Two days 'til Christmas. I hope you're smiling! It's been a quiet Christmas season so far at our house, and I've had lots of time for reflection. I always find it interesting how seemingly unrelated thoughts converge ... My recently-passed mother-in-law's legalistic understanding of the Bible and her fear of letting others see the "real" in her life; her fear of dying. Our friend who lost her battle with brain cancer just last week; the one who saw hearts everywhere she went. A woman who chose to embrace death "and do it well," blessing those around her even as her body drew closer to eternity. A "kids and the nativity" story I remembered reading last Christmas at the blog Sit A Spell. Here's ... Keep Reading...
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No Practical Purpose …
It's time for the December Notecard Party at A Haven for Vee. The guidelines: choose four pics previously used on your blog that might make good notecards. Here are my choices ... Go HERE to see entire tablescape. Go HERE to see entire tablescape. Go HERE to see entire tablescape. Go HERE to see entire tablescape. or·na·ment /ˈôrnəmənt/ Noun A thing used to adorn something but usually having no practical purpose. No practical purpose other than to make us smile ... and pause ... and reflect. I think that's enough this year. Do you? During this busy time of year, I am especially honored that you've chosen to stop by for ... Keep Reading...
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QUIRKY Christmas Revealed …
I recently asked this question: Do you do QUIRKY at Christmas? I told you I was using colors I'd never used before ... all because of this handpainted tablecloth I once found at a thrift store in Brazil. The cloth is a light pink fabric with all of this color painted on it. The first time I showed you this cloth, I said it was unsigned. I was wrong. Check out the artist's signature in the bottom right corner. I pulled out vintage ornaments ... picked some in hot pink, turquoise, and gold ... and put together a quick tabletop tree in the dining room. Then I used a couple of pine swags down the center of the tablecloth and added vintage ornaments and a trio of flutes-turned candleholders. ... Keep Reading...
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Thank you, Friends!
Happy Monday everyone! I hope you're having as much fun as I am with Christmas preparations. There's something about "going simple" that keeps all the excitement and reverence in the season. Last week I pulled out my Sally List and got busy. If you haven't yet made your own Sally List, I hope you'll do that ... in January! Read about it HERE. You readers were a big help! Remember when I did the 31 Days of Creative Caring series -- and asked you for ideas for items to put in a send-off surprise for a local woman who'll be working as a florist at the Tournament of Roses Parade? Well, I started with your great ideas ... and transformed them into a finished product. I delivered "our" box this week. A cabbage rose-embellished box ... Keep Reading...
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Do You Do Quirky At Christmas?
Happy weekend to all! I know some of you will be getting together with family for an early Christmas. Enjoy! Don't mind that I'm just now decking the halls ... After my unexpectedly extended Thanksgiving trip, I've found some time to play this week ... just a little. Oh, it's nice to be home! Some of you long-time readers may remember seeing this handpainted tablecloth in a post a couple of Christmases ago. I picked it up in a thrift store in Brazil. You can read about it HERE if you wish. The tablecloth was my inspiration this week as I put up a little tabletop tree ... and played in the dishes. I'll show you the entire tablescape soon, but right now, here's a peek. I've never used a turquoise, hot pink, and ... Keep Reading...
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Strolling Through A Legacy
Hello my friends! I hope you're all having a wonderful week so far and enjoying this Christmas season. Renaissance Man and I are still trying to figure out how three whole weeks have passed since we headed west to Texas for Thanksgiving ... and now find ourselves smack dab in the middle of Christmas without having even lifted a finger to deck the halls. We arrived back home this afternoon ... finally ... but I have one more post in me to follow the last several. Thank you for allowing me to record the journey ... and for praying us through it. * * * * * Way back in 1855, one of Renaissance Man's ancestors donated land for a church and adjoining cemetery. The property is a significant part of the history ... Keep Reading...
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The New Ornament
I bought a new Christmas ornament this week. If you've been following my recent posts, especially the last one, you probably know why. A bell ... with soft, cheerful colors ... perfectly reflects the personality that was my mother-in-law. Does the hidden interior surprise you? The ornament was added ... in memory of our loved one ... to one of the many Christmas wreaths lining the hallways of the hospice facility where we spent the past ten days. For many families ... yours? ... grief is simply a part of this holiday season. The wonderful chaplains here at the Hospice of East Texas offer suggestions for getting through the holidays. Perhaps you ... or someone you know ... can benefit ... Keep Reading...
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Life’s Path: Final Steps
Outside these doors are brick paths. They're made up of memories and "final words" to loved ones who were served by the Hospice of East Texas. Yes. We're still here ... Husbands Wives Parents Grandparents Siblings Children I suspect there are stories being told to this day ... ... and personalities remembered. When it's my time to go, I already know my destination ... so I don't want to choose the path of most resistance. Instead, I want to be gracious and choose to move forward into my future. It's the way I've always tried to live ... and how I pray I'll die. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to ... Keep Reading...
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PEACE: Behind the Scenes at Christmastime …
We're still here ... HomePlace at The Hospice of East Texas. I've never experienced anything quite like it ... On the outside, it's a 28-bed, red brick building, serenely set off the highway. On the inside, it's a haven for families waiting for a loved one to die. When I entered its doors for the first time a week ago, I quickly noticed how starkly different it was from the hospital I'd just departed. The warm-colored walls. The carpeted hallways. The beautiful wreaths lining the corridors; each bedecked with one-of-a-kind ornaments representing a wide variety of personalities. The primary concern at HomePlace is for the comfort of the dying ... and their families. The peacefulness of the chapel, ... Keep Reading...
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The Package
I do love a pretty package! You, too? I also love pretty pics of packages, but phone camera pics are the best I can do right now. I know you'll understand. If you're a regular visitor here at My Place to Yours and you've read my last couple of posts, then you know that we went to Texas for Thanksgiving ... and stayed when Renaissance Man's 92-year-old mother broke her hip badly enough to require surgery. She has declined in health ever since. Last Tuesday we moved her to a wonderful hospice facility where I've seen some amazing examples of creative caring. I'll tell you about them sometime, but right now, I want to thank all of you sweet friends who have prayed or sent texts and emails to check on our family. ... Keep Reading...
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The Eleventh Hour … What Does It Look Like?
I Skyped with Little Man yesterday. It was obvious our family's three-year-old has made the switch from Thanksgiving mode to Christmas. Imagine that! Renaissance Man and I, on the other hand, though surrounded by Christmas decorations, are living in limbo. We moved his mother to a hospice facility yesterday ... and pray she goes quickly. It would be such a blessing. It's interesting what the Eleventh Hour looks like for different people. My mother-in-law, Frances, is a Christian, spent most of her adult life as a pastor's wife, and for many years has given every indication of being afraid to die. She lived her life doing "the right things" -- perhaps in fear of what God might do to her if she didn't. She's long been a legalistic, "Bible ... Keep Reading...
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Tis the Season …
How I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was delightful, but I must admit that there were some sobering moments. Interestingly enough, I used the words and pictures below to end my last post ... written as I was riding in the car on the way to my parents' home in Texas. You may have seen them. I chose the pictures because it's Autumn ... moving toward Winter ... but the seasonal aspect has become even more poignant over the past week as I find myself in my own Autumn of life. I am thankful for the consistency of the cycle of life ... and the seasons ... ... and whatever lies ahead. In everything ... in all circumstances ... give thanks. I Thessalonians 5:18 My parents, thank God, are in very good health ... Keep Reading...
