Saturday, July 31, 2010

Romancing the Home


 One of the highest callings for me as a wife and mother is creating a home environment that is peaceful, welcoming and beautiful for my family.  My home is a reflection of my love for my family.  I try, through the atmosphere of my home, to minister to every member of my family, along with any guest that crosses our threshold.  I believe that creativity and beauty are part of the character of God. He expects His children to use these gifts for His glory by ministering to one another in His name and to bring the light of His truth to a dark and fallen world.

God created man for relationship.  First, for relationship with Him and then for relationship with each other.  Over the years, I have come to realize that we are called to have an attitude of hospitality rather than an attitude of entertaining.  Have you ever considered the difference between hospitality and entertaining?  Entertaining seems to be about opening up your home for tours and enjoying the ooh's and aah's of your friends, family and co-workers as they admire your wonderful taste and the money it must have taken to accomplish your beautiful show-place.  Hospitality, on the other hand is all about ministering to the needs of others.  Think about it - the root word of hospitality is hospital.  And what goes on in a hospital?  The diagnosis and curing of diseases and the cleaning and bandaging of traumatic injuries.  Isn't that what our homes should be?  I believe that our homes should be hospitals - first for the ones God gave us to take care of, our family - and then for any other person that God leads through our doors.  We should be ministering to peoples physical bodies as we minister to their minds and souls.

Just as hospitals have equipment and systems put in place to take care of disease and injuries, our homes should be similarly  equipped to take care of the physical and emotional needs of all those who enter.  I don't mean that we should have a triage nurse posted at the front door and keep a stock of splints and bandages to take care of broken arms (although as preparedness types - that would be handy!).  I mean that we should always have a pot of tea available and a listening ear.  We should have a tidy, well run attractive home that calms and refreshes.  Nothing in our homes should be so precious that we are devastated if they are broken.  Our attitude should be that we are so pleased to have our husband and children in the house, that we are willing to quietly tend to all of the dirt they bring with them.  Our homes should be about serving on another.



As wives and mothers, we have a wonderful opportunity to impact our families and society at large.  We can create such a haven in our homes that our children bring all of their aches, pains and broken hearts to us to be mended.  They will, in turn, bring their friends to be ministered to.  Our husbands will find rest and renewal within the walls of home.  All who enter our gates will see the love of Christ as we minister to their bodies and souls with a cup of tea, a biscuit and a genuine interest in who they are and what is going on in their lives.



I love my family.  It is my great pleasure to love them and serve them in the home we share.  I romance my home so that I can romance my family.

5 comments:

  1. Truly inspirational! So glad to have 'stopped by' today. Granted there was no tea - the internet hasn't figured that part out yet :-) but hospitality nonetheless from having this inspirational post to read
    ~Clare

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  2. Even your words convey a sense of warmth that comes from your heart. How I wish I could visit you!

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  3. Save the Canning JarsJuly 31, 2010 at 7:21 PM

    I had to laugh at your little one at the end of the table without a shirt on. Now why would that make me laugh?

    Because my skinny dad passed away about 12 plus years ago this month and he would occasionally slip into his seat for a meal with no shirt on (fork in the right hand...flyswatter in the left). Mom would fuss for him to go put on a shirt, and then he would.

    But he would tell us to shhhh so he could hear the T.V. (usually something from National Geographic like octopus giving birth). Ahhh, dinner and a show! Oh, we were an interesting family!

    And this was high culture compared to my dad's youth. His family fled Oklahoma during the dust bowl and he lived with his mom and 7 siblings in a tent city in Bakersfield ? California, as they were there to pick the crops. He was just a tike (age 2), and each a.m. he was sent out by my grandma to beg his breakfast, after 20 minutes or so, he'd come back with a biscuit in his hand...some other migrant worker taking pity on him and feeding him a little something.

    You're a good mama to work so hard this day to provide wonderful food and a wonderful environment for your children. And the bonus is that their needs will be met in the days ahead as well. Atta Girl!!!

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  4. Ms. Enola,

    After reading your blog my husband and I have been discussing the idea of selling out of our mortgage. I must say I am a little spoiled with our lives as they are. ( Big house, only 1 acre)

    I said to him the other day. "Do you think we could live a poorer style happily?" My Husband, who rarely corrects me, immediately said " No Baby, we would be richer and yes we would be happy"

    You are blessing the lives of other so very much. Please keep it up.

    A. Jones

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  5. Thank you so much for that post. It reminded me yet again what my highest calling is as a wife and mother.

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