When I was 3, my family moved from our rental home to the home my parents purchased a few miles away in the next town over. The only memory I have of this little excursion is riding over to the house that was now "ours" and venturing in to the presently empty space.
My mom gave me a couple of my doll things and my glow worm sleeping bag to play with and nap while everyone else helped with the moving.
I cloudily remember arranging these precious belongings in the room that my sister and I would be sharing. I carefully rolled out my sleeping bag over the hardwood floor, and neatly tucked my baby in her cradle. The room still echoed with emptiness, yet I was content with what I had created. Little did I know so much more would be coming.
My mom, of course, had bigger plans of an actual bed and dresser, curtains, and the homemade bedspread my Grandma made for us. There would be a large rug to warm up the floor, and a special crystal lamp to light up the room from a shelf.
In all my sharing about home, I too often neglect the more important message: This world is not my home.
All the decluttering and simplifying, organizing and decorating, and making it a little bit of heaven upon earth--is nothing more than rolling a miniature sleeping bag out on a cold hardwood floor and tucking my babydoll into her little wood crib. That's all we're doing as we settle into our apartment and call it home.
Wouldn't that be a funny site from Heaven's view? Because God has planned for so much more. Days that glow with His presence, land warmed with greenery that never dies, creation as He made it to be, and a special mansion to call our own.
It's a good thing for me to remember. Simplifying my home isn't about finding perfection, or even settling into contentment until I'm numb to hoping for the future. Simplifying my home is all about looking forward to home in heaven.
As much as I enjoy and appreciate simplicity and nesting into our little space, I hope it leads me to long for home, and remember that this world ain't it.
>>>>>
This month I'm sharing simplicity, simplified. See the full list of posts here, and join me in not over-thinking it.
