Interior Decorating

I wrote a devotional about how excellent God’s plans are; the following is an excerpt from my cookbook/devotional, From the Land of Milk and Honey.

“ ‘I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.’” JEREMIAH 29:11

But I thought my own plans were perfect! My plan: To redo our couch, stained from years of wear. A cousin had successfully spray-painted her couch, so that was the plan. Also, I would recover the giant throw pillows with some kind of leafy green and peach material. I imagined a new room with a soft Oriental feel. I said my prayers, then went off to the fabric store. My options were incredibly limited, but I began to realize something: If I completely gave up my plan, perhaps God had something even better.

There it was: Some wonderful rust-colored upholstery remnants and a black-and-white remnant, in the exact sizes I needed, at a price I could afford. It didn’t turn out “Oriental,” but I ended up with the coolest room, better than I’d imagined. A zebra-striped lamp was on sale, and some black-and-white prints completed the look. I redid the room very economically, and it coordinated in a spontaneous way with the rest of the house. And it’s withstood the test of time– I’m still happy with it years later. It’s amazing how God’s plans always end up better than mine.

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Jennifer Cote’s cookbook, From the Land of Milk and Honey, is available online at Winepress Books. (Or at Amazon.com)

Check out recipes at Jen’s PC Cuisine Home Page.