Month: April 2017

I have so much to share with you today. Yesterday, Doug and I went to the Vintage Market Days being held here in the St. Louis area. If you missed it, you can still visit today or tomorrow. It is in the Chesterfield Mall parking lot and tickets can be purchased at the gate.

We had a beautiful, sunny day. The crowds were larger when the market first opened, but it was never too crowded to look at the booths.  We took a lunch break and came back in the afternoon when there were fewer people and the day had cooled down a bit.

My first purchase…Just like the bride who doesn’t want to buy the first dress she tries on, I like to look at everything, decide what I want, and buy the best. Ha! At the first booth I spot this little,ornate, gold frame that tells me it is perfect for my dining area wall. Okay, come home with me.

I wish I could tell you how luscious that Georgia Peach soap smells.

I grabbed one of the peach and also a French Linen.

This next vendor had the most charming “booth”.  Happy Camper Clothing had this charming little camper.

It serves as both a sales booth and dressing room.

Here is a shot inside the camper.  They will be opening a store on Main Street in St. Charles, MO at the end of this month. You can find out more at happycamperclothing.net. They have a fun selection of shirts.

Doug and I stopped to admire this hall coat rack thingy (yes, it probably has a proper name, but I don’t know what it is) and met the owner of Liberty’s Closet. Jeremiah told me that most of their work is custom and this was their first show. They have a Facebook page and an Etsy shop. Check them out.

Bella Vintage Home’s displays are so appealing. I love their vintage glam vibe. I went home with one of these cloche and wood slice bases. Can you imagine all the possibilities you could put under that cloche? My brain is buzzing with all the decor ideas.

The Chicken Coop booth has great farm house style. I bought an item from them that I am looking forward to showing you soon.

Finally, I was looking for some greenery that I could add to my home. Stc Finds has a great variety and the owner is very helpful in explaining what each plant needs. You can find them at Facebook/stcfinds.

In my next post I’ll share some of the items I bought from these vendors and others. If you attended Vintage Market Days or this looks like your style, let me know in the comments.

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Thanks for reading,

Celeste

Yesterday was Palm Sunday and if like me you have spent 50some years attending services that focus on the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, you may feel like you’ve heard that story from every angle.

Fortunately, I still have a lot to learn in God’s word. Our sermon yesterday by was entitled “Glad Hearts” and it contained a gem of knowledge that I haven’t considered before now.  Below is a little personal paraphrase of the sermon, but if you would like to hear the actual sermon from Pastor Scott Dermer, you can find  it here.

If you move forward in scripture from the donkey ride to the last supper, you’ll find in Matthew 26:30 the words “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”  Such a little phrase, easily passed over. I guess I had always envisioned a boring little dirge, unknown and not worthy of any attention.

Although we don’t know the actual hymn, it would have been consistent with the traditions at Passover for the disciples to have sung The Great Hallel, from which we get the word hallelujah.  It comes from Psalm 113-118. Part of the scripture would have been sung before the meal and part after.  I invite you to read Psalm 118 and consider this; a man knowing he would face death soon, lifted his voice to sing and the last words of the song are “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

This isn’t a dirge, it’s an old-time shoutin’ praise song.  How could he do that, sing in the midst of fear and sorrow?

I confess, sometimes it’s hard to understand. It is hard to describe this kind of joy. I’ve experienced it in my life. There have been days when grief seems to be overwhelming, but underneath there is a peace that cannot be explained. Consider this, Jesus could demonstrate the kind of joy that is soul-deep even in the darkest hours because of three things.

His relationship with God

His trust in God’s sovereignty.

His focus on loving others.

When I hold up his example as a mirror in front of my life, I must ask myself if I lack joy at times because I am not developing my relationship with God, or I lack trust in him, or I focus only on my own circumstances.

I hope for you during this Holy Week that even as we ponder the pain, suffering, and sacrifice of the Lord, we still have glad hearts filled with joy because we are growing in our relationship, trust, and service with him.

Special thanks to Pastor Scott for illuminating God’s word and continuing to give his flock new insights.

Thanks for reading,

Celeste