Home Reflections

“Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserved; it is life’s undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room, from which we go forth to more careful and guarded intercourse, leaving behind…cast-off and everyday clothing.” Harriet Beecher Stowe

Our homes are an extension of us and reflect who we are… or do they?

My idea of what my home should look like has changed over the years. When we were first married with no children, my home was decorated with my style and tastes. I wanted the picture perfect home. I still do want the “perfect” home, but my definition of “perfect” has changed over the last 16 years.

One of the big light bulbs that went off for me is that this is not just MY home. It is my husband’s home as well. I had to really stop and ask myself if my home reflected him as well. Case in point – when we were first married I had my kitchen decorated in really cute greens and yellows and TONS of Sunflower decorations. It really was cute!

My husband wasn’t too keen on it, however, but graciously lived with it. Everyday though, he had to walk through and live in a kitchen that, probably if he was totally honest, made him want to throw up.

We no longer have sunflowers in our kitchen. 🙂

I began to understand that even though I am called to be a keeper of the home, my home is not my own and that my home should reflect not just who I am, but who my husband is, and through that will also reflect who my children are. Our homes should also reflect those things that are most important to us. For me, as a Christian, this means that when someone walks into my home, I want there to be NO doubt that Jesus is first and foremost in our life; and that HE is truly Lord in our home.

The main way we have chosen to reflect Jesus is by hanging Scriptures on our walls. I love the Scriptures in Deuteronomy 6 that say:

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

I want my home to be warm and inviting, full of laughter and love. But more importantly I want my home to be a reflection of who we are in Christ… one that brings my Father glory.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do (even keeping your home); do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (parenthetical addition mine)

As we enter into fall, it is a perfect time to set out things in your home that not only reflect the season, but who you are as a family and who that family is in Christ. It can be simple or elaborate; homemade or bought.

Last fall I took out all my decorations and really began to weed through them. Now, I still have some of the cutesie decorations that don’t really scream, “I’m a Christian”… like my Scarecrow and gourds that I set out on the window sills. But, I still see these as reflections of me because they represent things I am thankful for during this time… the harvest, fall, etc.

However, I don’t want these to be the “main” crux of my décor. So, I took a moment, set some things aside and reevaluated. Then I added a few things that did reflect a little bit more of who I am in Christ. And, in the future, when I’m looking for thing to adorn my home during the fall months, I’ll be looking for more things that reflect back HIS glory.