Day 32 - Making a house a home - where the heart is

Recently I visited a nearby county fair. It was a warm, sunshine-filled evening and the drive there was filled with pleasant views of the Columbia River, acres of grazing pasture and hills filled with the sweet essence of summer leaves and evergreens boughs, sap warmed by the sun. Once at the fair, the cinamon spice scent of elephant ears, pungent ordor of bar-b-qued chicken, and earthy smells of farm animals filled the air. A brillant mix of carnival rides, rodeo sounds, and western wear met my senses.The sky just beginning to be tinged with the impending golds of a summer sunset, the carnival rides glowed with their colorful array of lights. County fairs are rich in the textures of Americana, you can almost drink it in from every pore.

 The animals displayed by 4-H groups filled several buildings. As I looked at each exhibit, the bunnies, chickens, calves, and sheep all appeared well-groomed and happy. They had been fed and groomed and pampered by their young owners care. Next to each stall were pictures of these pleasant children's faces, eager with thougths and hopes of blue-ribbons dancing in their heads.

The craft hall was a delight. Rich vibrant colors and textures of quilts of all sizes and shapes awaited me. The complexity, the artistic skills made each it's own work of art. Nearby, other craft exhibits bore testimony of small fingers, making their first fair entries. All in all, county fairs celebrate a life where community, family and hard work are virtures that are celebrated and esteemed.

Ideally, a home should be like that. A place where it's members can find solace, comfort and beauty. A place where "family" is celebrated, cherished and esteemed. Creating that environment, maintaining that haven requires a lot of dedication and comittment. It requires people joined in a common purpose and function to provide the nuture needed to face a life filled with stress and challenge.

As a single mom, I have often longed for wide expanses of time to more effectively work on creating "home." I hear stories of quilts made, cookies baked, redecorating and realize working impacts my ability to provide as much love as I'd like to my home. Proverbs 31 is written depicting a woman of that day who loved her family, and her home. For many years, I'd skim through the chapter and think, "Well sure, she can do all that, she doesn't work." Recently I reread this chapter and realized it was full of references to her working; making belts to sell; buying land and planting it; sewing clothes for her family. Maybe I was missing something here.

If you have to work and it's not an option where does the balance lay between keeping the home of your dream and at least maintaining a house that's livable? It's a challenge. I like the verse in Proverbs where it says, " A wise woman builds her house, the foolish one tears it down with her hands." Defining what my standards are for my home as a working mom will require looking at how I spend my time. Am I spending too much time watching HGTV programs about how to make a beautiful home? Should that time be spent making sure the home I'm is beautiful? Probably somewhere in the middle is true. I love my family, I love my home. In this life of constantly trying to be better as a parent and home-maker I think a review now and again couldn't hurt. Today, with God's help, I will go home after work and spend time making my house more of a warm, loving home. I will accept what limits I have on time, energy and money and do the best with what I have. I will begin again to make my house a home - where the heart is.

Today, whoever, where-ever you are with God's help do what you can to make your house a better home. Accept what you have, be greatful and share the love in your heart with those you live with. God says He is making us a heavenly home if we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. Someday we as Christians will have a heavenly home, let's do what we can now to have a heaven on earth in our homes.