Home Tones
Isn't it funny how we can tell the tone of one's home within minutes of
stepping in?
We can feel and sense something warm, sweet, cozy, and loving as quickly
as their opposites; cold, unkind, uncomfortable and hate filled.
When you walk into your home what is the tone? What is the tone when your
husband, children, and visitors of all kinds step inside?
What is the tone while you are home? The hours and moments you share with
your family --- how are they?
If bickering and disagreements are frequent there is a reason. I don't write
that there are "reasons" because there is ONE. It is spiritual disharmony. A
cut in the relationship between God and family. Something in the soul is not
as close to our Lord as is needed for discord to be prevalent in your days.
Disorder is another one... where disorder is present, peace isn't.
Who is it happy and humming when every thing they are around is cluttered,
disorganized, chaotic, and with no symmetry?
No one remains happy for long in this environment. No one remains smiling
when they cannot find anything, have to sort through stacks to find needed
papers, can't get dressed until this load or that load is completed and on
the list goes.
I get flustered even writing this! I feel uneasy and restless just thinking
about it for I have lived through it and the pain it causes.
As I type I have areas clean and shining and those in dire need of my
capable and working hands. The areas in need of some old fashioned work have
been causing such frustration into my days!
My desk has been cleared but there are now several stacks of paper to go
through and put up. The kids' school desk is covered in items that we must
find places for since we changed over from home school to public school. My
shower stall needs scrubbed down and wiped with baby oil and this entire
house is in such a great need for dusting that I cannot believe it has gone
by this long with no care.
I walk in one room and my mood immediately lifts... my spirits rise up and
smile... until I walk into this office or see another layer of dust!
I have started adding these annoying jobs on to my daily routines and to do
lists so I hope to have them behind me soon. My point in sharing them is
this: disorder creates confusion and distracts us from what God wants us to
see, do, feel, or hear.
What is another thing that can hamper the tone of your home?
Overdoing... over scheduling... running on empty due to running too much,
too often, and too quickly. Not taking a break or having down time. This is
a hard one for me to handle. I get up at 5:00 and never stop. My quiet time
with the Lord is first so I guess you could consider that as stopping but
that is the extent of it.
This isn't good. When we "over-go", we find ourselves missing shared meal
times together, shared conversation time, shared laughter or shared
anything. Everyone wakes up one day to realize that we are all running in
separate directions!
No relationships hold up to this for too long without some real problems.
Problems understanding each other, serving each other or even knowing each
other.
What a TONE a home would have with even one of the things mentioned here
(discord, disorder & over "going")... and even more so with two or ALL of
them going on at once!
The Home Tones would not be pleasant for you, your husband, your children or
any visitor chancing in!
This tone would be negative and depressing! This home would not be one to
uplift, encourage, comfort or care for those living in it or drawing to it.
This home would not glorify our Lord in any way, would it?
What other way is there? What other "Home Tone" is there to achieve?
Let's see...
Harmony... the members of a family connecting in a loving and nurturing way
with one another more than disagreeing. Family that works through any
misunderstandings in calm and proper ways.
Of course, we will have moments far from serene in our lives of learning to
live with each other but we can always strive to walk in love. Walking in
love calls for living in the beauty of working together towards a common
goal.
Order... oh, the inexpressible joy in a freshly cleaned home! The pure and
total delight in a haven where every item inside has a place and a reason
for being there!
Isn't it simply lovely to glance around a room before leaving to see care in
every section?
A laundry room with all the laundry washed, dried, folded and put away? A
kitchen with a shining table, a swept floor, clean counters and a scrubbed
sink? Picture the office with clean and dust free surfaces where papers are
all sorted in appropriate files, pens and pencils all gathered in one spot
and a desk top with nothing on it to dwell on!
Visualize a living room recently vacuumed, polished wood, clear picture
frames and tidied cushions... bedrooms where each bed is neatly made, floors
are clean and dresser tops are neat... bathrooms where everything is shiny
and well kept... what tranquility these pictures create!
It isn't impossible and it should be a priority in our busy lives.
Over Scheduling... maybe this one could be called "under-scheduling" since
running around without stopping usually reveals a random attack on a to do
list without proper planning.
When we run a race through every day as the days turn into weeks and we
don't stop to enjoy the beauty in relaxing... we rob ourselves of a God
given peace and make our own stress rise to dangerously high levels.
What things do you enjoy doing yet never seem to find time for? Whatever
those things are... consider the wisdom in making them appointments into
your life. Anyone - with some effort - can manage to fit the fun in! It
isn't selfish to make time for serenity and repose. It is vital to your
health and well being.
What is the tone in your home right now? What tone do you want it to be?
A home that is cozy, comfortable, loving, kind, happy, well managed and
properly run can be done and should be reached for. It may take some work
initially but it will save work and heartache later on.
It is my prayer that we all... each one of us desiring to have homes with
GOD tones... that we will take the steps and make the effort to follow in
the faithful and competent footsteps of the One who walks before us. The One
who guides us each step of the way whether we look up to see Him leading us
or keep our faces turned to the ground.
Look up, sweet daughter of God. He is looking gently into your face and
reaching out to steady you. His desire and delight is to have you lean on
Him as He makes not only your home... but your life, also, all it can be in
Christ.
His sweet and tender blessings on you...
Love, Sandy
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