One of my top priorities for my home is for it to be a place of beauty. Notice I didn\u2019t say\u00a0I want my home to be perfect. Also, I really don\u2019t care for it to be expensive. Beauty is\u00a0something altogether different. I\u2019ve yet to meet a woman who wants her home to be\u00a0ugly. Enjoying beautiful things is part of being human. It is how God made us.\u00a0Isn\u2019t home the safest place to begin coming alive to the creativity we all possess?<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the goal of your home? Maybe just for yourself or your family you could have\u00a0a phrase that states the ultimate purpose of your home. Most of us have made goals\u00a0for our lives and jobs and financial future, so why not for our houses or apartments,\u00a0the places where we spend the majority of our lives?\u00a0The goal for our home is to be a place to connect with others, foster rest, inspire,\u00a0and be a welcoming place to come back to. So even when my house is messy, I can\u00a0see that my house is still meeting its true purpose. Wow! What a shift in my thoughts\u00a0about my home. Suddenly, instead of focusing on what it isn\u2019t, I can focus on what it is.<\/p>\n
I also know that while a cluttered house can be beautiful, an overly messy house\u00a0doesn\u2019t usually meet my purpose for my home. So I try to keep it on the tidy side without being too strict about it. (Of course, you and I and your mother-in-law all\u00a0have different definitions of messy<\/em>, but that\u2019s another book.)<\/p>\n Each season in our lives requires different services\u00a0from our homes. If something\u00a0isn\u2019t working for you, reevaluate. Right now, my husband is homeschooling our boys,\u00a0and I run a business out of our home. Because of how we need our home to serve\u00a0us, we changed an empty bonus room into a family room so we\u2019d have a place for\u00a0the menfolk to spread out books and dirty socks, and a quiet place for me to work\u00a0and take pictures and create.<\/p>\n Knowing the true purpose of our home\u00a0helps us make decisions like that. Decisions\u00a0about moving, buying, or selling, about what to\u00a0bring into our home, what to leave in our home,\u00a0and what needs to go. Decisions like changing\u00a0an unused dining room into a craft room, toy\u00a0room, library, or office. Or changing an office\u00a0back into a dining room. The home evolves as\u00a0our needs change …<\/p>\n A home\u2019s greatest purpose is to serve\u00a0people,\u00a0not the other way around.<\/p>\n How to Create Intentional Spaces<\/strong><\/p>\n A place to connect.<\/strong><\/em> A safe place to make\u00a0<\/strong>mistakes.<\/strong><\/em> A place of inspiration.<\/strong><\/em> A place of authenticity.<\/strong><\/em> A place of comfort.<\/strong><\/em> A place of rest.<\/strong><\/em> A place of joy.<\/strong><\/em> A place of contentment.<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n Taken from The Nesting Place <\/em><\/strong>by <\/span>Myquillyn<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Smith. Copyright \u00a9 2014 by Myquillyn Smith. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be a place of\u00a0connection, I\u2019ll ask genuine questions\u00a0and get to know the people\u00a0in my home.\u00a0I\u2019ll prioritize goodconversation and\u00a0be sure I have adequate, comfortable\u00a0seating so people\u00a0will stick around.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be a safe\u00a0place to make mistakes, I\u2019ll lower my\u00a0standards for myself first, be forgiving\u00a0of my own mistakes, and allow others\u00a0to see me laughing at myself. I\u2019ll display\u00a0and use the imperfect in my home. That\u00a0spelling test where he made a C but did\u00a0his best? On the fridge. The frame with\u00a0the broken glass? Put it on the wall; it\u00a0still looks great. The leather chair with\u00a0the rips? It\u2019s loved and used daily. I\u00a0don\u2019t point out and apologize for those\u00a0imperfections. I embrace, love, and\u00a0enjoy them.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be inspiring, I\u2019ll\u00a0pay attention to what inspires me. I\u2019ll\u00a0collect inspiring mementos and show\u00a0them off unashamed, regardless of the\u00a0trends.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be real, I\u2019ll learn\u00a0to embrace the imperfect, find the\u00a0beauty in the undone, the haphazard,\u00a0the unkempt, the everydayness, and the\u00a0mess. I\u2019ll find the beauty in what is. I\u2019ll\u00a0accept that the messes unique to my\u00a0home are a sign of a full and beautiful\u00a0season of life.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be comfortable,\u00a0I\u2019ll stop apologizing and focus on others\u00a0instead of on myself by creating a home\u00a0that serves people,\u00a0not a place where\u00a0people\u00a0serve and protect our fancy\u00a0stuff.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be a place of\u00a0rest, I\u2019ll consider my attitude and the\u00a0tone I set when I am home. I\u2019ll practice\u00a0resting in the midst of the undone, even\u00a0if that means letting the dirty dishes\u00a0sit so I can laugh with a friend who\u00a0stopped by.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be joyful, I\u2019ll\u00a0surround myself with people\u00a0and places\u00a0and memories that remind me of good\u00a0times. I\u2019ll remove items that bring back\u00a0sad memories or that I dislike and\u00a0surround myself with items that bring\u00a0me joy.<\/p>\n
\nIf I want my home to be a place of\u00a0contentment, I\u2019ll practice gratitude in\u00a0my home. I\u2019ll say out loud things in my\u00a0home that I\u2019m thankful for instead of\u00a0dwelling on what I think is missing.<\/p>\n
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