Welcome to My Home

One of the goals I have for my children is to teach them to be content with what God has given them. In a society where there is a great affection and priority on material things, as opposed to spiritual things, it is a struggle to be separated from that.

After we have visited the home of a friend or relative where the wife works outside the home, and it is obvious they lack for anything, I must guard my heart against discontent. After one of these visits, it makes me realize that I've paid a high price to be obedient to God's Word. It can leave me desiring earthly things - both wants and needs. It's not that God hasn't taken care of our needs, but it can be about the "little things." It is the "little things" that often drive women back into the work force.

The Bible says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." So I come to you with apprehensiveness by letting you come into my home, because I don't want you to take this message in a way it was not intended. Meaning, I've seen Christian blogs that focus on making your home lovely, and the blogger has pictures of her gorgeous home with expensive decor and furniture - something totally unattainable on my part.  So, that's not what you're going to see here, because my furniture has all been bought at the Salvation Army for the past 20 years; you don't need to see that.
 
Many of the decorating items I have were inherited from family members after their passing. I decorate with black and white pictures of ancestors and the people I love, and handcrafted items they made. Many of the things I decorate with have been accumulated over many years, then carefully placed in a way that is meaningful to me.

The post today is about bringing warmth to a house to create a home. If you consider that the way you decorate your home is often a reflection of who you are, some thought should be placed into where you put things in your home. Such as, how things are hung on the wall. Rather than hanging them in a haphazard way, think it through. If you don't, it will give the impression that you, or the person who owns the home, lacks focus and direction. If you have trouble making wall arrangements, ask someone for help.

I dress up my home with items I already have. Although I love the minimalist style, I still like to have areas in a room that create warmth. There is a great balance going on here, because I don't want to leave the impression that I have a love for things of the world. Because of this, I don't have things on every wall, and the things I do hang on the wall mean something.

Since there are seven of us living in the house, organization is important. I don't keep stacks of clutter around, and I especially don't turn my bedroom into a storage area. This is a room that I consider my haven, since I read there and it's a place where I spend time with my husband. I try to keep the sheets clean, the bed made, and I try to keep it looking inviting. Sometimes my life may seem crazy and hectic, but Mama's bed is made!

So, there you are. You've met my family through the Kindred Spirits Journal, and now you've seen my way of decorating. I'm far from an interior decorator, but it works for me.