Less is More: The Home

For those of us women, who believe that God has called us to be the managers and caretakers of our homes, we know that that is no small responsibility. We are called to support and respect our husbands. We are called to train our children in the Word and the ways of the Lord. We are called to keep order in our household. We are called to open our doors to both friend and stranger, that they may see the love of Christ lived out in our homes. I also think, that along with this call, God has given us the privilege and freedom to create a warm, inviting, comfortable, place in which this ministry can happen. I'm not going to go too much into all this, but I will say that it is good to invest our creativity and time, and even some of our money into building a beautiful home that blesses our families and enables us to do the ministry we are called to.

Needless to say, this is no free pass to run wild in our nearest Pottery Barn. There are boundaries. In order to keep a Godly perspective on this freedom, I think our ministry as wives and mothers HAS to come before our home improvement plans, not the other way around. I think that when we begin to obsess about what we want or what we don't have, we take our liberty in this area, cross over into licentiousness, and inevitably end up with an ungrateful spirit, which of course, is sin. Also, when we begin to live beyond our means or when we fail to share our home with others, I think it is a sign that we are thinking more of ourselves than the work God has called us to. It is a narrow road we're walking here. And I confess to you, that I have veered off the road countless times.

Allow me to reiterate...I am still struggling with this "Less is More" reality. I sin in this area. A lot. What I am simply offering here, are a few ways that God is renewing my mind. For time's sake, let's make a list.

1. I am learning to wait. Too many times have I gotten something for my home that I didn't really love. Maybe I would like it at first, so I wouldn't return it, but then after seeing it on the wall for a while, I would realize..."That's not really what I wanted. I need to get something else." I was the WORST about this. Buying things to just "make-do" until I could get what I REALLY wanted. For the past year or so, I have been REALLY trying to WAIT. For me, I know that I want to go to the Round Top Antique festival every Fall and Spring, so instead of buying this little thing or that...I wait until I can go antiquing and get what I am really going to LOVE. If I have an idea to do something in the house...for instance, right now I am thinking of putting an arrangement of photographs on a wall in the living room...I sit with that idea for a while and see if it sticks. I have been sitting with the photo arrangement idea for about a year and a half. :) and look...I haven't died! I used to feel that way...that I would just die if I didn't get what I wanted when I wanted it. But strangely, the more I wait, the more freedom I feel that I have. "I am not a slave to THINGS," I think is the implication there.

2. When discontentment starts to creep in, I am trying to "take hold" of those thoughts and replace them with gratitude. Just practically...what helps me with this...is being aware of how the rest of the world is living and reading about people doing great Kingdom work. Nothing squelches the lies of discontentment like hearing how the Gospel was shared with the least of the least. Nothing fills your heart with gratitude for what you have like seeing people with far less than you have the JOY of Christ on their face. I mean...there's something to that isn't there?...they have less and yet, perhaps they have MORE. I think it is a worthy habit to begin, of making ourselves aware of what we have and what others don't, and seeking out stories of Victory and Redemption. Seriously...what is a new lamp, when people are meeting Jesus?!

3. Something in/Something out. To stop the accumulation of stuff and clutter, I am beginning to employ the something in/something out method. Simply...if you buy something new, then you have to get rid of something you no longer want or use. (I would suggest making a garage sale pile or giving it to Good Will. Not just throwing it out.) I just got a couple of things at Round Top...so, I am currently deciding what things I have to get rid of. The goal for me is, that it will start to get more difficult to part with things, and in turn make it more difficult to make careless purchases.

4. Using what you have and buying "preloved" items. Admittedly, I am not great at the thrift store thing, but I am more willing than ever to try. One place I have gotten quite good at buying used...Round Top! :)

So at the risk of being ridiculous and self-contradictory, I thought I'd share with you some of my Long-Awaited, Preloved purchases that I made this year at Round Top. There's grace, no?! Like I said, I am still learning. I am still making mistakes. I don't think the answer is to never buy anything. Just buy wisely and with Kingdom perspective. I love Round Top so much, but not JUST for the antiques...although they are fun! But more than that, it is precious, quality time with women I love, having real, meaningful, UNINTERRUPTED conversations. And to top it off, what I am buying is not new, but recycled and repurposed! Perfect!

Day 1: Warrenton
A bird cage. Exactly what I was looking for!

Day 2: Marburger
With Erin (Also my day 1 buddy. We missed you Cynthia!)

With Sarah and Erica and delicious end-of-shopping cupcakes!
A most exciting purchase! German bread pans to be hung on the dining room wall and used as a giant memo board! You can write on it with chalk or post things with magnets!
I got a couple of other little things, but these were my favorite.

Thanks for stickin' around through this whole thing! The post on clothes should be significantly shorter...I think. :)