House to Home to Heart

Took a break from cleaning and organizing and laundry and such to take a walk.  Was a good time to think and pray and reflect.  Couldn't help but notice all the black spots on driveways and sidewalks and the road from all the fireworks set off last night.  Had I counted, I am sure I would have found thousands of bits and pieces of firework remains.  As I stepped on and over these shreds and scraps, I wonder how much money was spent...

This week, I have thought quite a bit about how we (myself included) spend our money.  Hear me out, as I am simply sharing thoughts.  No judging or comparing or anything.  Just thoughts and emotions that are jumbled up and trying to make sense in my head...

We have done some shopping to "transform" our house into our HOME.  We have spent money, BUT we have tried very hard to be extremely practical and reasonable and save every penny we can.  We bought chairs and a little table for the porch.  We had a set picked out at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  It was 50% off, and a great deal!!  BUT, then we went to Nebraska Furniture Mart and found something much simpler and WAY cheaper.  We saved over $100!

We bought chairs for a den/office.  Fun ones.  We are still looking for an "accent" chair.  Can't seem to find one we like that doesn't cost as much as the groceries for the entire month.  We did find a rug, but once I unrolled it and laid it out, we realized it was more like a yoga mat (in size).  We rolled it right back up and are returning it today because we are pretty confident we can find a better deal somewhere that gets us more rug for our money.

We bought new bedding, towels, and a rug for our master bedroom/bathroom.  We figured our 7.5 year old towels were up for replacing!  We found some we liked that went with our bedding, which we saved about $100 on by getting a duvet cover to put over our current comforter.  We picked out some fun pillows to add a splash of color, but Lawrence and I both agreed we couldn't see spending almost $100 on pillows!!!  So we put them back.  Found a set for $16 total instead of $20 a piece!!!  We figure we are really the only people who will ever use or even see these pillows (except when I post a picture of our finished room here on FB).  Why spend money on pillows just to make it look like a room in a magazine.  We don't live in a magazine! :)  We also decided not to get new sheets, that will be under the comforter and seen by no one ever except us.  We will sleep just fine on blue striped sheets as we would on plain gray sheets.  Who cares that our new bedding is yellow and gray and white and doesn't match our blue sheets in the least?!  We have a bed!  We have covers!  That is so much more than so many people in this world - and not just in other countries either, but right here in our own city!!!

All the other rearranging and transforming we have done has been free. Simply moving things around and getting rid of a lot actually.  Feels super good to simplify and eliminate things that have caused stress in our lives.

We have spent money though.   Paying cash for everything.  And I am uber excited to invite you all over to our house to enjoy everything with us.  Our house is your house.  We want to be sure our doors are open and people feel welcome here!

I am hesitant to share what I feel God has been whispering in my heart.  I know what He's been telling me isn't the same as what the world shouts at me from every angle every second of the day.  I know the way He is showing me is not the popular route, but definitely the one less traveled....

You see, I feel as though the world tells me I need to have the newest, biggest, nicest things.  I need to have designer clothes.  I need to have manicured nails, painted with fun designs.  I need to live in a "dream home" furnished with appliances that make my life easier.  I need to have a landscaped lawn.  I need, I need, I need...

And yet, all around me people are wearing the clothes on their back and don't have a closet full of clothes at home.  Or even a home at all.  I'm concerned about pillows and sheets and bedding and everything looking just so for a picture I want to post on Facebook, and there are countless thousands (maybe even millions) of people all around the world who don't have a bed to sleep on at all.  What they would give for a pillow and blanket, without a second thought to their color scheme or pattern!

So should I sell all my possessions and give everything I have to the poor?!!  Is that what I'm saying?  No...

But, I do feel God is at work in my heart.  Our pastor talked last week about how it's okay to have things but it's dangerous when things have you.  It's not wrong to have a house.  It's not wrong to have nice things inside your house.  What counts, what truly matters is the condition of your heart.  Your lawn can be perfectly landscaped and not a weed in sight.  Your house can be decked to the hilt.  Your closet can be full of designer clothes.  None of that matters.  Not to God, at least.  

Possessions.  Things.  Social status doesn't impress Him.  He doesn't care how many 0's are in your paycheck.  He doesn't need your money.  

But He does want your HEART.  More than anything.  He wants to make YOUR heart HIS home.  

I think as we transform our house into a home, God keeps reminding me of this foundational truth over and over.  His message is very different from what the world bombards me with everywhere I look, and so I must fix my eyes on Jesus instead.  I have to plug my ears to what the world is shouting at me and listen closely to hear God's whispers.  

This post may not make me very popular and numerous times as I typed, I wanted to select all and push DELETE.  I was THISCLOSE to letting fear of what others would think keep me from sharing what I truly feel God has laid on my heart.  Even now, as I finish, I am shaking and nervous and scared....

So I closed my eyes one last time.  Quited myself.  And heard the lyrics to Casting Crown's song once again.  "I was made to THRIVE..."  I was made for so much more than what the world has for me.  The world tells me I can have it all, that I need it all, that I deserve it all, but God asks me to give my all to Him.  And in so doing I lose absolutely nothing but gain EVERYTHING.  

Yes, I was made for more.  And so are YOU...