It's in The Details

A friend complimented my house the other day and what stood out was, "it's in the small details."  I love this house.  I have said it before and I will say it again.  As a twenty-one year old home owner, I would have never thought that sixteen years later I would still be here.  But I've realized this space has become more than a house.  It has become our home.  There are six family members that add to its charm and character.  Loud footsteps run up and down stairs, my sacred spaces bloom with scented flowers and organized shelves.  My closet under the stairs hides a place to escape and burn some calories, and the rest are all details that have been fostered by my desire for the kids to know they are loved by an almighty God.

I believe Sally Clarkson first inspired that part of me to tear down walls and build up pretty.  Lemondade Makin Mama   shared her skills for signs that spoke to my heart and established this space was all about Him.  And over time the details started taking care of themselves.  When it truly became about honoring and praising God by the beauty of our surroundings, He took care of the rest.  He has a way of doing things like that. . .in case you were wondering.  He just does.

Little pieces of a past that was simpler and solid scream out to me by way of Pyrex dishes, spools of thread and blue mason jars.  Free printables have adorned spray painted Ninety-Nine Cent Store frames because that's what I could afford then and they are still in good shape now.  A heavy, impatient hand at times has had a vision for Nana's old coffee table or a yard sale find.  And all these separate, seemingly unrelated pieces just fit.  They fit into the shape of who we are as a family and they breathe life into us throughout the day.  They forge us together into the beautiful, creative, lovely space that is our own.

And my daughters?  Surround yourself with loveliness.  A flower picked by the hands of a child.  Art projects strewn across bulletin boards.  Verses and quotes that have value and meaning in any shape or form to you.  Pretty mason jars to use for drinking, great grandma's tea cups for a sip of tea.  Patterns and textures that remind you of home in the most positive of ways.  Let your outer walls reflect the beauty that is your heart.  Display pictures of those you hold most dear.  And those things you love so much?  Never let their value or worth detract from little hands that can enjoy and find pleasure with them too.  If it's out, it's not to impress people.  It's to play.  Play often.  Let others be inspired by what your walls say.

But daughters?  Please know that when you craft and build your home with your eyes turned on Him, He will be the only one you need to fill in the "details."

It's in the details.  Only He knows what those details are and only He can provide them for your viewing and living pleasure.  He is the details, daughters.