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A Better Way to a Beautiful Home





"The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I always wished my home could be something in "Better Homes and Gardens." Haven't you? I look at the photographs and compare my own furnishings and decorating scheme to the beautiful color coordinated rooms in each picture. But when I really think about it, something important is missing from those picture perfect homes.

People.

It's the people in the home and the friends who frequent it that make it more than a building with four walls. It's the barbecues, the tea parties, the Bible studies and the baby showers that make a building a home. It's the birthday parties, the sleepovers, the water balloon fights and the game nights that make this place beautiful.

People can also make my home dirty. Maybe that doesn't happen around your house...but it sure does around here. For a while, I fought the frustration of seeing the messes kids make. I was weary from the work of trying to keep up a physically beautiful home and it caused my attitude to be less than beautiful.

It's so easy to get caught up in this materialistic world and allow covetousness to creep in. "My home would be more beautiful if only I had...." Wishing for more stuff will not affect the atmosphere in your home.

I'm learning something new about beautiful homes. The beauty of a home comes from the occupants. I want my home to have an aura that welcomes people in and that makes friends feel comfortable. My home is far from perfect, but the atmosphere here says, "Welcome Friends."

Proverbs 27:9
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the
pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

May my house have the aroma of friendship Lord. The sweet smell of laughter and honesty. The pleasant perfume of love and care.

The people who frequent our home range from extended family to church family to neighbors to small groups of friends from around the community. I'm especially grateful for a small group of women who have come to my house regularly for Bible study. We pray for each other and share openly about our struggles and concerns. These are the friends who make my house truly beautiful (and I know you ladies read this blog of mine sometimes - so here's to you girls! Miss you - we need to get together again soon!)

But there's one Friend in this home who makes the biggest difference of all. His love permeates everything. What a blessing to be called a friend of God! When people enter here, may they see His friendship written all over this home.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.




Comments

Autumn said…
Your entry is a lovely and uplifting spiritual read :)
My contribution is here:
http://iamhisbeloved.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/in-other-words-2/

Bless you!
AR xx
Traci said…
What a great post! Thanks for such wonderful thoughts and encouragement.
Karen said…
I like your "Better Home and Garden" picture of what we should want our house to be. A true place for true friends.
Anonymous said…
Ahhh, what a nice way to write it - "...the aroma of friendship, the perfume of love & care". That surely is in your house Heather and I feel at home when I am there! Blessings to you today!!
Susan said…
Hi Heather,

Sure wish I lived closer, I'd love to visit your home.

You've been such a gracious hostess here on your blog, I can only imagine what it would be like "in person".

...But there's one Friend in this home who makes the biggest difference of all. His love permeates everything.

Oh, this was so good and true.

Thanks for your prayers today♥
Anonymous said…
Great quote, really made me think. Thanks!
Anonymous said…
Heather, I have fallen into the "Better Homes and Gardens" trap, too. Then the "we don't have that kind of money" reality hits and I've come to the conclusion you have: it's about people.

We've lived in a parsonage for a little over a year (our first) and I used to worry that someone from the church might stop by and see how messy their parsonage really gets. Eeek!!

But I have reminded myself that I have 1 & 3 year old boys. There is nothing neat and tidy about that. In the last several months I've focused more on playing and having fun than the mess it makes afterwards. It's the memories we make during these years and not the clean house they will remember!!
Faerylandmom said…
You said what I wanted to say...only I couldn't get my brain to function properly today! Thank you for the encouragement! What a blessing.
lori said…
People can also make my home dirty. Maybe that doesn't happen around your house...NOT MY PEOPLE...NEVER!! HA.......I'm on the floor...(a sticky one at that laughing!!)

Today we had some friends over, the kind who give off that AROMA of JOY! It is a reminder that they don't care what it LOOKS like, they care what it FEELS like....and I want it to feel like HIM...

I LOVED this quote and the reminder that it is in the WHO and not in the WHAT....

again....
I loved it!!

hugs,
lori

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