So what's with that sign anyway?

Someone was inquiring about the sign we have hanging just as you enter our condo, and as I was explaining the story behind it, I realized we've never really shared it with you. Since we titled our blog after this idea, it makes since to tell the story here.

Just after we first married, we were jointly passionate about the sacredness of this new home we were creating, and we wanted to be very intentional about the way we viewed our home. Aron & I are both idealists (probably to a fault) but we wholeheartedly believe that the home is absolutely a sacred place. It is the one domain in which we have been given the authority to allow the Kingdom of God and the authority of Christ to be manifest in its intended glory in a way we cannot do at work or school or other social settings.

We desired our home to first of all be our haven. Our safe place among all the forces of evil and all that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy in this world. A place where we know above all else we are delighted in and may find rest in this place and restoration for our weary bodies and souls.

Secondly, we established that our home would be our "ministry headquarters" (this was long before Aron ever felt called into the ministry); meaning our home would be a place not only for our own restoration but a haven for others as well. We hope and pray that all who enter our home will feel the love of Christ in a way that is tangible - almost as if they can breathe it in or taste it. That they may know and understand they are indeed delighted over. When I tell people I am passionate about hospitality, I think they get the idea of a "Martha Stewart-esk passion". While I enjoy Martha's creativity, its more of the ministry headquarters idea that stirs me.

Thirdly, we wanted our home to be a place of inspiration of all sorts. A space where ideas are abounding and creativity is flowing. A place where music is in the air and poetry is on our hearts. Where our souls encounter the worlds needs and we are inspired to act. Inspired to dare to dream the impossible.

Idealistic? Absolutely. But something we must be continually mindful to strive toward. That's why we hung a giant black and white sign to remind us of our goal. Because we know that wherever Christ is head and His kingdom is being lived out, the enemy attacks and seeks to bring disorder and chaos.

Do we fall short of these ideals? Probably daily. But its important to remind ourselves of these things from time to time as the busyness of life tends to force us into a rut of routine and monotony. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are instructed to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and strength, and to adorn the commandments they were given upon their hearts, to impress them upon their children, to talk about them all through their days, and to even write them on the door frames of their houses and the gates that guard their homes. So that is what we did, in a sense, by writing out the mission statement of our home in way we would be constantly reminded to honor.
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