Making Your Home Sing - Creating Nostalgia

There's a soft place in my heart for things of nostalgia and the warmth of sweet memories they bring into ones life. Yesterday was a rare day when all of my family was present for Sunday lunch. Between shift work and two teenagers working, it is a treat to have everyone gathered around the table!

Sunday lunch wasn't one of those elaborate presentations of food. Turkey breast, dressing, green beans and bread were on the menu. Last night as I was preparing to brine the turkey, I undid the netting which was around it. BIG MISTAKE!! The turkey breast fell into many small pieces! Wondering what to do, I put all the pieces back into the net and brined it all night! Stove Top stuffing and canned green beans rounded out this meal of convenience. On a whim, I pulled out some of my mother's bowls to serve the food in. These bowls were used when I was a girl and they bring about nice memories of families eating together. They brought a touch of nostalgia and made an ordinary meal a little bit more special.

Thinking about the beauty of nostalgia, brought encouragement to make the most out of my daily life. As we go about through the day, little touches can bring joy and create lasting memories for our family and friends. By seeking to use what gifts we have and extending them to others, we can create warm memories and show love and care in tangible ways.

In our home, a few touches that can allure the senses and bring beauty can be:

light candles
use fabric softener in laundry
set the table using decorative bowls instead of just serving in the pots
decorate for the seasons
keep cozy blankets/pillows in the living room
bake something special - just because
play uplifting music in the home
think of things to be seen, felt, heard and tasted that enhance the flavor of HOME!

In our relationships, we can extend ourselves by using our gifts and talents to be a blessing to others.

Send a card
send a food gift
pick up a little special something at the store
pay a nice compliment
offer help in times of need
phone to let someone know they are on your mind
remember birthdays, anniversaries and special days
be thoughtful and considerate to the needs of others

By paying close attention to our what our hearts challenge us to do, we will give from the gifts and talents within us and be a blessing to those around us. As we go through our days, we're not just existing, we're creating nostalgia!

Sometimes We Score, Sometimes We Block

Our family is in the midst of little league soccer season. My youngest son is playing and his enthusiasm is contagious. He is pretty good at the sport, but what makes it so great is that he loves it! He counts the days until the next game or practice. He loves his coach and teammates. He has moved up an age level this year and the players are working more like team, passing to each other and watching out for each other during play. During the last game, my son scored two goals, they were the only goals of the game. In today's game the team scored eight goals. My son came up afterwards to me and said, "I didn't score today, but I blocked". What a powerful truth those words can hold. In life, sometimes we score, sometimes we block. Sometimes we do great things, we excel, we achieve, we meet our goal - we score! There are also times we see the needs of others, sometimes they are sad or hurting, we block their hits. We look out for them so they can score. We

Relationships and Redemption

In every friendship or relationship, there is a common hope that they will grow and flourish. There is something inside of us that longs for a 'happy every after' story. We dream about it and work to make that happen. But in reality, relationships are a challenge. The bridging of values, lifestyles, interests and sacrificing for another are simply hard things to do! No matter how much we dream of the perfect fit, some relationships will not endure the stress. When differences appear and tensions arise, prayer can change situations, attitudes and ourselves. For the Christian, we know God can transform, change, heal. We cannot change others, but prayer opens us the door for God to step in and answer. God desires transformation, but does not demand it. The gift of free will allows us to choose to say Yes or No to Him. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Take notice of the first two words: “If possible …” This implies that some

A Blank Page - A Great Way to Fill It

A blank page - that is the first view of a new blog post. It has been a while since I have faced the blank page of my little blog! A blank page can bring a variety of emotions - emptiness, anxiety, pressure to perform or emotions such as inspiration, encouragement or simply bursting to share something. But there is always something fresh and exciting about the blank page of a New Year. Happy 2023! This is always a time in my life where inspiration and plans are formed and ready to be implemented for greater change. Aspirations may start strong, but alone do not make a difference. It takes consistency to create change. The changing or adding small habits is a key to great changes. A habit that has been beneficial in my life for many years is rising early. It began when the children were small and was the only pocket of time I had to myself. Through the years, mornings have become my favorite time of the day. Now that my husband and I are empty nesters, we go to bed early and rise early.

momsthewordSeptember 26, 2010 at 10:13 PM
I know what you mean. My oldest is now in college, but before he left it was a rare occasion that he and his brother were both home at the same time.

It just seemed like they took turns working and being gone, lol!

Great list of how we can bring beauty into our homes! Thanks for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday today!
Miss DebbieSeptember 26, 2010 at 10:15 PM
For a wedding gift, my hubby's sister gave our daughter some crystal that she bought in Germany 27 years ago when she was stationed their in the Army. She (our daughter) loved it, even though she is not a crystal kind of girl, because it was old and because it was German. She spent a summer in Germany doing a study abroad program and loved it there. So,she is starting her "new" life with something nostalgic.
HeatherSeptember 27, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Beautiful thoughts and ideas! I love having candles lit with seasonal smells floating throughout the house!
MindySeptember 27, 2010 at 11:29 PM
I do many of these things already, but it had never occurred to me that I was creating nostalgia. That was a great inspiration to continue doing these special things in my home and supplying a few fresh ideas.

Joyfull Living

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