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ENCOURAGEMENT - sept 2026 - firmly planted.jpeg

Prayer in Silence

Complete silence is rare, at least where I live.

The world around us is filled with noise: mowers and weed-eaters, revving motorcycles, a passing airplane, someone’s loud music, the incessant television. Some noise we can shut off; some we have no control over. Early in the morning before the noise of the work-day begins is my favorite. It beckons me to rise, to listen and pray.

The Word, the quiet Word that lights my way, is more easily heard in silence.

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In and around Central Texas, my husband and I enjoy fun, food and adventure. Check out THYME'S new blog to be inspired to try something new!

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We both had a Saturday we wanted to fill with fun, and we couldn't have been happier with the way it turned out. Lago Vista was our destination, and then we took our time coming back to town... There was a peach festival happening in Lago Vista, and that was our focal point for the morning. But, of course, we stopped by the Texas Farmers Market at Bell, such a large one with so much good stuff! We had our cute farmers market bags in tow, too! Lago Vista Brewing Company was

Marcy Lytle

Jun 292 min read

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Late start. I was listening to “Sing Over Me” by Porters Gate. Have you heard it? And then I walked and saw the sun ☀️ rise. I need all the encouragement I can soak up as a new week starts. And this week’s series is summer dresses bringing them into fall 🍁- won’t this be fun? This is a summer tshirt dress from @oldnavy and I’ve added darker hues and suede. Simple! #thymemag #summertofall

Why couldn’t he grow old with me? 😪How could this scenario be good for my life? When will the pain subside? As I’m wrestling with those questions, ❓I’m studying the end of the book of Job. You can follow my series @365familyministries weekly. And while I wrestle, I get dressed. In jeans 👖 from @express and a lace lined sweater. And a new belt from @jcrewfactory and a clutch found at a vintage store. Bc getting dressed feels right. Happy Sunday. #thymemag #whygodwhy #imisshim

I shopped 🛍️ in stores. I wanted a pop of color for fall. 🍁I found nothing. And then I ordered instead. From @amazon and I love it. Suede golden bag 💛to go with denim and brown and burgundies too! Anyone else get so excited over a new bag ? I’ll link in stories. Enjoy the August issue this weekend before September issue is out tuesday. 🤗See link in bio! #thymemag #newbag #newpurse

The thing I love ❤️ about me are the things that my husband deposited into me… And I’m drawing from daily. At least that’s my prayer. 🙏 I feel like his trust and contentment and faith are something like a trust fund that I can draw from. As I get up and get dressed and get going and live this life alone without him. I’m completing my now and later series today with those linen pants that we’ve worn all summer. 🤗. We don’t have to put them away. We can add a sweater vest, a long cardigan, or even a bulky sweater, combining it with all the textures and the geometrics in our closets and drawers. From polkadots to stripes, they even houndstooth on a bag. All on top of linen pants. How about that? 😎Would you do this!? I’ll link what I can in stories. #thymemag #nowandlater #imisshim

Even if it’s just the sun ☀️ rising in your rear window, or a cold drink of ice 🧊 water… Something good is coming your way today. I love ❤️ that thought. And I’m also loving the thought of now and later, I’ve been doing these all week. If you have a fall pair of pants…in a caramel or a rust or a burgundy or a green… You can wear it with a white tee now and fall 🍁colored accessories. Or you can add a chambray shirt, pulled over to the side with a leaf brooch, or a waffle 🧇 weave oversize shirt worn open as a jacket or cinched up underneath with a hair tie. Which is your favorite look ? And look for something good in your Thursday… Thank you for being here. #thymemag #nowandlater

It’s a summer jumpsuit I found on clearance worn now and later! 🤗Short sleeve tee and red accessories now. A jacket, a brooch and a scarf 🧣 later. Do you have a bandanna scarf? Have you been grabbing jackets 🧥 on clearance? What about a brooch? What’s the latest accessory you found that you love… Do tell. #thymemag #nowandlater

Continuing with the now and later 🤗 series this week… This is just a loose fitting dress that I’ve bunched up with a brooch, added @rivana_jewelry but then…. For fall, 🍁I could grab a black blouse and wear it as a jacket, add a printed 🧣 that complements the dress, and blue… Lots of blue with your brown 🤎and black this fall. Are you inspired? #thymemag #nowandlater

Now and Later series this week! Yes, 👍 I’m going to keep these plaid pants and wear them in the fall, but I can wear them now with short sleeves and lighter accessories. And yes, 👏 I’m going to wear them later with long sleeves, loafers, and heavier accessories. And I’m going to snap a photo 📸of both of these outfits and keep them in a folder… To wear now… And later. I’ll link what I can in stories! #thymemag #nowandlater

It’s a mix. All the songs 🎵that played while I was getting dressed. Trying to move and not feel the loneliness and despair. 😎Getting dressed helps. Moving. Color. And music. It’s an @oldnavy skirt and a @jcrewfactory sweater and a @madelineparksdesigns belt. Links in stories. #thymemag #sundaymood☀️

Just some light blue and some chocolate brown… 🤎The dressy shirt with some striped jeans… And a suede bag with sandals. Talk about mixing the end of summer with fall… 🍁I’m headed out with three friends to an old theater in our downtown area, and then to a fancy hotel for appetizers 🍤after… Thankful for all the people that want to have a fun 🤗Saturday evening with me…#thymemag #blueandbrown

These lyrics are not how I wake up every day… Honestly, I wake up every day, feeling sad 😔. But then by the end of the day, I do sprinkle it full of all the grateful ☺️ things I can because it helps. Always. And today I’m grateful that a friend is having a book 📕 brunch and she’s one of the most creative people I know, and I’m so excited. I was asked to bring a fruit salad. So it’s just blackberries, strawberries, 🍓 and peaches. I added a tablespoon of honey 🍯 and a teaspoon of lemon 🍋 juice and tossed. I didn’t have mint so I put a sprig of basil on top. My sweater is @express and the jeans @oldnavy and the cutest tassel mules are @jcrewfactory I’ll link what I can in stories. Happy Friday. #thymemag #fridayfeels #imisshim

It’s the fall 🍁bubble jacket. I found this one on clearance at @oldnavy and I’m shopping my closet this morning for different ways to wear it. With similar tones, zipped up like a jacket 🧥 shirt. With a summer skirt and a couple of layered belts and a long necklace. Or with some leisure pants 👖 dressed up with some mules and a choker pearl from @zara - Which is your favorite? You’ll see in the last photo how I’m wearing it today since the temperatures are still 🥵soaring…#thymemag #falljackets

When’s the last time you shopped 🛍️at @express ? I had not been in ages, and I recently happened upon their 70% clearance and got three sweaters. They all go well with these burgundy pants I’ve had in my closet for a long time. It’s a color that will be popular this fall. It pairs well with camel, cream, and of course, a matching sweater that would be cute 😊 for the holidays. I’m wearing @halftee under the vest. Added a huge scarf 🧣 for the cream sweater. And gold for the win at last! Which is your fave? Still shopping my closet all week! #thymemag #burgundy #widowhood

This week I’m going to be looking in my closet for what I have and snapping photos to keep an entire folder of inspiration for when I need to get dressed when the temperature 🍁starts falling… Did you know plaid and dark denim will be everywhere? I have these three plaid items already in my closet, so I decided to style them with brooches, and a bandanna scarf… 🤗. Which is your favorite? I think I like 👍 all three! #thymemag #plaid #brooches

Aren’t there times in your life where you stop and consider 🤔what you really know to be truth? All the fluff, all the extras, all the speculation, all the add-ons… That you’ve attached to your faith. And then it comes back to the simple truth that God loves me and is here for me, Jesus died for me, and lives in me and that’s enough… And all of that is as sure as the sun ☀️ coming up every single morning. Just my thoughts 💭 this morning as I’m wearing a simple white tee with some striped jeans 👖 from @charliebcollection. It’s still really hot here, and so I’m getting in a few more wears of some summer jewelry @rivana_jewelry use MARCYFREE to save. Planning a little back to school blessing night for the kiddos… With a picnic 🧺 on the floor. Happy Sunday. #thymemag #widowlife

It’s a two-piece ser I found in two different areas of the store and they matched. What a surprise. 🤗It’s green fisherman shoes I found @oldnavy on sale. And it’s a green belt too. All making the outfit today. And… It’s the first time I’ve been out in my backyard in a while, the backyard we planted, he built, we planted some more and I’ve added some new touches… Feeling the dawn 🌅 of a new day… deep sadness, and delightful beauty all in the same moments… It’s quite overwhelming. I’ll tag what I can up in stories… Have a wonderful weekend everyone. #thymemag #sadnessandhappiness #imisshim

I just got these trousers 👖in from @target for fall. To wear with grays and browns and navy’s. And this suede bag is @oldnavy the sweater is @amazon - I’ll tag in stories. Just like our outfits are a mixup of a bunch of different stores, so is the smile we wear. Some of us are smiling 🙂 through pain, some from intense joy, and others it’s a mix. But there’s something about getting dressed with the mix of what’s in our closet and presenting ourselves to the world anyway… Starting a new day. I’m finding that getting dressed, walking in the sunshine, and reading the end of the book of Job in the Bible… Those three, have been the mix that has helped 👍me this week. So how are you guys doing? #thymemag #outfitinspo #imisshim

Decor for fall 🍁in August, that’s all. Happy little newness. It helps the sad heart. It brings joy to the emptiness. It looks like promise of a new season. I found the wooden fruit 🍎 at @michaelsstores and the cute olive 🫒 oil bottle at the dollar spot @targetdollarspotfinds - everywhere I go I look for pears 🍐 too! I’m picking that as my fruit for fall. Have you added fall happiness yet!? #thymemag #falliscoming #widowhood

NOW…and LATER. I found the best 👍striped T-shirt this weekend @zara to be worn now and then later. I can add a plaid coat, a cute brown bubble jacket 🤎from @oldnavy or a sweater! I’m saving my pictures so that I have inspiration when the temperatures start to fall. I’ll link what I can up in stories… I hope you’re enjoying 😊the August issue of A Bundle of THYME. LINK IN BIO. #thymemag #nowandlater #widow

Despair and dread were my first thoughts 💭 when I awoke this morning. My mind was on the holidays without him… But honestly, the things that help me the most at the moment are the truth about God‘s love, sunshine and observing creation, and the simple act of getting dressed. I’m wearing a graphic T-shirt with a striped skirt and striped mules and butterfly 🦋 earrings. Soon I’m having some friends over and we’re all going to wear our favorite graphic tees and that will be our conversation starter! 🤗I bought this T-shirt at a farmers market in Los Angeles, such a sweet memory with him… What’s your favorite graphic tee say? #thymemag #graphictee #widowhood

The new string of pearls is a choker. 😊This is the perfect piece to add to your layering this fall! I found it this weekend @zara and i’m excited to wear it all season long, with T-shirts, blazers, a button up shirt, and sweaters. And the best part is it’s under 20 bucks. Right before I bought it I had had a complete meltdown when I smelled apple in Bath & Body Works, it escorted me back to our vacation in Vermont, where we watched apples 🍎 being pressed for the fall. I had to go sit on a bench and gather my thoughts before I could keep shopping… Such is the journey of grief alongside happiness. #thymemag #pearls #widowhood

This weekend more reality hit me, all the things the littles are missing with their grandfather. I call it grief on top of grief. 😪Another layer of sadness. But here it is Sunday, it rolls around every single week. 🤗Headed to church and then an outdoor mall in the blazing Sun… But ending up in the cold movie 🍿 theater. The best way I know how to combat grief is through worship 🎵and hanging out with friends… I hope your Sunday is full of joy. #thymemag #sundayvibes #imisshim

Sometimes… It helps to snap a photo in each option you’re trying to choose. Like these hats, 🧢 for instance. After I looked at my photos, I decided the colored hat was the best choice. 🤗 Did I pick the right one? Do you like to wear hats? It’s a must this morning because I’m going to be outside at a festival. I’ll link my pretty 😍 necklace @erinmcdermott1 and my cool sandals @oldnavy up in stories… Happy Saturday! #thymemag #saturdayvibes #hatstyle

Still going through my closet and finding things in the back that I haven’t even worn all summer, like this red casual dress. Normally, I would opt for a light blue scarf 💙but I chose darker because it is the end of summer… I can always grab something denim if I’m going somewhere that it’s air-conditioned, pearls elevate any casual outfit now through the fall 🍁season, and brown leather… Switch to that if you’ve been carrying straw bags and you want to feel a little bit more fallish. Actually, wear what you love! ❤️ #thymemag #endofsummer☀️ #imisshim

Oh gosh. Today is play day w the kids. 🤗I’m dressed in a graphic tee and hair pulled back with a headband. And…sharing with you little joys I’m creating for myself. Not to mask 😷 the grief. But to pull me along through it. Decor, new stuff…little things. This journey is hard enough without carrying guilt for looking for joy. 😊. If you’re grieving, my prayers are with you. Treat yourself to outward joys for your hurting soul. #thymemag #littlejoys #imisshim

Oh yeah. The fun of playing dress up makes the day. Sunflower 🌻 embroidered on a shirt from @oldnavy with a skinny Twilly. Remember to create looks and snap photos and make a folder for September inspo. 🤗Cause you’ll want to wear fall but if you live in central Texas the scene still will be steamy. But…a suede bag in chocolate brown 🤎from @marshalls and @madewell shoe thrift find. Yes to all! I’ll link what I can in stories. I had a “good” day yesterday. #thymemag #thankful🙏 #imisshim

See this tiny purse? It wasn’t practical, but it was unusual and cute. And he told me to buy it… 😊. On our last vacation in March. So I did, and I’m keeping it. The necklace is vintage and he would’ve told me to buy it as well, as he found great pleasure and smiled when something made me 🤗 smile. I’m still going through my closet and deciding what to keep and what to discard, every day is hard to start, but I see new promise when I see tiny buds 🪷blooming - even in this intense heat in August in central Texas. My heart is heavy every morning and every night, but there’s always hope. ❤️Always hope. #thymemag #hopeinchrist #imisshim

Do you ever listen to the songs 🎵people add to their stories and posts? This one today is to all my friends and all the little kids in my life that bring sunshine ☀️ . I’m meeting two young moms this morning at a splash 💦 pad and I wanted to wear something colorful, playful, and that I don’t mind getting wet… So here’s to the T-shirt dress. Do you have one in your closet? And this rainbow 🌈 bag is @noondaycollection - a gift from my DIL. The glasses are part of a set I found on @amazon - so fun. Linked in stories. By the way, I’ve always just worn readers… For years. 2.5. I went for my first eye 👁️ exam ever a few weeks ago and she told me I just need to keep a pair of 1.5 glasses in my car for driving day and night and it’s worked wonders. How about that? Happy Monday to all. #thymemag #newglasses👓 #imisshim

Hi. My name is Marcy, I’m 68 years old and I lost my husband unexpectedly and tragically 😪less than four months ago, and every day has been deeply painful and sorrowful. However, the gift 🎁 my husband left me was faith and trust and contentment and living one day at a time, and I’m not good at that at all. But I’m on this journey, and I’ve been here on Instagram for years, promoting my magazine and fashion, two of my ❤️loves. I mostly share the best stuff up in stories because I want you to engage and come along with me on this journey of grief , faith, fashion, family, faith, and fun… Nice to meet you if I haven’t met you before. If you’ve been following me, thank you. And thank you 🙏 for your prayers. #thymemag #imisshim #widowhood

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In history, the herb of thyme was given to others because it was believed to be a source of courage. We'd like to offer our readers a source of courage, as well - to be practical, yet spiritual women - effecting change in your world.

September 2026