Continuing to Sprinkle Seeds of Faith...

Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend!   I just wanted to share what a special weekend we had.

Friday morning started with my fourth treatment.  On this new drug, I’m good for a couple of days before the fatigue sets in.  So after leaving the doctor’s office, I headed home to get ready for our third and fourth classes of His Flower Girls.   This is the first month we did them back to back.  We held one on Friday night and then again on Saturday morning.  We hosted 12 new girls.  It was a blessed time together, to say the least. 

I’m telling you, when God’s hand is on an idea, a project, a “thing” - just get ready to sit back and marvel at His handiwork.   It is beyond thrilling for us to continue to plant seeds of faith in the lives of these women.  We’re not only giddy before every class, but our tears come each and every time as we share our testimonies with our old and new friends.  We now have a Kleenex box on the table as part of the decor.  And believe me, it is used!

Friday night’s group (our third class) was very special to me.  Most were cherished friends from my daughter’s school.  And the others, I'm sure, are soon-to-be cherished friends too.  

Saturday morning’s group (our fourth class) was so very special too.  All I can say is that God continues to fill our home each month with amazing, beautiful women.

And just to let you know, we've made a few little additions to our classes this month. 

For instance, meet Marti.

She attended our very first class.  When we gathered to talk about our gifts, she humbly said, "I don't know what my gifts are."  Then quietly added, "I just love to serve."   

Well, this woman has the heart of Jesus.  She, along with a few others, gathers on Friday mornings to assemble our church's bulletins (all 3,000 of them!).  

Her passion is using her hands for the Lord.   

Well, we weren't going to let this sweet lady get away from us without her joining our team.  So we ordered her a t-shirt and made it official!  We can always use another pair of serving hands.

Another little addition to our class is nepotism. Yes, you read that right.  My sister Robin and Donna's sister Sandy have asked to be our prayer warriors for our class.  

We email them a list of the girls who are 

attending an upcoming class and they pray for them.  They're thrilled to use their gift of prayer for anyone who needs it.  24/7.

Donna's sister Sandy

My sister Robin

And we have another addition too.  

A boutique!  

After the first class, my girlfriend suggested that we begin selling a few of the items that I've made and have in my home.  Why didn't I think of that?  Well, as Dionne Warwick likes to sing, "That's what friends are for."

Come take a peek at our boutique:

Words of faith.

Scrabble tiles either placed on their wooden stands (so cute in the family room) or on small plates full of sand (so cute on the porch or patio).

$10

Chalkboards made from well-loved frames.  

I want to keep them all!

And remember those old shoe molds (circa 1910) I found in New York?  Well, I added a vintage-inspired tag that reads, "walk by faith."  I use them as doorstops, paperweights, or simply as a beautiful reminder to do just that --

walk by faith.

$20

And does anyone remember these?

My parents and I made these vintage-inspired trays over five years ago.  Well, here they are again.  

$65

And though we give out "can't do cancer without God" necklaces to those living with cancer, we also make "can't do life without God" necklaces too.  Such a conversation piece.  Don't ya think?

$5

After just two classes, we've sold over $700 worth of items.  

We thank each and every one of you who either purchased a gift for yourself or for a friend.  Because we're thrilled to put this money right back into our ministries, "can't do cancer without God" and "His Flower Girls."

So let us know if you want to grab a friend and join us for a future class.  We've already begun planning next month's class, and have a few more special additions up our sleeves.

Love and thank you all!

  

My Inspired Home...

Right before my daughter's school let out for summer, I was asked to help decorate for their Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.  I shared the duties with another Mom from my daughter's fourth grade class that I barely knew.  Well, not only did God bless my daughter with a wonderful new friend (her daughter), but He also blessed me with a wonderful new friend, Teri Sangster.

My new friend has so many qualities that I admire.  She loves the Lord, is a great Mom, an amazing decorator, knows how to whip up meals from her sweet little garden and always such an encourager. 

I also loved finding out that she's a professional organizer.  Well, who doesn't want a friend like that?

Well, I hired her as a Father's Day gift for my husband.  Let's just say that I'm extremely thankful for the door that conceals his home office.  During our His Flower Girls classes, I open the door to his office and say, "Ladies, this is a cautionary tale.  See what happens when you don't know where to put your papers and bills and files and ...."  

Bottom line -- I think there's carpet in there.  I wouldn't know because I haven't seen it in seven years.  I digress.

Shockingly, he wasn't as thrilled with my gift as I thought he would be.  So I asked her to tackle our garage instead.  Lucky me.

Like you, we have way too many baseball bats, soccer balls, ice chests, holiday decorations and extra furniture that has made their way into our three-car garage that can barely house one car.  And you can only get into the one car if you suck in your gut and step over the multitude of Arrowhead water bottles that are stacked haphazardly beside the passenger door.  

Teri's vision was to flip flop my storage arrangement.  All sports on one side and a "cute" little side on the other.  For moi.  Well, be still my heart.

She said, "Let's give you a cute little work room."  Well, is she a mind reader too?  I've always wanted a cute little work room.  But where?  Apparently, right under my own nose.

In less than four hours, she transformed my garage into a room of function and beauty.  And mind you, she's all of 5'4, and she did all the heavy lifting herself.  In 90 degree weather.

She moved everything out.  And everything back in.  And just like on tv, I walked out to see a new and absolutely improved garage -- and a cute work room too!  Just like she promised.  And not only did she organize it, but she decorated it too!  Who does that?

And this new work room couldn't have come at a better time as we're beginning to hold boutiques after our His Flower Girl classes and I need all the cute storage I can get!

Here are a few pix of my new hangout:

She pulled out the table that's been in the back of the garage for 13 years.  It now holds our vintage-inspired trays awaiting glass feet.

She found a perfect spot for our old frames we collect and turn into chalkboards.

(Notice that basket of old shoe forms?  That's what was in those two boxes shipped back to me from New York.)  I have big plans for those!

She put my two old book shelves together to make a beautifully arranged display of all the containers I collect to fill with flowers and drop off to friends.  I didn't arrange all these items in these -- she did!

I never want to come out of the garage!

And did I mention, we bought nothing to re-arrange our garage?  She simply used what we had.  

I promised Teri I would blog about her business, InspiredHome.Me, as her services and friendship could benefit so many.  Not only does she tackle frightening garages, but she'll bring peace and order to your kitchen/office desks, junk drawers, out-of-control pantries, over-filled closets and every room in your home that's been neglected and causes frustration.  Have any of those?

I recently told a friend, "For as little as two meals at In-n-Out Burger for a family of four, Teri can change your life!"  Well, at least change your attitude about being in your home.  Her motto is, "Simplify.  Organize.  Live!"  

And that's what I'm doing in my new garage!

Thank you, my friend!

And oh, by the way, my friend is running an introductory special:

$49 for two hours.  Better than a double-double burger, fries and a chocolate shake!