Shells picked up from trips to the beach
A friend once told me that there should be something from the sea in every room in your house. I don’t know where she heard that from, but since she is a fabulous decorator and I am not, I went home and took a look around. It just so happens, that my family loves the beach and picking up shells, so we do have shells in various places.
But, that had me asking myself a deeper question, what does my house say about me? Now, I’m not talking about whether it’s a mansion or a small apartment. I’m talking about what the inside conveys to the casual visitor about me and my family.
Skip over the dust bunnies and clutter that come from actually living in a home. I’m talking about what hangs on the walls. What color are the walls? Is the furniture comfortable? I have friends who live in houses worthy of Pottery Barn catalogs, but do I feel like I can sit down on the couch and prop my feet up and have a cup of coffee or do I feel relegated to their perfect kitchens?
Are there pictures spread around of good times had with family and friends or is everything perfectly posed or are the walls completely bare? I asked myself all of these questions, because I feel like we are all created by a God who is creative and who wants us to create. But, for many reasons, we are shy about our creativeness. This usually stems from comparing ourselves to others and their abilities, which is not we are supposed to do.
This hangs on our porch.My entire family spent a Saturday afternoon creating it. We all had a part.
What about who we worship? If a repairman were to walk through my home, would he know who I worship? I’m not saying there should be a crucifix hanging in every room. I’m just wondering, would it be obvious to the casual observer that I am a Christian. Are there Bible quotes anywhere? Is there a Bible anywhere in plain view?
While we allow ourselves to be constantly bombarded by the electronic world, what does our real, three-dimensional world look like? What does our nest feel like? Is it comfortable? Is it welcoming? Is there a place for reflection and contemplation? Is it inspirational? Do we and those who live with us, feel free to create?
Notice, I never asked if it was perfect. Striving for perfection this side of heaven, is a losing game. I feel like if I’m going to try to live a meaningful and intentional life, then I should surround myself with things that inspire me and make me happy along with things that help to remind me of what really matters. These things don’t have to cost much.
This hangs on the wall in our kitchen.
They are simply things that speak to me and help express who I am and since we are all God’s creations, we should embrace who we are and what we create. So, I challenge you to take a look around your house and unleash the creativity that God has placed within you. Make your space happy, not perfect and watch inspiration take off.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂