But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law but in the new way of living in the spirit.
Romans 7:6
I am a rule follower. Even as early as my childhood daycare, I was the child who would get in trouble for scolding other kids that they were not following the rules. I rather like a list of rules that imply if these things are followed then nothing bad will happen, I need only follow the rules.
Sometimes I think how nice it would be if the world was a series of equations and formulas that if you do X then Y will happen. Of course, this wouldn’t really be all that great because then there would be no room for the surprises of life, which would mean we wouldn’t be taken off guard by any of the bad, but neither would we be surprised with the unexpected good fortune God bestowed upon us.
When the Israelites received the law it was very black and white. There was a (very!) long list of dos and don’ts. The Israelites were bound by this law, they had to follow it, or else they were living in sin. And unlike you and me who only need to repent to Jesus in prayer to be forgiven, they had to sacrifice animals to atone for their sin!
Then along comes Jesus and He changes everything. We are no longer bound by the law in fear and anguish of what will happen if we don’t, but rather we are now bound by love to adhere to the law. Some use this as an excuse to slacken their adherence to the law, stating that if they sin they will just ask for forgiveness—that’s not exactly how this works. While God will always forgive someone who sincerely repents, He knows who is sincere.
Living freed from the law comes with even more responsibility than living bound by the law. We are now bound by our love for Jesus to serve Him even more than we might do if we were simply bound by the law.
If two people marry and they do only what is required of them for the other person, i.e. fidelity, maintaining the house, working to pay bills, etc., they have a household but the marriage may not last. Why? Because there is no expression of love! No simple kindnesses such as pouring coffee for the other person in the morning, no hugs, no phone calls just because—the marriage is simply a glorified business arrangement.
I believe this is exactly the type of relationship Paul is talking about us having with Jesus in Romans 7. We are not bound by the law to do this list of things, rather we are bound by our love. We don’t have to read the Bible—we get to as a way to gain wisdom and learn more of God’s love. We don’t have to obey the commandments but we want to as a way to show our commitment to Jesus. As great as I might think rules are; even I have to admit that love is even greater.
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To me, this is the blah time of year… the time when we’re just kind of holding—especially in the northern states. It’s not quite spring but it’s been winter for a while and, personally, I am over the winter decor! So I have started vignetting around my house as a way to refresh my home. It’s not quite time for spring vignettes but it’s getting close! Here are some transitional vignette ideas to bridge the gap between boring winter and almost spring.
A Few Things to Remember
When creating vignette always remember these guidelines:
Use an odd number of items Vary heights Vary texture Add something organic Add something with clean lines Add something to show your personality Corral all the items If you use an odd number of items of varying sizes and textures grouped together intentionally, whether in a tray or on a large strip of material, then you have the foundation of making a great vignette!
Add Some Color
I took these vintage bobbins down around Christmas because they just didn’t fit in with any of my vignettes. I didn’t miss them at Christmas or during my “winter” decor phase when I still have a few things out that aren’t my standard décor, but as we get into spring I am ready for more pops of color from my color palette (for more about adding color in your home check out my posts on How to Create a Cohesive Color Palette, and How to Use a Cohesive Color Palette in Your Home).
Add Some Flowers (or Branches)
Adding a vase with some cut flowers or branches cut from your trees outside is a great way to add life to a room and too keep it from feeling too sterile.
Add a Postcard or Miniature Piece of Art
You typically only have so much room in a vignette but tucking a little piece of art, an old family photo, or a vintage postcard is a fun way to let your personality come shining through in your décor.
Candles
It’s still chilly out and honestly—who doesn’t love a good candle? Add a little warmth to your vignette by adding a candle. It can be one with a scent you love or a battery-operated pillar candle to add height and light.
Vintage Books
You know I love my vintage books and, especially at this time of year, I think they are just a great thing to add to your décor. You can use them as risers in your vignette to help vary the height of your items.
This Time of Year:
What are some especially great things to add to your vignette this time of year? Here are a few of my favorites:
Branches or cut flowers to add life Vintage books Vintage cookie cutters Vintage postcards or old photos Empty picture frames A beautiful vase—even if it’s empty
Add a Wreath
So a wreath isn’t exactly a vignette but it can do for a door what a vignette does for a room! While wreaths are great on your front door, they can also add a special touch inside. Perhaps you could use a pretty wreath to designate your power room door or to dress up your pantry door—a wreath can be a great way to add a focal point to a bland door!
I hope this gives you some ideas of how to freshen up your home and gets you excited about living in your home again! This time of year can drag but I hope you’ll be able to enjoy playing with vignettes until the season gets nicer. Happy decorating!
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My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalms 139:15-16 NIV
As I have mentioned in my last two posts (Magic Tricks and What We Model), my grandfather used to take me to the library every Friday. It was a joy, but there was a hurdle we had to overcome before I could start picking out titles to take home—I needed a library card!
The reason this was a sticking point was because I was under 18 and needed a parent to sign in order for me to be able to get a library card. So the next time my mom and I were in the area we stopped by the library and got a library card—a card that had my mother’s name on it since my card from another library was at home and there was no way for this new library to know that I did in fact have a real library card. However it didn’t really matter, my mother didn’t really need a card for this library so she gave me the card to use and use it I did! For the next 10 years, I was in a happy book-surrounded haze. But, something a little embarrassing happened over the course of those 10 years…
Since grandpa and I were very much creatures of habit, we went to the library around the same time every Friday which meant we had to wait until breakfast was cleared and grandpa had finished his cup of coffee which he drank while reading the newspaper in his big red leather Eazy Boy recliner. We usually saw the same librarian, Alice, every time and we would exchange pleasantries with her and got to know her over the years as we gradually built up our status as regulars. Then one day as we were heading out the library doors I heard Alice say, “Bye Luanne!” For the record my name is Alaina—-my mom is Luanne, as was the name on my card…
Since we were heading out the door, I didn’t stop to correct her figuring I would do it next time. The following week she didn’t address me by name. Then a time or two later the same thing happened! She called me my mother’s name as I was leaving! It went on like this, her calling me my mother’s name when I was just about out of the library that I never felt I had the right opportunity to set the record straight. Finally, I gave up and just figured I’d assume my mother’s identity while in the library. Alice need never know.
It pretty much worked like that. I graduated high school, attended and graduated from beauty school, all the while being known by my mother’s name every time I stopped into the library. One day I stopped and Alice was there; I told her about my recent graduation from beauty school and she asked for my business card. Without thinking I handed it over. I saw a puzzled look cross her face as she stated that the name on my business card was not in fact the name she had been calling me for the majority of a decade! I was mortified as I explained the whole embarrassing story to her!
Alice knew me, albeit not especially well, but she recognized me. She knew my grandparents, our reading preferences, and our Friday routine. But even after a decade, she still didn’t truly know us—she didn’t even know my real name!
It’s like that with people; it’s easy to get confused and tangled up and miscommunicate. The truly beautiful thing about our relationship with God is that not only does He know us by name, He also knows our hearts. He knows the intentions of our hearts. He knows what it is that we are desperately trying to say to Him but can’t quite find the words to say when we feel like we are just rambling in our prayers to Him. We can get to know Him better by spending time daily in the Word and in communion with Him. He knows us much deeper than just by name—but how well do you know Him?
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This is a story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a snipper for the Soviets in WWII with 309 official kills to her name. Lyudmila, or Mila as we come to know her, was a real person and this story closely follows the events of her life. During a tour to the U.S. to drum up support for the Soviets during WWII, people didn’t know what to make of this woman who was also a killer. Was she a monster? This story gives us background as to how Mila became the woman she did. Cold Blooded killer or patriotic mother fighting for her country? This book is filled with descriptions of chilly nights spent out on the Russian front- if you are looking for a book to read by a fire this would make a good one!
The Arctic Fury by Greer Mcallister
It has been a long time since a book scratched the itch for me of keeping me hooked, having some meat to it, and giving me a glimpse into some less talked about, but no less interesting parts of history! The author pieced together this captivating novel about a fictional group of women who travel to the arctic to find a man who was lost (who actually existed). Our protagonist too is someone who really existed, though we have no evidence to believe that she actually trekked into the arctic, we do know that she was a member of the Donner party.
This story opens and our main character, Virginia Reeves, is on trial for the murder of Caprice, an affluent young woman who ventured with Virginia into the arctic but never returned. The story unfolds of the 13 women who ventured into the arctic in search of another woman’s husband, only 5 of whom made it back to be at Virginia’s trial… Will Virginia be found guilty and hanged, or will she be set free?
This book offers a very interesting look at how an undertaking of this sort was tackled in a time before we yet had all of our modern conveniences!
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
Agatha Christie goes missing three weeks before Christmas in 1926, only her fur coat is left behind in the car she was driving. Where did Agatha go without her coat in the middle of winter? What is going on in Agatha Christie’s life to make her pull such an outrageous stunt? Did the Mystery author just want to see what it felt like to be in one of her novels, or is there more going on behind the scenes in the Christie household? Based on the real-life disappearing stunt that Agatha Christie pulled off, Ms. Benedict takes an in-depth look at potential circumstances that could have pushed Agatha Christie to do such an outlandish act.
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There are several books with which we are pretty familiar and there are books that explore different facets of events with which we are already familiar. Several of the books I’ve read recently reminded me of other books and some I read concurrently. In both instances, I felt that my reading experience was enhanced by reading these in pairs and that I received a more well-rounded reading experience. Here are several book pairing suggestions that I would recommend.
Caroline and Little House on the Prairie
You have doubtless heard of Little House on the Prairie, the story of which is told from Laura’s perspective; Caroline is told from Mamma’s point of view. I think this is a great juxtaposition as we hear about the familiar events of the Little House on the Prairie, told from Mamma who was pregnant, by the way, as she started life fresh in the new territory—one that was harsh and unforgiving. For me, I found it fun to see the events from Little House on the Prairie, with which I was familiar as a child, retold through an adult lens!
Anne of Green Gables and Marilla of Green Gables
Again you have probably heard, read, or watched Anne of Green Gables. Marilla of Green Gables tells the story of Marilla Cuthbert’s childhood and young adulthood before Anne comes into her life. We get a glimpse at how events in Marilla’s childhood shaped her into the character we know and ultimately love from the Anne of Green Gables books.
Christy and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
Christy is the story of a school teacher who goes to teach in the impoverished area of the Appalachian Mountains around the early 1900s. Being immersed in her surroundings is a culture shock for young Christy, who grew up in an affluent home. Contrast that with The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and we see what life is like for those who have always lived in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. Cussy, the main character, is a Blue—a person who due to a genetic trait has a blood disorder causing the skin to appear blue, further ostracizing her in this already impoverished area.
To Kill a Mockingbird and The Giver of Stars
Although these books have two completely different settings, I saw various parallels between To Kill a Mockingbird and the Giver of Stars. Both of these books spotlight people who live a little differently than societal norms would dictate and are, therefore, easily villainized as a result. Prejudice takes many different forms!
Find Your People and The Life We’re Really Looking For
These are both faith-based books about community and the state of relationships in our world today. In Find Your People, Jennie Allen makes a case for why we need deep friendships with those who are near us—as in having friends who live within 15 minutes so that we can actually share in each other’s day-to-day struggles. In The Life We’re Really Looking For, by Andy Crouch, Andy takes an in-depth look at the role technology has played in disconnecting us from each other. This is not just because we spend time on devices instead of with each other, but because technology has enabled us to build more and more of a life where we hardly need each other—which is in direct contrast to the way the Bible wants us to approach life and relationships.
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