Sure, if you find yourself a guest in our home, we will invite you in... we will dine and relax with you in our dining room and cater to make you feel full, comfortable, and welcome. But trust me when I tell you, that is only a glimpse of our awesome club. For the real action... the real honor can only be known by sitting at our small kitchen table each day! Unfortunately for the rest of the world, no one on the outside is invited to dine at our beautiful kitchen table. For it is THE place my peeps and I will protect and defend for ourselves. It is base station to where we are most relaxed... where we congregate together and deliberately make it a priority to love and uplift one another to the degree of extravagance. It's a place that has become so valuable to us that we've actually started shopping for extra-fancy place settings merely to demonstrate how exclusive and special our club really is. Dinnerware intended only for US! Dinnerware used only to showcase the gift of every day that we are blessed to live together! And I'm not talking about just purchasing plain ole anti-breakable picnic plates... I'm talking about investing in pieces that are gorgeous, and fragile, and limited, and perfectly suited to symbolize our love for each other! A symbol that will only be served at our "members only" dinner table! This is how lovingly I care about my home.
It is exclusive. It is special. It is ours.
I just love when my husband walks through the doors after a long day's work and exclaims, 'Ahhh, I just love coming home!" I so enjoy listening to the purrs of Momba when she admires every architectural ism about our home: it's rounded corners, it's crown molding, it's pleasant entry. Every campfire of candles we gather around in our cozy living room is special. Every football game we kick back and cheer over is as important an event as a major holiday. Home is the place we play games and accomplish puzzles. It is where we work and work-out. Home is where we thank The Lord for our blessed space and time together. Yes, home welcomes us in. Home is where we are most transparent and at ease with ourselves. Home is where honesty thrives. It is where good deeds compound and are returned with interest. Home is forgiveness, grace, love. Home is, holiness! Yes, holiness. That is how I look at my home. It is the place where my ability to share God's holiness flourishes. It is the structure where I am called to bless others the most.
Because of this, I do everything I can to make my home as warm and inviting as possible for my family. For example, this week I changed out all our scented candles from Winter to Spring. Rather than being welcomed by scents of hot cider, cinnamon and cloves, now those who enter our doors will first be hit with melodies of violets and vanilla.
Also, I truly believe our home is meant to be in order. It does not function smoothly in on-going chaos. We cannot relax together in an environment of mess. No, home is the place where projects are shared and completed in reasonable time frames. It is where order is worth the effort of each club participant. Sure, laundry might not be done immediately or dishes may not get washed on any given day due to more pressing matters... but overall, our home is harmonious between the comings and goings of it's people and the gifts God has given each of us. We appreciate everything we have. We take seriously our role as stewards. And, we always help one another to remain clean, clothed, clear, and comfortable... even if it means aiding another in their work. Even if it means taking a personal hit in order for another family member to have a chance to rest and recoup.
There are no egos at home. There are no reasons to one-up another. No, home is where we make it a priority to love and uplift one another to the degree of extravagance. What do I mean by extravagance? I mean excessive, exceeding the bounds of reason, going beyond what is deserved, or expected, or justified. We love more. We give more. We support more. We bring more. And no matter how hospitable we might respond to those outside our exclusive, super-special club... they just don't know how wonderful being a part of our home is. They simply can't understand it's value unless they join our family indefinitely.
The same is true in Christianity. For Jesus wishes to make each of our hearts His own exclusive, super-special home. He wishes for his peeps to defend and honor His Way with the same kind of vigorous extravagance and importance that showcases His forgiveness, His grace, His love. In Christ, every believer... every family member is invited to relish over and enjoy His holiness each day. We are called to bless one another with His good news... with His open table. We are invited into His peaceful presence. And, we are to cherish Him and each other most. Why? Because our home is so very special. Because His kingdom has the warmest and most wonderful benefits for each of us to upkeep and share.
Because His Way is exclusive. Because His Life is special. Because He is ours.
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23)
Friends, let's look at our home as the exclusive, super-special club it really is!
Home is an honor.
Home is most important.
Home is holiness, dear family.
Home is where Jesus lives!
Be His blessing!
~Victoria
© The Devoted Woman | Victoria Anderson
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