A Collection: A Few Coffee Table Books, Beauty in our Yard, Embroidery Flowers, and the Joy of Grandkids

 A fun little post of favorites, just a mix of inspirational, fun, or seasonal things that give me joy. It has been a number of months since my last one. Hope you enjoy!

I love these two coffee table style books ...

Gracelaced by Ruth Chou Simons - I read through this beautiful book again during 2021 (reading it season-by-season as it is divided up that way), and just finished up the last section a month or so ago. The artwork and the words are both so inspirational. 

Here's one quote that I had written in my journal from the "Fall - Intercession" reading:

"We groan as we try to pray through life's hardest challenges, while the Spirit groans on our behalf with perfect expression of our every need in the presence of our heavenly Father. ... The Spirit is indeed our Helper, both in our hearts and in connecting ours to His own. He makes prayer not just possible but plentiful as He provides for all the longings we express, and those we cannot."

And I am loving this brand new book by Holley Gerth: What Your Soul Needs for Stressful Times. It is so very timely to read, as no one can deny that we are going through a very stressful time here in our own country, and also around the world. Here's one of many quotes that I have written down in my journal from this book that I am currently reading ...

(Holley had referred to Exodus 3:14 where Moses had inquired of God's name, and the answer was: "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.")    

"Why does this matter in stressful moments? Because I AM is present tense. ... This means the only place we can fully experience the presence of God is the present ... When we get to tomorrow, He will be there. But today He is exactly where we need Him to be - with us." 

 

We enjoyed our outdoor patio flowers, as well as these in the front of our house throughout October, and clear through to the end of the month! A longer season than usual ... their beauty added to the colors of fall, making a beautiful mix of summer and fall! Click here to see more of the beauty in our yard the last half of October.

And I have been enjoying these flowers indoors! I started this embroidery project about six months ago, and I just put on the finishing stitches the last day of October! It's something I picked up to do here and there, in the midst of a full life ... a little refreshing break. It was a free pattern (click here) that I chose to do this year of our 50th Anniversary. The colors are the ones we used at our wedding, and the words "Be Still" are meaningful words from Psalm 46:10 which God used to lead us into retirement a year ago. Lots of memories held in this embroidery art that I plan to purchase a frame for in the future.

It's such a joy to be grandparents to ten sweet grandkids, and we had a fun four-day visit in mid-October to spend time with two of them, and also our daughter and son-in-law. It is hard to believe how fast they grow up ... Eva is our youngest grandchild, and at 9 years old, she is definitely not little anymore! And Cruz (one of three grandsons who are 12 years old) is in 7th grade already! 

Thanks for looking through my little collection of joy! 

Have a wonderful month of November!