in the light of day

good morning :)

livingroom update

Just a quick pic before I'm off to dreamland:


(taken at night)

The runners and one pillow are completed, with two more pillow covers soon to come.
I'm very pleased with the colors. Hopefully I'll share more in a post tomorrow...
G'night, dears.

hush

Hi friends,

Feeling rather quiet today. Yes...quiet and peaceful.

Praying you have a lovely Thursday afternoon,

Sarah Marie

happy windows.

I just thought I would share a corner or two today. I put together these curtains panels a few weeks ago. They really tie together the rest of the kitchen...which I will have to photograph for you soon. It's funny. Lately I've been drawn to this cantaloupe color, which never really made it in to my decorating palette before. It's a happy hue.


Top detail:



(Sorry for the bad light. Curtains are tricky to photograph well!)
We have some neat curtain rods we still need to put up...
The curtains go to the floor, and have the same horizontal pattern at the bottom.

I made a corresponding little curtain/cover for a hutch/shelf we have in our kitchen, given to us by Joshua's parents. I pleated (or something) a bit at the bottom:



Then I saw these on World Market's site yesterday, and noticed some similarities...



...but I am thrilled to report that I spent 80% less making ours than buying these. I love a good steal, especially a handmade one.

wake up, sleepyhead.

Our living room seriously needs some waking up. When we own a home, hopefully it will have more natural light, but this renter has got very little, and also is painted a dark oatmeal color. Ugh. The general color palette in there is brown and green, with some goldish touches. Because we have many different colors of green in the room, and mostly solids, I set out to find the best print to unify the look, while keeping it earthy, and hopefully, elegant.

Here is what I ordered last night, and I'm so excited to fashion a coffee table runner out of it, and maybe some pillows:



I'm sure it will function well as our living area's little dose of strong coffee. Pictures to come in 7-10 days, as I cross my fingers for a timely UPS ground delivery.

marvel

"Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory."

It's a marvelous morning. It's one of those mornings when I feel His new mercies, when I look up. The air is crisp, the soil is moist, and I'm ready for some good plowing, tilling, and planting and watering. Last night we met with a wise friend-mother in the faith from our church about a certain ministry in which she's involved. And it was all very encouraging, interesting and inspiring. But what really brought joy to my heart was how much the kingdom of God was on our hearts, on our lips, in our hands, in our midst. It was so uplifting for Joshua and I to spend time in conversation with a fellow saint, specifically in dialogue about what we can (or should) do to build the Kingdom. There is a great need for those in the body to be having these conversations. And it's even more imperative that our words become our deeds, so as to exhort oneanother to actually do the hard work, rolling up our sleeves to join in the victorious labor of building that Garden-City. Joshua and I often find ourselves sitting in his study (usually with our mugs of coffee) exploring what God has to say in His WORD, examining what we are called to do, and how we are called to do it. Thinking, dreaming, loving, praying, and seeking...often it all comes down to just being faithful. My dad wisely challenged Joshua before we were married to be faithful in discerning his calling. My dear mom always says, "Be faithful in the little things and the big things will come." And as I sit there at Joshua's feet (literally and figuratively) I marvel at what God has done. I marvel at how he brought this godly man and I together for the glorious covenant purpose of filling, subduing and beautifying the earth, and how blessed I am to be lead in this endeavor by such a faithful husband. I marvel at how He fashioned our hearts with a desire to fulfill that purpose together, carefully using both the similar and unique gifts he so graciously gave us. I marvel that His grace is sufficient and how his WORD is living, active and powerful. I marvel at how I am humbled by the joyous task before us.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations."
-Psalm 145:10-13

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:10

"For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building." -1 Corinthians 3:9

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." -Matthew 6:33

May His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!