Hugs and blessings
And I'm always happy to see you! I hope the upcoming weekend's a beautiful one for you.
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Shame really is a growth killer for sure. It killed my growth for a long time. But, because Jesus, you know. I'm I'm fed by his Word, and I'm quenched by his living water and I'm blooming upward to the Son. Linda I love that you share Porch Stories with Sweet Tea & Friends, I subscribe to your newsletter and when I see it come through I'm like wonderful because I can comment when you share them here.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to send some happiness your way, friend. You do the same for so many of us!
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