The Haven of Home: Music Speaks

This is the second week of the "Making Your Home a Haven" challenge.  I have genuinely enjoyed it so far!  I've remembered to light a candle every day and have been mostly diligent about praying for peace in our home whenever the flame catches my eye during the day.  Of course, there's nothing magical or extra potent about a prayer accompanied by a lit candle.  The candle is meant to be a reminder to pray.  It's the prayers themselves and God's power that are making a difference in the level of peace in our home.  The candle has been reminding me to pray but, also, to think before I speak and to watch my tone of voice.

I love this week's challenge, too!  In addition to the candle, we are challenged to play quiet music throughout the day.  We love music--love, love, love it!  Unfortunately, though, we often don't have it playing while we're at home.  I'm always so busy with this or that, that I just plumb forget to play a CD or play the piano (I do dust it fairly regularly, but rarely does it even occur to me to sit down and play a song or two!).  I do hum or sing quietly a lot, and Little Mister often sings spontaneous praise songs to the Lord (usually not so quietly!).  But the planned-out stuff has been lacking.

We have eclectic tastes in music, so there's lots to choose from.  My goal has been/is to be more intentional about having music playing during times when we're not doing things that need more focus, like reading or school work.  During chores and housework is a great time to have music playing!   Getting ready in the morning, cooking dinner in the evening . . . there really are plenty of appropriate times to have music playing. And during those times, we prefer not to necessarily have the volume level on low. ;)

So far we have listened to lots of Chris Tomlin, Jeff Johnson and some of Little Mister's kids worship CDs.  Who knows what we'll listen to after our mellow mood subsides! :)  We have quite a few CDs, but if you're not a collector of CDs, you can always go to grooveshark.com and set yourself up with a playlist.  Very convenient!  Don't be afraid to do silly dances with your kids or dance cheek to cheek with your husband! :)

Knight Little Mister :)

My favorite music in the world is what I mentioned above, when Little Mister is making something with Legos or occupied with something else by himself, he sometimes sings to the Lord, making up the songs as he goes.  It's during those times that I have a window to his heart.  I get to hear the Bible truths that have made their way into his mind and heart and that mean something to him as he pours out that precious heart of his to the Lord.  At times I'm startled by his insight, by the things he understands about God, about what God has done for him and about where he would be without the Lord in his life.  So many of these concepts did not become real to me until I was an adult!

All in all, this purposeful endeavor to haven-ize our home in the ways that matter most has been rewarding!  I would recommend this challenge to everyone.

2012 Update:
"Little Mister" has had an online name change to "Lego Meister," because he's 10 now and "Little Mister," while dear to my heart, just didn't seem to fit anymore.  

Since this fall challenge is happening later this year, we have been listening to lots of Christmas music, quiet and not-so-quiet. :)  It's so joyful, and certain songs help us become centered on Whose birthday we are preparing to celebrate!

http://womenlivingwell.org/2011/09/making-your-home-a-haven-fall-challenge-is-back/

The Haven of Home: Light a Candle!

I was inspired to join the "Making Your Home a Haven--31 Day Fall Challenge" on Women Living Well.  A haven is exactly what a home should be, and who doesn't want that?

But do you have to live in a certain type of dwelling, with everything decorated exactly the way you want it, for your home to be a haven?  Must you have a spouse, and even children, for your dwelling to be a home?  Do you have to be there all day for it to be home or a haven?

Or, let me put it this way:  Could a dwelling which looks like the pages of a magazine possibly not feel like a haven?  Might there be a husband and wife and several children who don't feel "at home" with one another?

Let's face it.  There are always changes we want to make to the appearance of our homes.  Even when we like what we've done, the contentment wears off as we think of other ideas or see what someone else has done.  Or people who haven't yet found their true love might envy those who have, or might put off creating a true home out of their space until they have a spouse.

As long as we are off the streets and safe from the elements, the sense of home and haven have little to do with whether or not we have our dream house.  A haven can be achieved no matter where we hang our hats or whether or not we have someone with whom to share that space.

It's an attitude!

It's saying, "No matter where I live, I will do my best to live at peace there.  I will do what I can afford to make it look the best it can, and, more importantly, I will treat every person who walks through the door, whether or not he/she lives with me, with respect and honor.  I will dare to put others' needs and wishes above my own and serve others whole-heartedly!"

I personally don't physically live in my dream house.  The three of us live in a fairly tiny house on a lovely acre of land.  With just the three of us and our big lug of a dog, Theo, we aren't the slightest bit cramped or lacking privacy when we need it, yet there are still many changes I want to make to our house, inside and out.  I don't actually know, though, what my dream house would be like because, although I'm not living in my dream house, I am living my dream, and I don't have much time to think about what other options are out there.

My dream is to be a wife and mom, to cultivate a close-knit family similar to the one I grew up in, to make a difference in the lives of others in whatever ways God wants to use me.  I'm living it!  Not perfectly, but I'm showing up each day (or most days) to give it a try.

Would my little family say our home is a haven every minute of every day?  That's simple:  NO!  Sometimes we bicker over dumb things or speak unkindly.  We have selfish moments (or hours, or days!) and stinky attitudes at times.  But the more we focus our efforts away from these things, the more of a sense of peace is present.  Like a haven.  A haven is peaceful.  A haven protects.

For this week's Making Your Home a Haven, the challenge is to light a candle every day.  That's something I like to do anyway!  We are enjoying a "mulled cider" candle right now. :) But this week we are challenged to pray for peace in our home every time the flame catches our eye.

I love that!

Click here for challenge