Maybe We Should Hang Out At The Well Longer...

Natalie at I am (not) is hosting At the Well today, and wow, is her place beautiful!!! What a perfect person to host this week's topic: Our homes. She says, "Our home is an extension of who we are. How does your home reflect who you are?"

This is an incredible subject, so well, why don't we hang out a little longer at the well? Sure, it would be more comfy to sit in my cafe style living room sipping a freshly brewed latte from my espresso machine, but my laundry is stacked a mile high, dirty dishes line my counter and sink, and well, my kids may or may not be out of their pajamas yet. No, I'm thinkin' we better just stay here. It's easier than having to admit that I'm a classified, certified "Messy." Thank goodness I don't live in a glass house. I'm thinkin' a stained glass one is more in order. Catch my drift?

This would've been my exact thoughts a few years ago, but God has set me free from them. First of all, He's helped me to develop the discipline to at least keep things picked up, AND to make my kids responsible to help around the house. Secondly, He's helped me to accept the way I'm wired. Not everyone is built to be a Domestic Diva, and that's okay. The Lord wants us to be good stewards of what He's given us, so we must develop the discipline to do so. But He also wants us to be good stewards of our gifts, our talents and our salvation. It's a constant balancing act, but I believe my home reflects that balance most of the time.

If our home is an extension of who the Shaws are, then what you will see is a family who is seeking to follow the Lord's priorities for us. Sometimes, the homefront is messy and unstructured while our service to others is in full force. Every now and then, the smell of pine cleaner mixed with coffee will seep through the screen windows, hopefully with a melody of loud praise songs bursting from my daughters and me (and no, I don't let them drink the coffee...that's so I can keep up with them). My teenage son does his share of chores as well, but his tune is more of a grunt and a few deep groans. ;)

I think...maybe...I hope that if our family lived in a glass house, that people would instantly want to come in. I hope they could see past the occasionally messiness and lack of structure and see our hearts instead. I pray that they would want to join in with our devotion times and prayer times. I have a feeling they would enjoy being entertained by my two highly imaginative daughters. Maybe they would even enjoy playing some basketball in the backyard or playing a game of the Wii with my son. Hey, I wouldn't mind a little help with the homeschool work, either. ;) They might want to skip meal time, but snack time is pretty nice... They would see a lot of laughter and just as many tears. Hopefully, our realness and lack of pretense would draw them in and not scare them away. We often pray that we would be a home undivided with hearts that serve the Lord. We've got a ways to go there, though. ;)

So that's my story. Have I made you want to come for a visit or have I scared you away? Regardless, you're welcome anytime, but you miiiiiiiiight want to leave your expectations for perfection at the door. Purty please? ;)

Joshua 24:15b
"...as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."