Melissa Michaels - A Lovely Life: Savoring Simple Joys in Every Season

T EN P EAKS P RESS TM

E UGENE , OR

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A LOVELY LIFE

Copyright 2022 by Melissa Michaels

Published by Ten Peaks Press, an imprint of Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

ISBN 978-0-7369-6321-3 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6322-0 (eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021947790

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As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease .

GENESIS 8:22

CONTENTS

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things .

PHILIPPIANS 4:8

Whether Im delighting in my garden on a spring day or curling up by the fire in a well-worn chair on a winter evening, when Im at home, all is right in my world. The days may not always be perfect, but life feels lovely anyway .

A lovely life is one that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye.

Loveliness can grow in and around us wherever we are. Our days may not read like the pages of a fairy tale. Our homes may not be the picture-perfect ones found in our dreams. Rather, a life lived with intention becomes lovely, blossoming one delightful moment at a time.

The rituals and rhythms we savor for home-keeping and soul-tending are as refreshing for our states of mind as they are for our homes. They are like wearing a pair of beautifully rose-colored glasses. A rosier outlook wont just sugarcoat our homes imperfections or make sweet lemonade from sour lemons in life; it will inspire us to frame every season with more gratitude for the beauty and grace already in front of us.

Even when (and perhaps especially when) there is a shift in seasons or in our own circumstances or the world around us, we can find our equilibrium in a familiar sense of rhythm and routine for our lives and homes.

The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely .

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Our rhythms empower us to design our homes and lives in more meaningful, authentic ways. The moments we intentionally elevate will nourish our well-being, infuse more enjoyment in routine household tasks, and inspire us to celebrate the sacred wonders and gifts of every season.

Seasons will come and go, but the life we create and the rhythms we practice at home become anchors against the ebb and flow, so we can find a refuge of joy and delight in the simple pleasures of them all. In the journey ahead, we will celebrate the rhythm of each season:

SPRING OFFERS RENEWAL,

SUMMER OFFERS REFRESHMENT,

AUTUMN OFFERS RECONNECTION, AND

WINTER OFFERS REST.

Well embrace how the seasons inspire us to make our homes lovely and tend to our souls and communities with intentional beauty.

HOME*MAKING Creating a lovely place to live.

SOUL*TENDING Taking care of you and those you love.

For everything there is a season .

ECCLESIASTES 3:1 NRSV

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land .

SONG OF SOLOMON 2:11-12

Chirp, chirp! The birds sing their cheerful morning song outside my bedroom window. I may want to pull the covers over my head, but I admire their impulse to sing with delight! Winter has kept us cooped up too long. Tweet, tweet! Spring is here!

Were invited to emerge from our cozy winter nests to be a part of the beauty thats awakening. The warm sun, birdsong, and flowers are an antidote for winter blahs. I can hardly wait to open the doors, take in the intoxicating scent of lilacs, and say good morning to the first blooms. Yes, Im that neighbor. The one you might see climbing up a tree in her pajamas to cut a few spring branches for a bouquet. But flowers are fleeting, and savoring these moments is what makes life lovely.

One spring, we were completing a kitchen remodel in our Seattle home. As the days passed, I became increasingly eager for the project to be finished so I could enjoy my morning coffee in peace (introvert confessions) and because I didnt want carpenters and ladders blocking the view of our magnolia tree!

Those tulip-shaped blooms and deep green leaves are a happy visual cue that this season will offer abundant gifts. The pink flowers arent necessarily a sign that the days ahead will all be rosy, but certainly they remind me to stay rooted in hope for the renewal to come.