My husband and I have been spending a large portion of our free time putting together house plans and looking for building lots. It's been oh-so-much work already and we haven't purchased a thing! Despite that, though, it has been such a pleasure to daydream about our someday home. The designer side of me is so very excited for tall ceilings and layout and finishes of my choosing; the mother and wife in me is sentimental about the memories that will be made within the walls of this home and the inches my children will grow, and the practical side of me feels incredibly guilty for the whole thing.
This process has caused me to give a great deal of thought to the conveniences we enjoy as a culture. What a blessing to have all that we could need and want. How is it fair to enjoy so much excess when there are millions of people in the world that get by with a fraction of what we have? Suddenly, building a home with all the best finishes seems like indulgence to the max! But more than that, I've realized in a very sure way that having a nicer home is not going to make me happier than I already am. Sure, it will be nice to pull into a garage instead of parking outside- but I have a car! It will be amazing to welcome guests into a perfectly put-together living room and have the mess beyond the entry be invisible - but we have a warm home and an abundance of toys for my children to make messes with!
It is so easy to think of the next step in life and believe, "When this happens I will be happy." But I have come to know in a very real way that finding joy and happiness in the journey is the mark of a grateful, humble person. And that living with this perspective, we can each find that we are more abundantly blessed than we had ever realized.
Of course it's ok to enjoy the luxuries in life, we just need to be sure our hearts
are in the right place and that we aren't waiting for the next big thing to bring
us happiness.
We will still be planning our dream home, but in the meantime I will look for
ways to make our current home more beautiful - not just in finishes and decor,
but in the time and love shared with my family here.
To download the "joy in the journey" PDF, click here.
*****
I found a wonderful article on this very subject as it pertains to your home.
You can read it here. She gives some wonderful tips on loving your home now,
even if it's not perfectly the way you want it to be.
You can also find a wonderfully inspiring speech on the topic here.
Happy Friday!
1 comment:
Chrissy! I love your view. I feel the same way. With a new house I am always wanting new things however, it is nice to sit back and appreciate what I already have. The article you linked was also great. I love the idea of a thankful journal.
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