Monday, September 10, 2018

Fall, Friends and Inspiration

A Little Bit of This and That About Fall Decor, Retreating With Friends and Finding Inspiration



Happy Fall!  I have had a busy week with a weekend away, so haven't been in Blog land much the last few days. I'll try to catch you up today in true "this and that" fashion. First, a little look at my early Fall decor. I'm starting simply with a pretty Fall leaf dish, some white pumpkins and a new piece, that pretty Welcome Fall sign purchased at A.C. Moore. I really like that sign and would like to replicate something similar for other holidays. If I figure out how to do that, I'll definitely share!!



I am enjoying this white fabric pumpkin so much. I'm not ready for lots of orange at this point, but the white fabric just says "Fall" to me. I'll be adding Fall decor as we go along, but for early September, this is enough for right now.



I did add my pine cone wreath to the door and my beautiful seasonal quilts are always there for each season! 



I mentioned that I was away for the weekend. I was blessed to spend time with this most awesome group of women enjoying a weekend retreat! Such fun, fellowship and great memories we shared. And, as you can see, we didn't go hungry either!



These dear women encourage me spiritually and provide friendship and support throughout the year. The two women you see above are our leaders and they came up with an awesome theme for this year's retreat, "String of Pearls." Our connections are strong and our support runs deep as we support one another in faith and friendship.


We gather each Fall at a retreat center in the mountains of North Carolina. The house we stay in is called, "Betty's House," and was built expressly for the purpose of providing a place of retreat for those seeking spiritual growth. Betty is no longer with us, but her home provides sprawling rooms for meeting, eating, sleeping and fellowship. This is the living room where we gather for discussion and worship.


There is a large kitchen for meal preparation. 


And a lovely, large dining room where we share our meals. I love that Betty had scriptures written on the walls all around the dining room.


Like this scripture from John 6:35.


Betty's house even has a little prayer closet with room for one person to pray and meditate. 


And there are many bedrooms with ample space for sleeping. This bedroom was Betty's original master bedroom. It is now a dormitory style bedroom for guests.


Our group so enjoyed sitting and chatting on the spacious back porch.


And what beautiful scenery we enjoyed! All in all, it was a blessed weekend!

How are you preparing for Fall, dear readers? Do you ever go on retreats? Would you like to? I hope you will take a moment to share. I love hearing from you!

Until Next Time,
Debbie

4 comments:

Karen said...

What a wonderful time away you had. That is such a great idea to stay in a large house together like Betty's house. I have been on retreats, some I enjoyed very much, some not so much, but I plan to get involved in a group when I retire for Bible studies and retreats. I enjoy retreats more when the group is small, like yours. I am kind of a loner, and when I saw the prayer closet I could imagine sitting in there often! I need to work on that loner stuff because I know being social is so very important as we move through life. Once you find the right "fit" of women, that's a wonderful thing! I enjoyed seeing your early fall décor. I think we are due for one more hot weekend (the one coming up), then I think we'll be heading into slightly cooler temps. I love fall. I have not been inspired to add in any fall décor at home since it's been so hot, but once it cools off I definitely change things up a little! Thank you for sharing your time away and your décor. I missed your posts Debbie!

Debbie Styles Life said...

Hi Karen: Yes, it was a wonderful retreat away from all the "cares" of the world! Believe it or not, this group of women has been together for 12 years! I stepped away for a year or so, but just had to return. They are that special! Like you, I am a loner and it took me awhile to reach a "comfort level" of being able to fully interact and feel comfortable sharing. But what a blessing the journey has been.

I love Fall also and I'm actually ready for a little bit of cooler weather, but not for the cold, snow and bleakness of winter. I will need to work on my mindset for that season! Have a great week. And, I'll be back in the saddle with posts! Ha!

Sharon said...

I always enjoy seeing your seasonal decor. I really like white pumpkins. I saw a teal pumpkin while doing errands recently. It was calling to me until I looked at the price tag--more than I wanted to spend. I'm so glad that you had such a positive and supportive time at your retreat!

Terra Heck said...

Pretty fall decor!
Looks like you had a great time at the retreat. I'd totally stay there!
Being in fellowship with like-minded friends focusing on the Word is always refreshing.