What I love most
I’m not talking about who I love most here - I’m talking about recognizing some truths about myself and the things about my life and my situation that I find I love more than I knew.
When I return from trips away from home, regardless how far away or for how long, I find that I always feel a powerful sense of relief when I walk in the door of my own home. That’s not to say that it’s always more tidy than other places, or bigger or better, that’s not what I’m getting at, not at all. But home is my safe space, the place I know God purposed for my family and me to come back to time and again to replenish, reconnect, rest and regenerate. But I think it’s more than just that.
My interests in a wide variety of hobbies and activities keep my mind and spirit busy at all times. I tend to jump from one thing, one stream of thought, to another and to another and so on. Those trails always manage to wind their way right back to the basics, to family and home. Conversations between my kindred spirit and me are often the source of the anchor that brings my thoughts back to home-base, so-to-speak. She and I share this deep, rich love for our families and our homes. We also share the tendency to spread ourselves too thin pursuing those other things that keep our minds and hands and feet busy. In God’s mercy, he placed us in each other’s lives to remind one another of the things that really matter most, the things we love most, the desires of our hearts.
I realize not every woman would understand how we can be so utterly content being the manager of our homes; undertaking daily the mundane things that keep a home running as smoothly as possible, keeping our space tidy, preparing meals at home more often that eating out or succumbing to that last minute run through the drive-thru, using our precious time to bring beauty into our family’s shared living space, and so much more. But that seems to be what I love most, desire most - making our house our home.
I don’t think I can express the contentment that flows into and over me when I have been brought back to this focus; thoughts on how to better manage our home, with love for myself and others in mind. There is a peace and calm that possesses me, and I know that I am operating within the gifts given to me.
It’s work to be sure, a challenge issued to create and maintain space for all that is helpful in caring for and loving people well. I welcome that challenge and the work, because I am absolutely confident in my success when it’s what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s like this in my mind - scripture says that God will give you the desires of your heart (your heart’s desire). Most often we think of that as God providing us something we want (desire). Like a child declaring, I’d like a new (fill in the blank here) for my birthday, and a parent responding by giving it to them if they have been ‘good’. But that’s not at all what we come to understand if we spend any time in scripture or with God. The more time we spend striving to live as God calls us to live, the more our will comes into line with His, the more often it seems as though our desires have been fulfilled because they are what God desired in the first place.
At bible study this past week, a bit different perspective was offered that I really feel more accurately expresses this truth. Not so much that our will simply bends to the will of God, which of course, it should, but more than simply coming to want the same thing, God authors the desires of our hearts. Using the same metaphor from earlier, let’s say that with the first example, all children would eventually simply come to want what the parent wants. But the new perspective is more personal, more unique. Rather than wanting what the child wants, or coming to want the same thing the parent wants (meaning all children would want the same thing...), the child begins to desire the thing the parent wants them to have, the thing the parent knows is the very best for that particular child to enjoy and thrive with. When it says that God will give you your heart’s desire, it doesn’t mean give you what you want on your own without understanding what is the very best and most wonderful gift for you personally, but rather will reveal to your heart (spirit) what it is that He wants you to desire, wants you to have, wants to give to you.
Only when we open ourselves by knowing our Father, loving him and trusting our lives to him (taking delight in him) will he place the desire in our heart (author the desire) and then provide for the desire as well.
I recognize and receive with great joy and thankfulness the desires of my heart from my Father!
Amen
When I return from trips away from home, regardless how far away or for how long, I find that I always feel a powerful sense of relief when I walk in the door of my own home. That’s not to say that it’s always more tidy than other places, or bigger or better, that’s not what I’m getting at, not at all. But home is my safe space, the place I know God purposed for my family and me to come back to time and again to replenish, reconnect, rest and regenerate. But I think it’s more than just that.
My interests in a wide variety of hobbies and activities keep my mind and spirit busy at all times. I tend to jump from one thing, one stream of thought, to another and to another and so on. Those trails always manage to wind their way right back to the basics, to family and home. Conversations between my kindred spirit and me are often the source of the anchor that brings my thoughts back to home-base, so-to-speak. She and I share this deep, rich love for our families and our homes. We also share the tendency to spread ourselves too thin pursuing those other things that keep our minds and hands and feet busy. In God’s mercy, he placed us in each other’s lives to remind one another of the things that really matter most, the things we love most, the desires of our hearts.
I realize not every woman would understand how we can be so utterly content being the manager of our homes; undertaking daily the mundane things that keep a home running as smoothly as possible, keeping our space tidy, preparing meals at home more often that eating out or succumbing to that last minute run through the drive-thru, using our precious time to bring beauty into our family’s shared living space, and so much more. But that seems to be what I love most, desire most - making our house our home.
I don’t think I can express the contentment that flows into and over me when I have been brought back to this focus; thoughts on how to better manage our home, with love for myself and others in mind. There is a peace and calm that possesses me, and I know that I am operating within the gifts given to me.
It’s work to be sure, a challenge issued to create and maintain space for all that is helpful in caring for and loving people well. I welcome that challenge and the work, because I am absolutely confident in my success when it’s what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s like this in my mind - scripture says that God will give you the desires of your heart (your heart’s desire). Most often we think of that as God providing us something we want (desire). Like a child declaring, I’d like a new (fill in the blank here) for my birthday, and a parent responding by giving it to them if they have been ‘good’. But that’s not at all what we come to understand if we spend any time in scripture or with God. The more time we spend striving to live as God calls us to live, the more our will comes into line with His, the more often it seems as though our desires have been fulfilled because they are what God desired in the first place.
At bible study this past week, a bit different perspective was offered that I really feel more accurately expresses this truth. Not so much that our will simply bends to the will of God, which of course, it should, but more than simply coming to want the same thing, God authors the desires of our hearts. Using the same metaphor from earlier, let’s say that with the first example, all children would eventually simply come to want what the parent wants. But the new perspective is more personal, more unique. Rather than wanting what the child wants, or coming to want the same thing the parent wants (meaning all children would want the same thing...), the child begins to desire the thing the parent wants them to have, the thing the parent knows is the very best for that particular child to enjoy and thrive with. When it says that God will give you your heart’s desire, it doesn’t mean give you what you want on your own without understanding what is the very best and most wonderful gift for you personally, but rather will reveal to your heart (spirit) what it is that He wants you to desire, wants you to have, wants to give to you.
Only when we open ourselves by knowing our Father, loving him and trusting our lives to him (taking delight in him) will he place the desire in our heart (author the desire) and then provide for the desire as well.
I recognize and receive with great joy and thankfulness the desires of my heart from my Father!
Amen
Oh that I would have His will be mine in all things ❤️ I love this.
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