This verse came to mind this morning as I woke up determined to 'get things done'. Often, it feels like much of the daily tasks of life are so useless...make the bed only to destroy it that night, repeated loads of laundry, dishes that never end...and the list goes on & on. The list that no one ever wants to acknowledge because it's perceived drudgery. The list that many women run away from, outside the home. *I* don't blame you, *I* want to run away from it too.
That is, until this morning...I *do* want to make my house into a home though. How do these thoughts and feelings reconcile each other? This verse put it in perspective for me. Sometimes I feel as if my house will never be the way I want it. But what way is that? Picture perfect? Magazine-spread-ready? Giant, new furniture and a state of the art, spacious kitchen, of course!
It's easy to get caught up looking @ tons of home magazine spreads, blog-home-tours, decorating magazines etc and end up feeling like your house will just never measure up.
Maybe you are in a tiny apartment with never enough space, or a rental instead of owning your own home---and you think: if only, if only, if only... some day... if I just...Of course there are some easy and inexpensive ways to spruce up your home but none of that will ever matter, not even if you could purchase your dream home filled with dream furniture--nope! It won't matter if your house is not a home to begin with. All the money, crafting and home decorating in the world won't matter if all *you* are building is an empty shell to harbor & display your own vanity.
Making a home starts with being content with where you are and what you have, this eliminates a lot of the self-motivation from the get-go. If you are discontent, there is nothing in this world, materialistically speaking that will ever satisfy. Now, that we've got that covered, if you aren't building a home for 'self' who are you building it for and what will that look like?
Maybe you don't have nice slip-covers but you have a nice, clean sheet neatly tucked over a couch to hide the duct tape. And you have a hand crocheted blanket across the back that you cherish because your grandma made it. You speak with gentle kindness to your family to keep their shoes off the couch, not because you are so afraid they will mess up the beauty you have created, but because you're teaching them appropriate manners and how to behave. THAT is making a home!
Allowing God to build your home is allowing God to work on *you* from the inside out, first. What is the vision and purpose God has for your home? Are you hospitable, your home comfortable and inviting to others? Is your home welcome and inviting to your own family? Are *you* warm and inviting to your own family? Are your children interruptions to everything you want to accomplish through out your day? Am I only focused on getting things done so that others will think I am so great? Am I attempting to show off my own creative skills and talents? Am I sacrificing relationship with my family to accomplish some imaginary ideal? Or am I striving to make others feel comfortable? Do I have a heart of hospitality, to draw others in, primarily my own family? Am I concerned with making *myself* the most comfortable or others?
When God gives you a vision and purpose for creating a home, nothing you do for your home is in vain, or self-motivated. You are not working within your own strength or for your own selfish pleasure. When I look to God's will, suddenly our house is not just a structure to hold stuff and protect people from the elements, it becomes a sanctuary. A place of worship. A place of study, instruction, nurturing, refreshment, rest...a place where relationships are built...to last.
It's easy to get caught up looking @ tons of home magazine spreads, blog-home-tours, decorating magazines etc and end up feeling like your house will just never measure up.
Maybe you are in a tiny apartment with never enough space, or a rental instead of owning your own home---and you think: if only, if only, if only... some day... if I just...Of course there are some easy and inexpensive ways to spruce up your home but none of that will ever matter, not even if you could purchase your dream home filled with dream furniture--nope! It won't matter if your house is not a home to begin with. All the money, crafting and home decorating in the world won't matter if all *you* are building is an empty shell to harbor & display your own vanity.
Making a home starts with being content with where you are and what you have, this eliminates a lot of the self-motivation from the get-go. If you are discontent, there is nothing in this world, materialistically speaking that will ever satisfy. Now, that we've got that covered, if you aren't building a home for 'self' who are you building it for and what will that look like?
Maybe you don't have nice slip-covers but you have a nice, clean sheet neatly tucked over a couch to hide the duct tape. And you have a hand crocheted blanket across the back that you cherish because your grandma made it. You speak with gentle kindness to your family to keep their shoes off the couch, not because you are so afraid they will mess up the beauty you have created, but because you're teaching them appropriate manners and how to behave. THAT is making a home!
Allowing God to build your home is allowing God to work on *you* from the inside out, first. What is the vision and purpose God has for your home? Are you hospitable, your home comfortable and inviting to others? Is your home welcome and inviting to your own family? Are *you* warm and inviting to your own family? Are your children interruptions to everything you want to accomplish through out your day? Am I only focused on getting things done so that others will think I am so great? Am I attempting to show off my own creative skills and talents? Am I sacrificing relationship with my family to accomplish some imaginary ideal? Or am I striving to make others feel comfortable? Do I have a heart of hospitality, to draw others in, primarily my own family? Am I concerned with making *myself* the most comfortable or others?
When God gives you a vision and purpose for creating a home, nothing you do for your home is in vain, or self-motivated. You are not working within your own strength or for your own selfish pleasure. When I look to God's will, suddenly our house is not just a structure to hold stuff and protect people from the elements, it becomes a sanctuary. A place of worship. A place of study, instruction, nurturing, refreshment, rest...a place where relationships are built...to last.
Today, I'm no longer facing a 'to-do' list,I'm building a Godly home.
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