My loving and very insightful husband has been "encouraging" me to take a less is more attitude towards this evolution in our lives and as much as I don't want to be fixating on stuff, I can't seem to help finding an awful lot of pleasure in planning out a living space that reflects my personal sense of design. I'm sure there has to be a balance here that it's not a bad thing for me to enjoy aesthetic endeavours but how do I guard against the inherent materialism in it all? Really a beautiful couch is nothing without a loving family to cuddle up with on top of it. And what is the point of having furniture that causes you to yell at your kids to "keep off it/ don't touch it/ and whatever you do stay out of the drawer with the sharpies!"
So here is my conclusion of the moment; I like pretty things, I want my home to be visually and emotionally appealing to my family and friends. I think this means I can indulge my sense of aesthetics but will choose something that doesn't feel like an extra bank account is required for purchase price and will hold it loosely in my hands. I want to store up my treasures in heaven not in my house.
I was reading a fave blog the other day (www.carolinecollie.com) which included a reflection on Psalm 128. It tells us the blessings and riches we have within our families. My children are my most important investment and my thoughts, energies and priorities need to be with them. I need to keep working at this balance and as I wait for the newest miracle to arrive I know this process of my own thoughts requires some miracle working too :) The other passage that I try to meditate on when confronted with this issue is Philippians 4:8 "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Furniture can be very lovely, but it generally doesn't measure up to the rest of the list.
