Through Those Wounds

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

– Philippians 3:20 & 21 NLT

We walked down the old streets of Gettysburg, pausing to look at the pockmarked sides of brick buildings, riddled with holes from the bullets that had busted through. These buildings, though their original inhabitants are long gone, still remain, bearing their scars as witness. These buildings have seen some of the worst of what we humans can do to each other. 

Walking down to the bottom of the hill we then veered left and walked up a grade and came upon Evergreen Cemetery, where Abraham Lincoln stood to deliver his immortal words, “Four score and seven years ago…” 

We cut across the street and looked out over the hill, a scene of some of the fighting, though no major fighting, and beyond that we can see Gettysburg school; buildings and forests caught in the crossfire long gone, and new life having risen up in their stead. 

Gettysburg, like many old towns, has been preserved, in parts and pieces that we may not forget what happened there. Now, the sight of so much carnage, the battle that marked the turning point of the Civil War, is a booming tourist attraction, drawing visitors not only from all over our country, but from around the world. You can stand atop Little Round Top and look out over the battlefield; you can walk down Steinwehr street at night and hear ghost stories; you can visit the museums and soak up history about this country; you can visit any of the numerous curated stores, art galleries, or boutiques and see how an entrepreneur has brought their dream to life in their store. 

But what attracts me to Gettysburg the most isn’t the shops, or the new magnificent Visitors Center. It’s not the delicious coffee shop, or any of the various eateries. It’s not the shiny new things, but the old that attract me to Gettysburg. 

The historical houses that stand there, root us in our past, lest we forget it in our future. Those buildings, wise in their age, more beautiful for what they have endured, than if they were brand new, are what attracts me to Gettysburg. 

We will have glorified bodies when we get to heaven, but I don’t know that that means perfect (Philippians 3:20). After all, Jesus appeared before his disciples in his glorified body, and told Thomas to place his fingers in the scars in his palms. Jesus’s body, scarred though it was, told of his great love for us through his sacrifice, and therefore was glorified, even with his scars. 

We wouldn’t dream of going around to those old buildings in Gettysburg, filling the holes, sanding them down, and resealing them so that they look brand new. Rather, we leave them there because of the story they tell. 

What story does your life bear the marks of? What hard parts of your life define you? Are you trying to spackle over the parts of your life through which God has done the most amazing work? 

None of us are spared from hardship in this life, though admittedly, I think the Jews in 1940s Germany had it harder than many of us do today. God uses these hardships to mold and shape us, and yes, to give testimony of what He has done through us. 

I think perhaps the world could be a better place if, instead of seeking to hide all of our bullet holes that life has given us, we instead admit that they are there, and tell of the work that God has done in our lives though those wounds.

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

5 Star Historical Summer Reads of 2023

5 Star Historical Summer Reads of 2023

Summer isn’t over yet—it’s not!! We still have some summer left to savor and if you are looking for a few more titles that have a summer feel, that are hard to put down, then you have come to the right place! 

The following are a list of historical fiction titles that I think make for five star summer reading. It should be noted that my main criteria for what makes a five-star read is how well it holds my interest. All of these titles captivated me from beginning to end and I hope that they will do the same for you! 

 

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Take a step back in time into New York City as the city hosts the 1939 World’s Fair. We meet Max, a student journalist who instead of getting the summer working for the New York Times, is stuck covering the fair—something she is less than excited about. Furthermore, she find that as the only woman journalist, she is expected to do administrative work instead of the journalism she so desperately desires. She can’t help but try to take the situation into her own hands and try to bend the rules a bit….

 

Vivi is an actress who just got demoted from starring in a lead role in Hollywood, to being transported back to New York where she is from, to star as the lead swimmer in the synchronized swimming show. But Vivi has secrets that could ruin everything if they are found out. She has a brother-in-law she must stay away from at all costs—what will happen if he finds out she is the lead in the swimming exhibit at the World’s Fair? 

 

As these two women meet and become friends, they find that they may have skills that can help each other—if they are willing to humble themselves enough to take the other’s advice.

 

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt

Take a step even further back in time in the history of Nantucket and find yourself deposited on Nantucket’s shores when it was still a thriving whaling community. Eliza is the wealthy wife of a whaling campaign—or at least she is doing her best to look the part of a wealthy whaling wife.  Her husband’s last voyage returned home without much to show for his years at sea and his return is delayed this time by causes that he won’t disclose to Eliza. Suddenly Eliza finds herself wondering if she would have been better off marrying her old beau who has made a reappearance in her life.

 

Maria is the curator of the athenaeum.  She longs to preserve the history of this island, and from places around the world, but the fire that breaks out on the island of Nantucket threatens everything she holds dear.

 

Lastly, but not least, we meet Meg. Meg is a free woman of color, about to give birth, and trying to move their store to the main street of Nantucket—but they have an uphill battle in front of them. When Meg goes into labor on the night of the fire, she wonders if she will lose her firefighter husband, her baby, and their store all in one night. 

 

The Cuban Heiress by Channel Cleeton

This is Ms. Cleeton’s newest work of historical fiction: Elaina is onboard a luxury cruise liner heading from New York to Cuba—and she is pretending to be a dead woman. She must get to Cuba before someone else does—her very life depends on it. 

Katherine is onboard with her fiancé—but he mustn’t find out who she really is. When Katherine starts to befriend a handsome passenger also on board, she finds her guard starting to slip—what will happen if this stranger uncovers her true identity and realizes what she is also about? Keeping this stranger at arm’s length becomes even harder when she needs someone to help her dispose of a dead body…

 

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

This was a delightful little foray into a world of young adult historical fiction fantasy. Slightly outside of my normal reading zone, this story still has many elements of historical fiction to it, and doesn’t get too fantastical! 

Seventeen year old Alosa, daughter of the most powerful pirate in the world, has been captured. Well, actually she has allowed herself to be captured—she is on a secret mission. There are three pieces of an ancient map that will lead to treasure beyond imagination and Alosa has reason to believe one of the pieces is aboard this ship. Alosa must act the part of a prisoner while she endeavors to search the ship. However, this simple mission starts to get complicated as Alosa starts to develop a connection with her captor and the first mate of the ship, Riden. Will he discover her secret as to why she isn’t more worried about her current predicament? And will her feelings make it hard for Alosa to complete her mission? 

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

It is World War II and sisters Flora and Hazel are being evacuated to the English countryside during operation Pied Piper. To comfort her five year old sister, 14 year old Hazel invents the world of Whisper Wood for her sister. Whisper Wood is a world all their own, a safe place for them to retreat to during these scary and unknown times. They tell no one of this magical world they have discovered in Whisper Wood. They are enjoying life in the country with the family they are stationed with when disaster strikes and Flora disappears. 

Twenty years later Hazel still hasn’t forgiven herself for her sister’s disappearance. She is still in contact with the private investigator trying to locate her lost sister—Hazel refuses to believe that Flora is actually gone, despite the body that was found which appears to have been her Flora. Then one day while working her job in a rare book store, Hazel comes across an original manuscript—one to a book called Whisper Wood. Hope is reignited in Hazel and renews her efforts to find her sister. Along the way Hazel learns that sometimes to find peace means pursuing our hopes, and other times coming to peace means letting go.

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy: 

 

5 Star Summer Reads of 2021

End of Summer Historical Fiction Round 2021

Books to Finish Up Your Summer with in 2022

 

That God’s Power May Be Seen

That God’s Power May Be Seen

It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him”

John 9:3 NLT

I thought something was seriously wrong—I mean my husband knows better than to shake me awake once I am already asleep! 

It had been a trying few months. Money had been tight, expenses had been many, and it just seemed like one thing after another. My husband had just come home from yet another late night of work, and was now saying, “It’s not an emergency, maybe I should just have let you sleep but I can’t believe this!” 

“Huh?”

“Someone put an envelope of money into our mailbox!” 

That woke me up! “What? How much??” 

Sure enough, there was a bank envelope of $700 in cash in my husband’s hand—and less you think it somehow got in there by accident—our names were written on it. I had heard of money from heaven falling into the laps of other people but I had never before been the recipient! 

Two weeks later my husband pulled out a pair of shorts that he hadn’t worn in years. We were going biking and right before we got out of the car my husband reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. “Here,” he said, handing it to me. 

“What’s this?” 

“I don’t know, it was in my pocket so put it somewhere safe.” That wad consisted of $250. 

We are not careless with our money—we keep very close track of it and are very intentional with it. The fact that $250 had escaped our notice is a miracle in and of itself—finding the money when we did is just God’s divine timing. 

So many times God gets blamed for all the bad stuff—Why did He allow it to happen? When we find ourselves in a tough season, God must be teaching us something. But what about the good times? Are we responsible for those or is that God too? 

Sometimes God allows bad things to happen, sometimes He brings good that makes up for the bad. Sometimes bad things happen and we will never know why on this side of eternity. Sometimes God allows good things to happen just because He loves us and He wants us to be happy. 

In John 2, we hear the story of the blind man. Jesus and His disciples were walking along and they came across a man who had been blind since birth. “Teacher,” his disciples say, “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his sins or that of his parents?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so that the power of God could be seen in him.” 

So the power of God could be seen in him. So that God could be glorified. That this man could experience Jesus in a way very few people ever will. 

And sometimes it’s just that simple. Sometimes bad things are allowed to happen so that the power of God can be seen. And sometimes He allows good things to happen for just that same reason. The question is when these good and bad times happen, will we allow it to draw us closer to God? 

Many people walk away from their faith during very trying seasons, but just as many, if not more, drift away during the good seasons of blessings. “In your plenty do not forget the Lord Your God.” Deuteronomy 8:11

What season are you in? One of plenty, or one of deserts and famine? Both of these seasons can be used to glorify God, respond in such a way, that no matter the season God’s power can be seen in you.

 

 

 

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

 

 

How to Achieve Your Signature Style 

How to Achieve Your Signature Style 

If you have been following along (and if you haven’t I suggest you check out how Creating Your Signature Decor Style, Part 1, and The Importance of Defining Your Signature Style, Part 2) then you have read and followed some of the steps my two previous posts and are ready for Part 3.  In Part 1, we discuss how to identify what decor elements inspire you. In Part 2, we discuss why giving your style a name is so important, and how it can save you time and money, and now we are ready for Part 3, Achieving Your Signature Style.

How to Achieve Your Signature Style

Now it’s time to put everything we have talked about into practice—this is the fun part! But before you start putting on your shoes to rush out and go shopping, let’s pause for a minute: What did you discover about your signature style? Did anything about it surprise you? Did you take time to notice what elements or pieces in your home are your favorite? 

For myself, I have found that my favorite pieces are the collected ones—the pieces handed down from family and friends. It’s the art from arts festivals and crafts shows I’ve visited. It’s the unique items from crafts shows and yard sales, flea markets and antique stores that have all come together to create a style that I love, and that also feels like me. It has taken time and it will take more time to further curate my style. Along the way I’m sure my style will change, and as life evolves in our household (decorating is a tad different with a toddler!), certain decor elements will change also.

When we moved into our house six years ago, I desperately wanted our home to be cute, curated, and comfortable. It was none of these things for the first few years. Over the years it has slowly come to look like what I originally envisioned when we first laid eyes on it. It took time—I wanted to rush it, but you really can’t rush the collection of items that reflect your style if you just rush out to Home Goods (yes, I do love that store) or Pottery Barn. 

Not long after we moved into our home, my mother wanted to get rid of the piano they had. I had taken lessons while growing up, and really liked the five foot tall, slightly battered upright piano from the early 20th century. I begged her not to get rid of it and instead to let us have it. We were barely settled into our home when the piano movers were scheduled and the piano was delivered. Something really neat happened as soon as that piano arrived. My house started to feel like a home. There was something in my home that instantly felt like me, that had memories attached to it, and had a sense of heritage to it that is so important to me. I knew right away I wanted more items like this in my home. 

The other thing I learned along the way is that if I want my home to have unique things collected from craft shows, or vintage markets, then I have to go to vintage markets and crafts shows in order to stumble across these items. 

How Does this Look Actionably? 

The first thing to do is to go through your home and curate it. Pull out, take down, and gather everything you’re not absolutely in love with. Gather up all the items in vignettes that you feel aren’t quite working. Let your house rest. 

Myquillyn Smith, author of “The Nesting Place,” and “Cozy Minimalist Home,” talks about quieting your home. She goes really far with this, even taking out furniture that you aren’t using very often. Then you wait. Live in your home for a little while, and see what you miss. 

As you notice that you are starting to miss something, pull it back out and put it on display. What items are you holding onto that could go? Just because someone gave you something doesn’t mean you are obligated to keep it forever—especially if you don’t love it! 

If you come across things that you love but need something to make it work, make a list! Maybe you have a gorgeous pot but no plant; maybe you have a piece of art for which you need a frame—make a list. Then start keeping your eyes open for the right item to fill these gaps—remember, don’t rush! No one is going to judge you for taking a little longer to find the right piece that speaks to you just in order to fill a decor gap. 

Put Yourself Out There! 

When you get a sense of the items you are missing, maybe a large piece of art, or a comfortable chair, make an effort to visit places that might just have what you are looking for. If you like craft shows, go to craft shows! If you like vintage, go to flea markets and antique malls.

Above all, be patient! Just because you don’t stumble across the perfect thing doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist!

I hope this little series has been enlightening and given you actionable steps to clarify and curate your decorating style and to create a home you love! Remember, if you have found this post helpful, the kindest thing you can do is to share this post with someone you know—this helps me to be able to continue creating these posts for you and your friend will be touched that you thought of them! Thanks in advance!

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

A Measure of Grace

A Measure of Grace

Jonah. He is one of those people in the Bible, you know? He’s not a David who, despite his failings, still manages to be called a man after God’s own heart. Nor is Jonah like Peter, who, again, had his shortcomings but was zealous for Jesus in just about everything he did. (Well, except for that incident with the crowing rooster… .) But Jonah is just Jonah. The man who was thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale, vomited up onto shore, who then went  to the city he was running away from, preached a sermon urging them to repent and got mad when the people repented. 

He’s kind of a pain. Sometimes I think God included the story of this man in the Bible just so we could know that we don’t have to be anything special for God to use us. He can use anyone—even if they are unwilling—God has His ways! Sitting in church the other week, I thought about Jonah and realized that it is not always about others. 

Jonah really didn’t want to go to this land of horrible people to preach to them (you wouldn’t want to either) so he ran away. He got caught and God called out Jonah’s disobedience in a spectacular way (the big fish swallowing Jonah!) and so Jonah went, but he really didn’t want to. These people were the Israelites’ biggest enemies so Jonah was more than a little upset when these people did a complete and quick 180 turn and corrected their ways. Jonah knew God was kind and compassionate and while Jonah wanted to see these people destroyed, he knew that if they repented God would spare them. 

 I always pictured this as Jonah being upset because God spared these people who kind of had it coming. But digging a little deeper, I wonder if it’s because Jonah saw that these people, who he considered to be beneath him, were quicker to turn from evil and listen to God than Jonah was in some ways. Did he feel that they were given more grace than he was? Is the story of Jonah less of a story of disobedience and more of a story about jealousy as to whom God sheds His mercy upon?  

Jonah was a prophet, who had been doing God’s work for, presumably, much of his life. He’s then given the task to convict these people of their sin. They repent and God shows them grace—without them having to spend three days and nights in the belly of a very, very, large fish! To Jonah, it probably seemed like these people had it pretty easy! Why should they get to repent and be forgiven just like that, when Jonah makes one very disobedient decision and ends up thrown overboard, thinking he’s going to die, in the middle of a storm. I think Jonah was mad because they were shown a different measure of grace than he felt he was. Have you ever been upset about God’s grace too? 

Have you ever been in the middle of a really tough season and looked around and seen everything going right for someone who seemingly hasn’t worked as hard as you have? Have you been mad that your life, despite you doing everything you know to be right, has had what seems like more than its fair share of ups and downs, while your non-believer neighbor seems to have one good thing after another fall into place for them?

Our lives are not equal. Some people have a harder time of it than others and only the Good Lord knows why that is. It’s easy to look at Jonah and think that he was really messed up—but most likely, we have all been a Jonah at some point in our life. 

The next time you are looking around at someone who seems to have life falling into place for them, I challenge you to remember that it’s not about us; it is about how God can use us and our stories for His Glory.