I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12
November is always the month when we emphasize being thankful. It is a time of year that we set aside time, a whole day, to count our many blessings. This year has been a rough one. It has been so easy to complain about all the things this year. It has been a year full of annoyances, and constant change, from day to day, and week to week with very little constant in between. For some it has been a year of tragic loss. One thing though, is true for all of us: we can make the decision to focus on what is good and what we have to be grateful for.
As a lover of history I tend to think about the pilgrims at this time of year. Those brave people. They sailed across an ocean to a land of which little was known. They were scared- and with good reason. Yes, there were those who came to make a profit but it’s important to remember that the pilgrims were not part of this group. They came looking for the freedom to worship as they pleased. They braved treacherous oceans, possible attacks from native peoples and animals, sickness, and starvation.
They did all this for their faith. For their freedom. They felt that they had no other choices. They left their homeland, their families, and their way of life. Then they came to America and nearly starved. Almost half of them died that first winter. Still, they endured. The Native Americans helped the pilgrims. Then about a year after they had first landed on the soil of what we now call America, they came together, Pilgrim and Native American, and held a three day long celebration with the feasting we read about today.
The Pilgrims endured much for their faith. After that first winter they didn’t pack up and leave. They stuck it out for their faith. The lived out what Paul talks about in Philippians 4:12 when he says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” So this Thanksgiving let’s not dwell on how much isn’t like we want it to be. Let’s remember the strong brave souls who have gone before us, let’s remember God’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let’s gather as much as we are able with the friends and family closest to us, and give thanks to God for all of our many blessings.
There are two times of the year when I am especially focused on the founding of our country. These times are Indepence Day and Thanksgiving. I think about how there was fellowship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans way back in 1621. How the Native Americans stepped up to help the Pilgrims, and how they learned from each other. I think about how our country has changed and been shaped over the nearly 400 years since. I think how much fellowship between people has fallen by the wayside more than we should have ever allowed.
I was talking with an elderly neighbor the other day and she told me of her life growing up in the late 1930s and early 1940s. She grew up in an immigrant mining town, of which, her mother was the postmaster. By nature in this immigrant town, many of the adults didn’t speak fluent english. As their children grew and sought to better their futures they needed help filling out college applications. This woman’s mother would help them to fill out the paperwork correctly. On Saturdays she would make hot donuts to share with their community and the little post office would become crowded with people. This woman built community. She didn’t let a need go unanswered, she stepped up and pulled her weight and did what she could.
A little while ago I stopped by a family owned farm market and greenhouse. The owner was there, an older gentleman who announced that he had been there since 1948! He took the time to explain to me where everything in the little shop was sourced, the values they hold as a business, and he answered my questions. His friendliness made me a loyal shopper!
Every year the day after Christmas my husband and I have a little date day. We pick a small town with a quaint downtown or main street we want to explore and we make a day of it! We get coffee, and hit the streets poking our heads into neat little shops and enjoying the last of the holiday season in local small businesses.
This year has been a very tough year for so many small businesses. It has been a rough year for our country here in America as racial, political, and gender differences have been exacerbated and tensions are high. Have we forgotten that amidst all of our differences we have similarities too? Have we forgotten that we are all Americans, people, neighbors, and family members? Have we forgotten that we need to remember our similarities to bind us, not our differences that separate us. We need to bring back the sense of community to our country, where we looked out for each other as neighbors.
I encourage you this holiday season; before you click the one click ordering on Amazon; to get out if you can, and from home if you can’t, and look around to see what small businesses in your community you can support this holiday season. Is there a food bank you can donate your time or money to? Is there a local business you can buy your tree or a wreath from? Is there a local bakery that is struggling that you could order Christmas goodies from? What ways can we step up as a community and amidst all of our differences pull together as the Pilgrims and Native Americans did all those years ago?
I think what made me fall in love with history is when I found out that it’s not about names and dates, but rather people, places and events. I fell in love with history, and have learned a lot, through historical fiction. When you can imagine the story being told, unfolding on the streets that you are already familiar with, you will remember the history that happened there! Below are 3 really good, gripping historical fiction books that happened in Pittsburgh!
Consecrated Dust
What is better than a book that opens with a Christmas sleigh ride through the snow at the beginning of the Victorian era? Clara is young, beautiful, and being rushed to marry by her mother, as a daughter of well bred parents should be. Her mother doesn’t approve of Clara’s longtime friendship with Annie, daughter of an Irish immigrant family that has started working at the Arsenal in Lawrenceville. Clara can’t stand the thought of marrying Edgar; the wealthy businessman and suitor her parents have picked out for her. Clara likes the thought of marrying James- though not wealthy but definitely a handsome suitor who is smitten with Clara. Their relationship will have to withstand a war, and a battle against her parents as Clara faces pressure to marry Edgar. Pressure only grows for Clara as her father, a doctor for the Union in the war, is captured and money becomes very tight for the family- Clara will have to make a decision as to how best to help her family.
In the center of day to day life in Lawrenceville is the arsenal- in full production for the war effort. Then one devastating day there is an explosion and life will be forever altered for all of the characters in the book; and not everyone will make it out of the war alive.
As soon as I opened Consecrated dust I found myself being pulled into a bygone world. The stage is set, we see a world of both the elite, and working class, two different worlds- both affected by the start of the civil war. This book depicts not only what life was like on the battle front but also how life changed on the homefront too. We hear about World War One and how life changed on the home front but we don’t hear much about what life was like, especially in the cities, during the civil war. As someone who is familiar with Pittsburgh I loved hearing about how the city looked at the time of the civil war. I will never walk down the streets of Lawrenceville again without thinking about the Arsenal and the explosion that happened there over 150 years ago.
Carnegie’s Maid
Written by a Pittsburgher, this is the untold story of a woman who may have influenced one of the most influential men of the late 1800s. Little is known about Clara Kelley, the Irish maid who came to America and by a twist of fate ends up gaining employment in the Carnegie household. The only problem is the Carnegie’s don’t know who Clara really is- she is not the maid they thought they were hiring. Having to work doubly hard to keep her job while maintaining the false facade that she is who they think she is, she starts to build a friendship with Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie sees himself in Clara’s sharp intellect and business acumen. It is she that reminds him of where he came from, and it just might be she that inspires him to eventually give away all of his millions.
The Secrets of Flight
Contrasting from the present day to the 1940’s this story is told by alternating perspectives of a young girl in present day Pittsburgh, to a now old woman who was one of the first female pilots during World War Two who stepped up to serve her country in the war effort. You will not get bored reading this book. The author does a great job of spinning enough threads throughout the book that you are continually intrigued as to what will happen next but not so many threads that you can’t keep track of where the story is heading.
Most people are not aware of the female pilot program instituted during World War Two. We are not taught about how the women in this program had to learn to navigate not only the stresses of learning how to pilot a plane but also how they had to survive and navigate sabotage from male pilots who were not on board with this program. Neither are we really familiar with the racism here in the US against Jews at this same time. We hear about how there was much racism against Germans and Japanese people in the states at this time but sadly the Jews were not always welcome either. This book brings to light often buried tensions that were also at play during World War Two.
Not only were they books well researched historical fiction, they were also really good stories. I didn’t want to pull them down and I found myself getting caught up in the characters’ lives. If you want to learn more about history but don’t want to feel like you are learning try one of these books and get lost in their pages!
The most wonderful time of the year will be here before we know it- Christmas! I love Christmas, the sounds, the smells, the events, and of the course the decorating! I think I was born in the wrong era because at Christmas I want to ditch any signs of minimalism and pull out everything; garland, greenery, and Christmas bulbs – oh my! My heart starts fluttering just thinking of it all.
But of course it’s not quite as simple as all that; we want the garlands, greenery and Christmas bulbs but it also takes planning and consideration to decide what color themes and look we want to stick with. Capsule theory – Cohesive Color Pallet
The most renown color theme for Christmas is most definitely red and green, tossed with touches of silver and gold. Now, what I call a traditionalist when it comes to décor- meaning I love red, green, silver and gold, and generally don’t hunger to switch up this pallet too much. This works for me but I also live in a neutral colored house that adapts easily to this color scheme- but what if your house doesn’t?
One of my favorite things is to play with color- there is nothing like a new box of crayons, or looking at all the color swatches in a paint store to make me excited-yes, this is a little pathetic, but so be it! I don’t know why all the different colors excites me so much, but they sure do! There are endless combinations and pretty pallets to be created, if one only takes the time and encourages their creativity, the same is true for Christmas decorating!
You may have a house where your walls and decor are primarily blue, and you don’t want a bunch of red and green. Your house may be bright and welcoming with yellows, beige and other warm tones. You can add red and green because after all it is Christmas but what if you want a little more cohesion and less tension within your color decor?
May I suggest you work with what you already have in your home. If you want cohesion and your house is full of blues and grays, make a Christmas color pallet, (insert capsule the Rory) of 5 or more colors made up of gray, silver, navy, gold and perhaps a touch of burgundy.
If your house is inclined toward the warmer side of the color wheel, try a color pallet of gold, cream, white, silver, and a soft greige.
Do you love pastels? Blush, gold, silver, gray, and navy make a breathtaking outline to work within.
Below I have included several sample color pallets to get your creative juices flowing; have fun! You don’t have to follow all the rules, and if you need even more inspiration search color pallets on Pinterest and then let your creativity run rampant!
I’m sure you’ve heard of the capsule wardrobe, it has been around for many years, and has one again become popular over the past few years. This theory teaches the principle that you have a small core wardrobe in which all items are interchangeable and small accents can be added to give more pop or flair to an outfit. This same principle applies to décor.
While generally it is the rule to build your decorating style off several different looks, rather than buying pieces that are all the exact same style,(think all rustic farmhouse themed, or all mid century modern), this is not something we always apply to seasonal décor- but we can and often should. Imposing this filter on our décor will help to simplify our lives immensely!
If you read my post How To Create A Cohesive Color Pallet, you may already be familiar with and utilizing these principles but as a quick refresher it is a good idea to create a color pallet for your home of about 5-12 different colors, having 1 or 2 main colors, about 3 accent colors, and 2 or 3 colors that you use vary sparingly. Now you may already be doing this but do you follow these guidelines when it comes to seasonal decor?
If you have a neutral color scheme in your home, with a very small color pallet, then you have a lot of room to play when it comes to adding seasonal decor. However, you may have more colors in your home; you may like pastels or yellows and oranges which can make for challenging decorating when it comes to certain seasons. Enter capsule decorating.
If you have a home that is decorated in pastel purples, blues, and greens then you may not want to plunk down a bunch of orange pumpkins in the fall. But what you can do is plunk down a bunch of white ones. You build your base of white pumpkins, and then add a few soft brown twine balls, maybe a pair of deer antlers, and some eucalyptus greenery sprinkled about. Then the next year you build off of this base. This gives you a framework for your decor; when you can’t decide between an orange and brown welcome fall sign, and one that is designed of beiges, grays, and creams you can easily make a decision to go with a neutral sign and therefore simplify your decorating.
My base for the decor elements in my home are white, wood, and vintage. The white keeps things clean and modern, the wood keeps things rustic, and the vintage is all me- an expression of my personal style and what I like. When I cull through my decor and find the pieces that I use every season I see a theme, which I can then follow to help in the selection of new decor pieces. I picture the decor that I love the most and ask myself if this new item will find a home among my other pieces. I sometimes stray from this rule but it’s very helpful when I’m under a lot of shopping pressure!
Capsule decorating is an easy formula to follow to add seasonal touches to your décor without feeling like you have to do a huge overhaul of all of your décor. Capsule decorating isn’t about hard and fast restrictions that you can never stray from; rather capsule decorating is a tool to simplify your life. Who among us doesn’t need a little more simplicity these days? I hope this helps to simplify and give you more freedom in your decorating!
