What inspires you? Can you find inspiration "just about anywhere"? That's how I am! When you hover over the Inspiration tab, you get to choose just what kind of inspiration you're in the mood for at the moment. You have lots of choices ... ... Keep Reading...
Search Results for: creative caring
Start Here
Welcome to My Place to Yours This is the house many of you have come to associate with me . . . and this thrift store shopper knew it was perfect the minute I saw it on a painting at Goodwill! Unfortunately, it isn't signed, and there's no way to attribute its happy whimsy to the artist, so I'll just have to say, "Nice job -- I love it!" . . . Years ago when I moved my site from Blogger to WordPress, this little house was the one thing I insisted make the move with me. How about a tour? This site has two navigation bars: The one in the top right corner tells About me ... and what you can expect to find when you visit here. It also gives you a way to Contact Me ... and some reasons why you might want to. Finally, there's ... Keep Reading...
Contact Me
I love hearing from readers! If you have questions, ask me! Comments or concerns? Send them my way! I always answer within a day or two, so if you don't get a response, please be sure to check your spam folder. Want to share "something special" with My Place to Yours readers but don't have your own blog? Let's talk about it! E-mail me with a brief description of your idea, and we'll take it from there. My Place to Yours has featured readers' tablescapes (and tablescape events), collections, vintage linen restoration projects, gardens... If YOU love it, chances are other readers will, too, so "roll it out there" and let's see what happens. Need a speaker for an event? Perhaps I can help. Renaissance Man and I are both available to ... Keep Reading...
By
For 31 Days in OCTOBER …
Why am I wishing away a whole month and talking about October? Oh, I'm definitely not wishing away September, but I want to give you a heads-up. In October, I'll be joining The Nester for year #5 of her 31 Day Challenge. If you're a blogger, you may want to do the same. Here's how it works: 1) Pick a topic you'd like to write about for 31 days. 2) Write ... for 31 days. 3) On October 1 (and for 30 days thereafter) link up your blog at Nester's site. Last year over 1,200 bloggers participated. I'll admit it. That many possible reading choices was a bit lot overwhelming, but writing a series was a LOT of fun. It was my first time to do anything like that ... and I can't wait to do it again! This was last year's series ... Keep Reading...
By
Do You Sparkle and Shine?
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. -- Elizabeth Kubler Ross If it's dark in your world right now, I pray you've found the Light ... Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 If you're not dealing with the dark, perhaps it's a good time to take a look around and search for someone living in the shadows. Maybe a little creative caring is in order. Just a thought ... Thanks for stopping by! I hope you always find encouragement, inspiration, and challenge ... at My Place to Yours. ... Keep Reading...
By
FATHER’S DAY: Just Another Day …
So you say Father's Day is "just another day." Well, Renaissance Man, I guess it is... Another day to say I love you more than you can imagine! Another day to marvel at how someone with no "fatherhood experience" turned out to be -- and still is -- one of the best "hands-on" Dads I've ever known. Another day to say thank you for loving my little girls ... and their mother ... when they very much needed a consistent, every-day man in their lives. Another day to recognize the sacrifices you have made for our family. I realize that's the nature of "family," but many men aren't as gracious as you. Another day to be grateful for the laughter and smiles you bring into our home. ... Keep Reading...
By
Who Are You? … and What Do You Want?
When's the last time you were unsure how to proceed? When there were many doors from which to choose ... all seemingly good ... but you just couldn't get clarity about which one to approach. Doors of Campinas, Brazil My "last time" started a few years ago, and things still haven't gotten much clearer. Plan A: (2010) Open Etsy shop selling vintage linens and dishes. Start blog and do tablescapes featuring items for sale. (2012) Add My Place To Yours SHOPPING and feature more sale items. Reality: I was loving writing this blog and doing tablescapes, but the inventory overflowed and packing supplies cluttered my house ... and the whole thing was sucking my spirit dry. Besides, there ... Keep Reading...
By
I Wasn’t Prepared to Hear It …
Last week, Renaissance Man and I attended the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit. Thank you to those of you who prayed for us! I've been trying all week to put my thoughts into words, but I'm afraid they're still "all over the place." Adoptive (and waiting) families, foster parents, and orphan care leaders worldwide gathered to "defend the cause of the fatherless." (Isaiah 1:17) The group of 2500+ was impressive, but even more impressive were the stories ... Carissa Woodwyck, adoptee and author, mesmerized us with "Listening to the Beauty & Brokenness in Every Adoptee's Story." Steven Curtis Chapman shared both music and testimony about his experience as an adoptive parent; some of his story is ... Keep Reading...
By
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...
By
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...
By
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...
By
GOAL FOR THE GOLDEN YEARS: A Blue Umbrella and a Pie
Source I love the pies of Fall ... pumpkin, pecan, apple. They don't even need a fancy china plate to make them look better; they're just perfect as they are. Truthfully, I love a good piled-high-meringue pie, too ... chocolate, lemon, key lime. But I'm not writing about pies today ... at least not exactly. In a recent conversation, my mother told me of an event that took place in January 1991. She was spending a few days helping my sister after the birth of her first child. The morning was cold and rainy, but messy weather couldn't stop the elderly woman from arriving at my sister's front door carrying her bright blue umbrella ... and a pie. Upon returning home a few days later, my mother told an older ... Keep Reading...
By
I declare today VIRTUAL BEAR HUG DAY {Who needs a hug?}
I don't know about you, but I know a lot of people who just need a big ol' bear hug about now. Here we are—92 days into 2020—and most everything we "thought" we knew about the year ahead (back on January 1) is off the table. Am I right? Instead, we're in the middle of a global pandemic, and every day seems to bring new recommendations, challenges, and stresses. Since social distancing doesn't allow giving those much-needed bear hugs in person, we're just going to have to get creative about our caring. How about this? I declare today—April 1, 2020—VIRTUAL BEAR HUG DAY But feel free to observe it every day until this COVID-19 crisis is behind us! To get you started, ... Keep Reading...
By
SAVE THE DATE — and help me out?
The 31-day blog series: You either love it . . . or you don't. Me? It depends on the year! I've done a few—sporadically—but, once committed, I've always enjoyed the process. They're virtually timeless, so enjoy! In case you're not familiar with it, Write 31 Days was a writing challenge for bloggers that took place every October (all 31 days!) for a decade. Officially, the challenged ended last year. But unofficially, there are some of us who still enjoy the challenge and plan to give it a go again this year. So what theme am I working on for next month? YOU! Have you ever contacted a blogger? You know . . . Have you ever clicked on that ... Keep Reading...
By
Shhh. . . Soaking up the silence
Saturday morning. I’m sitting in my little trailer having my quiet time; praying Ephesians. Reflected in the glass cabinet door across the room is blowing smoke from the outdoor smoker Renaissance Man fired up earlier this morning before loading up the week’s trash and heading to the dump. Meals for grieving friends—and our dinner—will be ready in a few hours. I’m grateful for the quiet. I have a day full of computer work to do (and a few more windows to tackle that will have to wait for another day), but before I get started—while I’m home alone—I’m soaking up the silence. Other than a truck on the road a mile away, the only sound I hear is a persistent bird calling for spring to “hurry!” Be still . . ... Keep Reading...
By
CHANGE: Free Write Day 26
START Before After . . . and everything in between. Change rarely occurs without a lot of “in between”. A lot of choosing—and choosing again. We often think of “befores and afters” being things that go from bad to good, don’t we? From inferior to positive. Weight loss. Improved health. House renovation. Transformed lives. I love those! But what about when the change is from positive to negative? From stable to unstable. Divorce. Illness. Death. Those are “befores and afters” too. Change is simply part of life — but it’s rarely simple. Change is hard, ... Keep Reading...
