Learning to be faithful with little
Plus, green summer inspiration, ideas for shade, aesthetically pleasing coffee makers and a great dress recommendation
We arrived to church a few minutes early on Sunday and made the rounds of greetings before sitting down where we always do. My friend, a mother of two energetic boys that like to do laps around the sanctuary before the service, was sitting behind us in a quiet row reading her Bible. I interrupted and told her I admired how she was able to take a moment of peace — which, at this point, I had disturbed — in such a busy, loud room. She told me she had simply learned to adapt. Before children, life moved at the pace of hours but, now, it moved at the pace of minutes. There might be only two or three minutes to capture a moment of rest before it was on to the next thing. That’s just how it was now. The joyful look on her face told me she had long made peace with it.
I thought this was so profound because I would’ve disregarded those few minutes because they were too small to measure into something meaningful. I liked the hope in the way she said it, like she knew that those two minutes were just enough because those two minutes were all she had. It makes me think of the ancient wisdom woven through scripture: be faithful with little.
Being faithful with little is about holding hope that each meager measure matters beyond the impact you can see or feel in the moment — it’s not about productivity, as I always thought. Each small offering is a chip away at a larger piece of stone, carving out something beautiful with steadfast, unwavering intention no matter how long it takes. It requires strength of conviction to hold out the hope that you’ll see the end goal realized. You need so much courage to hold onto the belief that every movement is worthwhile, even if its immediate impact can’t be seen or felt.
When I was learning to write essays in school, I liked to sit down all at once and write the paper from top to bottom in one sitting. If I couldn’t do it all at once and get the payoff of the completed article, I didn’t want to do it at all. Of course, life has very few meaningful endeavors that can be completed in a single sitting. Most worthwhile things take time — some take a lifetime. And when I think of all of the things I want to do and want to become and want to heal, my progress toward them feels meager. It would be so much easier if there were checkpoints affirming my progress along the way, like the grades you accumulate over the semester as you work toward an A or the way you see ingredients come together into new forms as you mix them up to make cookie batter.
But I know that I must believe that this one thing, this small effort, will one day shape up into the thing that I hope for.
Today’s newsletter is a mishmash of things that have fueled my creativity lately, from poems to stills of favorite movies to coffee. Thanks for being here.
GREEN SCREEN
Summery scenes in all their verdant glory
The cover of a volume of photographs of a trip to Egypt, circa 1870s, via The New York Public Library.
An incredible outdoor tennis court and a scene from the movie “A Room With a View” (1985).
A painting by the Australian artist Judy Drew.
What might be the most hilarious book title I’ve read: “Some Ladies In Haste” by Robert W. Chambers, which follows three women in New York City in the early 20th century.
Bathers lounging on a tile-covered patio near a tile-lined pool, source and origin unknown.
A storybook scene of a carriage disappearing into green hills; source unknown but perhaps attributed to a more recent illustrated edition of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales.
A platter manufactured by the Josiah Wedgwood company, circa 1780s, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
THROWING SOME SHADE
Window treatments to love
If there were ever a time of year for some really good window shades to shield you from the blazing hot sun, it would be midsummer. I love these window treatment choices and combinations.
Like most of my favorite photos from The World of Interiors magazine, I like how haphazard this is — the shades are all crooked and charming.
The wooden blinds beneath this pretty valance are called chik blinds. You can find them on Etsy for a pretty penny. This Canadian design duo — husband and wife — layers lots of window treatments to beautiful effect.
How luxurious is the billowing fabric of this roman shade?
Curtains in a kitchen, tucked back in that corner — how cozy! I’d be surprised to find them in a kitchen, at least most kitchens where I live, but I like how it gives the room a more livable, comfortable feel.
CAFÉ STYLE
3 charming coffee pots
My coffee maker gave me a scare this week and threatened to go out (the horror) and I started to think: if it did, would I go for a moka pot instead? Based on aesthetics alone, the case is quite compelling: quirky, dome-shaped stovetop espresso pot, the classic Bialetti and another charming alternative.
GOOD CHOICE
A brand I continue to love
I purchased two dresses from Hill House’s 4th of July sale and have been so impressed by their quality. I now have three dresses from the brand — the other is a sweater dress I wore last winter — and I love each one. Many of the dresses are lined and, if not, the fabric is luxe and substantial while still feeling cool enough for summer.
All the best,
Mary Grace