Creating a Life-Giving Atmosphere at Home
Designing a Home Where Love Speaks Louder Than Decor
When my friend, Rhonda, would call and ask if I wanted to come over and play Barbies, I would jump on my bike and pedal as fast as I could. It wasn’t that I was a fan of Barbies; in all reality I couldn’t stand the plastic shoes and matted hair. But Rhonda had the best selection of Barbie furniture of any girl in our neighborhood. She would spend hours styling Barbie while I would spend hours designing Barbie’s home.
As an adult, I still get a thrill designing homes; but the real appeal goes beyond decor…I love creating the atmosphere in a home. The glow of a candle, pillows tossed about a family room, children’s artwork displayed, even the sound of the dishwasher running creates an atmosphere; and it all speaks to the story being written inside.
My story? My parents married and divorced each other, not once but…twice. So when my husband and I married, we were intentional about creating the atmosphere of our home. We wanted it to be a place where people felt loved and welcomed; and experienced peace and joy!
In our early days, we learned three invaluable lessons that would have a far greater impact on the atmosphere of our home than any pretty decor.
The first was that we had a choice regarding the words we would speak; and that choice carried the power of life and death. Proverbs 18:21MSG says, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit - you choose.”
Secondly, those life-giving words would be a gift to our marriage and our children. “Watch the way you talk…Say only what helps, each word a gift." Ephesians 4:29
Lastly, because of this powerful gift, we would not allow any sarcasm, name-calling or snarky comments in our home. We weren’t legalistic about it but we knew that even the slightest hurtful word carried great power. Consider the passage in James 3:4. I love the visual that a small rudder on a huge ship can set its course even when facing the strongest of winds. “A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!” James goes on to say in verse 6: “A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By your speech you can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos.” If that is true, I believe that our words can turn chaos to harmony as well.
My question to you is this: Who is in your world and how are you speaking to them? What atmosphere are you setting? Is it one of harmony or chaos?
Not long ago, I found an entry in our son’s first grade journal that brought me to my knees in humble thanks.
The prompt from his teacher read:
“In one sentence tell me what you love the sound of?”
Drew’s response:
“I love the sound of my family loving each other.”
Those you cherish in your world will not remember the designer fabrics on your sofa, but they will remember the sound of love in your home - the atmosphere you have designed. I challenge you, as you begin this new school year, to guard the words that are spoken in your home and to create a beautiful atmosphere full of harmony.
