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26 Comments» Continue ReadingDepending on where you live in the world, you may experience the grandeur of God’s handiwork in nature on a daily basis, or on occasion when you take a drive to the coastline or up to the mountains. Everyone experiences the daily wonder of a sunrise, a sunset, and the magnificence of the Creator of the universe holding all the stars in place…and yet, we so often take it for granted. All of it. In our productive, industrious lives, we somehow plow right past all the wonder and implications of living amidst the daily miracle of life and creation. We are so busy working to sustain our living that we forget what it is to have life. And so it is with the truth, the gift, and the gloriousness of the Gospel. The Gospel: “…the incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary death, burial, bodily resurrection, ascension, and eternal reign of the Son […]
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» Continue ReadingNo mother sets out to discourage her children. No one wakes up saying, “I hope to fluster my children today and make them feel inadequate.” or, “I will allow my kids to determine the way I speak to them. I will decide what tone of voice to use based on whether they are compliant and well-behaved.” Of course we don’t think that way! And yet, that is what we often communicate in a day’s time. We’ve had some challenging days around here. There have been long hours poring over math problems, hard moments in relationships, quiet periods of soul-searching, fervent times of prayer, and determined strides made towards recovering from this remodeling chaos we are so grateful for, but so weary from. Challenging circumstances and stretching situations in life may be the context of your current discouragement, but simply cannot stand as excuses for discouraging your children. We have a […]
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» Continue ReadingThere’s a phrase that’s been going around our home lately: “Your actions show what’s important to you.” Because it’s not just what you say, but what you do. I find myself saying to the kids: If you are repentant, you turn from your sin. If you love someone, you act in a way that is loving. If you desire to know Christ, spend time with Him. It’s not just for the kids, though…it’s for me, too. If I want a clean home, I need to clean it. If I want meaningful time with my kids, I need to talk and play with them. If I want to nurture my relationship with my husband, I can shut down the computer for the night and spend time with him. And so, this week I did. All that. Rather than talk about all that I wanted for my family and in my home, […]
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» Continue ReadingWhat feeling arises when you think about goals you set last year and the ones you hope to achieve or become in the new? Do you feel an anxious drive to succeed or do you struggle to find motivation in the face of guilt and defeat? I have known both of these responses. And both responses have found their common denominator in my sinful pride and self-sufficiency. Desiring to be more than we were last year, hoping to grow more disciplined, aiming to be more joy-filled and gracious….these are not merely self-improvement goals, or ways to form your family to look more like the Christian “ideal.” Instead, it is, for a child of the King, already ours already in Christ, but is realized through obedience and perseverance. Join me at Mom Heart Blog today as I share about pursuing goals, and trusting in His strength in the pursuit. Be blessed, […]
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» Continue ReadingI’m sitting in a (finally) quiet house, but my mind feels noisy. What noisy input is always available to us today: The internet is noisy, opinions are noisy, the news is noisy, expectations are noisy…ideals are noisy. There is so much that seems so wrong with the nations, so unsettling about the future, so burdensome about the Body of Christ, so weighty in the details of daily life…so noisy amidst our sin-wrecked world. Some of us are deafened in the chaos of worry, of fear, of anger, of unforgiveness, and sometimes in the noise of self-condemnation. It’s so noisy that we are tempted to despair. We are tempted to think too little on the work of Christ and too much on our own abilities to solve life’s problems or failure to overcome them. But this is what we hear when we listen to the only voice that matters and look to […]
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» Continue ReadingMushrooms. You either love them or despise them. I happen to find them absolutely wonderful! I love all kinds of mushrooms–shitake, portabella, enoki, button, cremini. I love them in all forms: in stews, sauteed over steak or a burger, stuffed with sausage, as a burger substitute, sliced hot bacon spinach salad, marinated, skewered and grilled…did I cover all the bases?!? You see, I’m a fan of mushrooms. My family, on the other hand, is not. They will tolerate them in my ugly soup, stout stew, fricasee, and coq au vin. But, an all-out brothy, flavorful mushroom soup? Well…I think I may be the only one who appreciates such meals in this house. Thankfully, my recipe for such a soup is so simple and quick to fix, I can make a small batch for myself anytime the mood calls for it…which is always, usually. *I’ll just warn you now…This is one of […]
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» Continue ReadingIt is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones. Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. -C.S. Lewis My husband loves old books. He talks about dead old guys as some of his favorite people…friends that have influenced and encouraged him in thinking, in parenting, in walking with God. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time making time to read, and when I do, I’m reading something current and immediately relatable. But I’m […]
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» Continue Reading“In your pursuit of godliness, have you left Jesus behind?” This is the question Elyse Fitzpatrick aims to have us consider throughout her book, Because He Loves Me. She shares, “Among those who would classify themselves as serious Christians, who study the Bible and want to please God, my guess is that the thought of revisiting the gospel seems like a step back into kindergarten. To put it another way, if I told you that this is a book about the gospel, would you automatically assume it’s for unbelievers?” Is that you? I know it’s often me. Because He Loves Me is one of the most influential books I’ve read in the last few years. I’m eager to share it with you! If you have been looking for refreshing in your soul, a rejuvenation of your understanding of the gospel, a freedom and joy within your walk…this is the encouragement you’ve […]
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» Continue Reading“God’s grace is manifest in not letting us be content with anything but Him. Every hollow feeling in the heart is a catalyst to drive us to Him.” -Paul Washer There is no doubt that motherhood is the most stretching, challenging, humbling, exhausting, and rewarding undertaking I’ve ever endeavored. The last 10 years of my life –the journey as a mom– has been the source of my most sleepless nights, my most anxious fears, my deepest desires, and my most desperate moments as a grown woman. And there are so many things we run to when we feel desperate… We run to food. We run to friends. We run to things to buy. We run to the internet. We run to status updates. We run to entertainment. We run to busyness. We want our thirst quenched, but so often, we fail to run to the Living Water, the Word of […]
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» Continue ReadingI am so pleased to introduce the sponsors of GraceLaced for the month of January. Please take advantage of the discounts and giveaways that some sponsors have offered to GraceLaced readers for this month. Announcing a new book from The Confident Mom! Become the Confident Mom You’ve Always Wanted to Be: 31 Strategies to Improve Your Confidence as a Woman, Mother, and Family Manager, by Susan Heid, will be released January 14, on Amazon.com. Here’s a little about the book: “Being a mom and family manager is a difficult and demanding job—one that often leaves moms questioning their decisions and abilities, ultimately lowering their self-confidence. But one must lead with confidence to ensure that family values are not compromised by the many distractions a family might confront. Become the Confident Mom You’ve Always Wanted to Be: 31 Strategies to Improve Your Confidence as a Woman, Mother, and Family Manager provides key strategies to help moms make solid decisions […]
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» Continue ReadingWhat do you do when you have a wine and cheese party, and have several blocks of decadent cheeses leftover? Fontina, Gruyer, Jarlsberg, Chevre? I hope to share a few cheesy recipes in the coming weeks, but today, I’m sharing a super simple combination for a fancy grilled cheese–the ultimate comfort food. This sandwich would be even better on sliced artisan, rustic, or sourdough loaf. I didn’t have anything but whole wheat sandwich bread, so that’s what we used. What you need: sliced bread butter, coconut oil, etc. sliced gouda slices of ham (or bacon!) apple slices Just a tip…I love to layer gouda, then apple, then ham, then another thin layer of gouda…so everything sticks together nice and gooey. Yummy with a bit of dijon…perhaps some apricot or fig preserves? Delish. Try it with my homemade tomato basil soup! Comfort food, elevated. Enjoy!
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» Continue ReadingThis entire project has been an effort to make for a more open floorplan for our growing family, but also for our family to continue to effectively share our table and home with others. All of it is FOR Him, and TO Him, and FOR His glory. The satisfaction of remodeling doesn’t last but for a little while…unless the lasting joy of it’s beauty and functionality is shared and used for something greater than personal enjoyment. Praise God for the opportunity and ability to do this reno. We are so grateful. What a difference a week makes! You saw how the house looked prior to the 40th birthday celebration last week…and thankfully, though we were unable to complete the kitchen in time for the party, we did get the house in presentable condition (with several late nights and the help of a handful of amazing friends and family.) The front room (which […]
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Hello, friend...I'm Ruth. Welcome to GraceLaced, where you will find my imperfect, but grace-filled musings on the Gospel, motherhood, crafting, art, domesticity, cooking, and the often-times overlooked joys of finding grace in the everyday of life. Read my full profile here.
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