Brighten Up Your House On A Winter Day

January 15, 2016January 20, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

It’s easy to get a little down in the winter. When the sunshine is scarce, the temperatures are frigid, and the daylight hours are minimal, our spirits can drop quicker than the outside thermometer. We need to be aware of small things we can do that will not only be pretty, but will also help to cheer winter doldrums.

Buy fresh flowers occasionally. I got the bunch above for about $3 at Kroger in their sale bin – and they’ve lasted more than a week! I can tell you that that little bouquet has really perked the kitchen (and me) up! To have the color and the life is so encouraging!
Keep things light inside. We always have our inside door opened during the day, but when it’s freezing, we obviously have it shut. That means that the morning sunshine is shut out. So I add put lights up high above bookshelves, down low, beneath a bench, and at table level. In the morning I go around turning on the lamps so that it won’t be dark and dreary!

Burn candles for fragrance and add others for the atmosphere it will bring. Add them to your dinner table each night. It’s probably dark when you eat, so add the ambiance while you can enjoy it!
If you have a fireplace, make a fire! Nothing cozies up a space visually like a roaring fire! Pull the furniture close and enjoy the warmth and the beauty!

Lift the shades and pull back the curtains in the morning! Don’t block out the natural daylight. Even if it’s cold, the sunshine or daylight will cheer your home and your heart!

Keep winter from making your spirit’s sag by brightening up your home!

What do you do to keep your home cheery in the winter?

Stay refreshed,

home · Home decor

My Favorite Photos of the Week

January 6, 2016January 5, 2016 RefreshHer8 Comments

Here’s the camera roll for the last week:

In the morniing chalkboard

I’ve changed some decor around after taking the Christmas beauty down. Why can’t I just scribble and draw on my chalkboards every day? It’s a favorite past time. This saying is so true – Jesus…He’s what I need every. single.day.

bedroom mantle

This is my bedroom mantle. I love the painting of the skaters. My talented mom painted this – it’s only one of many she’s done. Yeah, I scribble – she paints! I usually hang this over my piano for the winter months, but the aquas look so pretty in my bedroom, I decided to leave it in there.

paper box

My organized daughter, Whitney challenged me to get my wrapping box in order after the rush of Christmas caused it to be ~~a disaster~~ in disarray. All the gift bags are stacked according to size and holiday, the ribbons are in one place and the tissue is on top. She approved. =)

winter mornings

I love winter mornings. When we get up, it’s still plenty dark outside. Inside it’s cozy with candles flickering and soft lights glowing. I came downstairs for a second cup of coffee this week and found my husband reading his Bible on his phone and Liza Jane ~~waiting for a treat~~ bowing in prayer beside him. =^..^=

latte

My daughter, Alli and I met in Jonesborough on Monday morning to catch up and chat at the cutest little coffee shop that’s recently opened in town. I had my first Chai Latte. It was delicious! I hope it won’t be my last!

As I look back on these six photos, I see a thread –

~The joy of making the most of each day.

~Organizing to make tasks easier and more fun.

~Decorating, crafting and embellishing to create an inviting environment in our home.

~Simplicity that brings delight.

God is so good, so generous, and loving to allow eyes to see, hands to work, and hearts to love at home, my favorite place.

What have you enjoyed about home this week?

With love from my country home,

Family life · home · Husband

The Treasure of a Godly Homelife

October 8, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer4 Comments

We had guests in our home recently and before they left, the wife said something like, “I love your living room. It’s so cozy and inviting. This is what I want my home to be.” My husband looked at her and said, “This is our refuge from the world. God wants to be your refuge so you can have the same kind of home.”

You see, it’s not just the things in a house that makes it inviting – it’s the love, the atmosphere, the tone that you feel when you step in.

Yesterday morning I read – There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. (Proverbs 21:20) The truth of that passage is that we are either digging up the treasure God wants our homes to have, or we’re spending it up.

How do we dig up the treasure?

We get up every day and give ourselves, our family, and our home to the Lord.
We get into the Word so we can get a right perspective on our ministry in our home.
We seek to respond biblically to the trials that will surely come into our lives.
We are faithful workers in our home, planning ahead for our family’s needs with good meals, fresh laundry and a clean house.
We seek to meet our husband’s needs and care for them more than for our own.
We love and submit to our husband as the head of the home, never seeking to override his authority.
We faithfully and lovingly instruct our children in God’s ways, always leading them to Christ.

How do we spend up the treasure?

We go in our own strength.
We think we can miss days in God’s Word and be fine.
We blow up when trials come because we’re not filled with Truth.
We spend more time out of the home than in it so that meals are on the run, laundry is piled up and the house is a chaotic mess.
We scream out for “our time” and resent being a housewife.
We only submit when we agree 100% with our husband’s decisions
We let the children do their own thing and overlook their need for correction and time with us.

The “treasure” that is gotten when we follow God’s directives for our homes is a sweet, loving atmosphere that makes it a joy for family and friends to come home. Is it always perfect? Hardly. Is it most often a respite from the world? Oh yes.

Are you digging for the treasure at home, or are you spending it uptoday? You can make the necessary changes even now, with the Lord’s help. A home where God’s love is felt and demonstrated is truly “a treasure to be desired.”

With love,

home · refreshment at home

Taming the Laundry Pile

August 28, 2015August 31, 2015 RefreshHer7 Comments

Happy Friday, friends! Maybe you love Friday, until you look in your laundry baskets and find them all overflowing with dirty clothes, towels and kitchen linens from the previous week. Now this weekend you’ll spend most of Saturday getting caught up, knowing that in three days, it’s going to be flowing out into the hallway again!

Please forgive me if I’ve shared this already (I searched my blog and couldn’t find it, so I feel safe! I’m losing it!). One little thing I’ve begun doing in the last six months EVEN WITH JUST THE TWO OF US IN OUR HOUSE is doing one load of laundry every day. I alternate between dark clothes and whites. It might not always even be a big load, but if there’s enough to do even a small load, it’s going to be washed. The blessings of doing one load every day are:

It only takes a short amount of time to gather that color of laundry.
It’s just a little bit of clothes to deal with once it comes out of the dryer.
I don’t have a whole day where I’m dealing with laundry all day long!
The clothes get back into the closet/drawer quickly, so they’re ready when needed.
It’s become a part of my morning routine as soon as I get up. I throw them in when I feed my kitty (her dishes are in the laundry room). By the time I’m finished with my Quiet Time, the clothes are ready for the dryer. By the time I’m showered and dressed, the clothes are ready to be folded.

wpid-wp-1440690832896 — Add the word, “Daily” to this sign and you’ll reduce your laundry stress!

I might add that I don’t do laundry on Sunday, but doing it six days a week has been a real help and refreshment! I hope it will help you, too!

What will you do to refresh your heart this weekend? I trust you’ll go to a Bible preaching church!

Stay refreshed,