A Haven Called Home

I love our home. It's not just a house where we sleep and do laundry. It's where we live. My happiest days are those where I do not have to go anywhere and can accomplish much at home. I do not mean simply cleaning and laundry. When I have more than one day at home, my thoughts quickly turn to baking, sewing, and gardening. Creativity then has a place to grow. This is especially true on sunny Spring days such as today when I can open the windows and hear chirping birds and neighbor children laughing.

Homes are meant to be for living and not merely a place to sleep, like a hotel. I know of some families who have very large houses with custom and elegant furnishings, but they never seem to be at home. Even when they are there, they seem restless for entertainment and excitement, unable to savor the simple joys of a peaceful home and a contented heart. In such cases, creativity withers and dies in the wake of synthetic diversions. It does not have to be this way.

One's house does not need to be grand or perfectly appointed in order for it to be beautiful and welcoming in this world of sterility and coldness. Little changes can accomplish much in your attitude towards your home, such as arranging the furniture so that it is more conducive to conversation rather than a just good view of the TV, putting a tablecloth and a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room table, using soft lighting, or baking and filling the air with wonderful aromas. Sometimes it's as simple as straightening the house. Cluttered homes clutter the mind and weigh on the soul.

The kind of TV programs or music that we allow into our homes also determines the atmosphere and tone of the home as well as our minds. If we fill our hearts and homes with things that are pure, lovely, and honoring to God, then our hearts and homes will naturally reflect that, and they will be a haven of rest in a wearying world. This week, strive to be able to say "welcome home" with more than just words.