white wednesday...

This week I thought

I would show you

my second favorite piece

that I have painted.

My piano:

This one was easy.

Isn't she grand?

But, not always so.

I found her at the music store;

they had *rescued* her from a local public school.

It had "T loves J" and the likes carved into her.

She has the most amazing

carving and details.

But what I love best of all

is the sweet music that she brings to our home.

( I don't play but my girls do.)

Check out all of the other white goodness

at Faded Charm.

5 years ago...

I posted this a year ago~it is still so true

so

I'm going to post it again.

A way to bring honor to my God

and

a way to bring honor to my loss.

I know there is debate out there in blogland

over whether to only share the *pretty*.

But not everyone is always in the *pretty*

Real life happens.

~

July 29, 2008

~

Today marks the day

that day 5 years ago

when

I began the path

into the darkest, loneliest valley

I've ever known.

It would be a test of my faith,

a test of true submission,

a life-changing time.

My heart was broken completely;

the loss and emptiness indescribable.

Thing after thing was taken from me.

The details don't really matter;
but what does matter is what I've learned.

I've learned that:

1. Grief is a very hard work-

a very physically demanding work.

(I never would have expected it to be so physical)

It has a timetable of its own-

God brings healing when He brings it.


Thank you to all of you who were so patient with me.

2. To question, to be angry, to struggle

is not to be a failure as a Christian

but is rather an opportunity

to really understand

GRACE.

I'm still here because God
hung onto me during the storm.


Cling as I might
it could never be enough.

3. That I don't always understand the mercy of God -
Why he gives a "yes" answer to one prayer
and then a "no" answer to the next one.

And that it is

OK

that I don't understand.

4. That God is good.

Not because he does good things

but

because He IS good.

5. That He will use this for good.

Hard as it is, maybe, just maybe,
I can encourage someone else.

6. That joy does come in the morning.

That eventually there is healing.

That I can finally talk about it and sing about it.

So dear Kate, take heart, it will get easier.

But you will never forget.

My heart will never be the same.

But may it be softer, more full of grace, love and mercy.

Just like the Father's.

Praise the LORD, all my soul;

all my inmost being, praise His holy name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits-

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your disease,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103

I really didn't want to do this post

but this battle has been such a part of me.

It has shaped who I've become.

Miss Gracie's was conceived during this time

as an outlet-

a chance to make something beautiful with my hands.

Have a great day,

Rene'

Little Dorrit

We finished Little Dorrit.

Mystery~sweetness~foolishness~irony~suspense~forgiveness~good character

all describe this classic story~definitely worth the 4-disc viewing time.

Maybe I'll even put it on my birthday wish list.

It was that good!

Amy Dorrit's (Claire Foy) gentle spirit has never been dampened by the confining walls of the Marshalsea Prison she's lived in her whole life. Despite the dark shadow of debtor's prison, Amy lovingly cares for her father William Dorrit (Tom Courtenay), the longest serving inmate. A possibly redemptive light unexpectedly shines in the form of Arthur Clennam (Matthew Macfadyen), who has been left with the intriguing threads of a mystery after his father's death — threads that will intertwine his family and fate with the Dorrits. Clennam's exhaustive search for answers involves murder, fortunes gained and lost, the upper echelons and lowest dregs of society, and most surprising of all, a tender romance. Adapted by Andrew Davies (Bleak House, Pride and Prejudice), Little Dorrit, based on the book by Charles Dickens, is a sprawling story as timely as it is moving.

review from website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/littledorrit/index.html

graceful words...

My garden

is full of weeds, insects,

and

showing signs of neglect and the heat.

This life, also, is full of

trials, sin, discouragment and weariness.

I look for ( and need) hope , mercy and grace.




The beauty is there,
Waiting to be found.
If we look for it.

A lone Sonia Rykel rose,
one of my favorites,
with the most heavenly fragrance .



Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me in your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

operation CHAOS...

CHAOS

Anyone read Flylady?

C.H.A.O.S.

can't have anyone over syndrome

I've got it bad!

Really Bad.
This is real life at Miss Gracie's House.

Remember that last post?

Someone lovingly said even my *piles* were pretty.

LOL

That's the trouble...I see *pretty and potential* but my family sees

A MESS

I've started the process

of making this room my project room.

I'll keep 'ya posted on my progress

I need the motivation and accountablility!

I really wanted to be part of this

but I haven't even started yet

so I guess I'll just go check it out for inspiration!

My Desert Cottage

~

~

~
Happy organizing!

white wednesday...

I still remember that fall day.

I stood outside, paint gun in hand,

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and

I pulled the trigger.

It was done, there was no going back.

I was painting my fireplace mantle,

my first *antique* that I was going to paint.

It was hard to do but I am soo glad I did.

We found the mantle years ago when we were building a *new* victorian.
It was pre-gas log days so they were inexpensive

(as compared to today's prices if you can even find one)

I was buying it just for the ambience.

Of course, when we sold that house,

the mantle came with me,

along with a few other things

(doors, lights... but that's another post).

We found a perfect place for it in this house in my parlor.

By now, some cool inventor had developed the gas log.

Perfect!

The mantle was light oak, not really my favorite,

(I prefer dark oak if I have woodtones)

but this *shabby* bug had bitten
and I really wanted it white.

So what the heck...

I can always refinish it later to dark oak, right?

Right.

We love our fireplace and the warmth it brings.

I love all of the details.

And I love it white!

gorgeous carving

These are some of the current pretties on the mantle.

Notice those baby shoes...they keep showing up.

That's because they're just so darn cute

and

they work in every arrangement I do!

Thanks so much to Kathleen at Faded Charm

for hosting this fun event.

Hop on over to see more delightful whites.
See ya next week,
Rene'

summer romance...

Then followed that beautiful season...

Summer....

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;

and the landscape lay as if new

created in all the freshness of childhood.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Another peek

at where I've been
and

what I've been doing at

The Shabby House

The days are hot

so it means early morning work sessions.

I've been spending the afternoons watching


Little Dorrit
(A masterpiece PBS film based on the Charles Dickens book)


It's drawn me in!
I'll let you know what I think when we finish it.

Life is short

and we have not too much time

for gladdening the hearts

of those who are traveling the dark way with us.

Oh, be swift to love!

Make haste to be kind.

Henri Frederic Amiel

tired feet...

My feet are tired.

I am tired.

It has been a big push

painting furniture and re-stocking

The Shabby House

Today

I am putting my feet up.

Resting.

Enjoying my home and my daughter.

I'm looking forward to it.

Maybe even putting in Little Dorrit.

Tomorrow my feet will be ready to go again.

And then on to the next thing:
Project Chaos

You'll hear more in the upcoming days:)

You like my 25-cent pink tennies?