My Home, just like Christine's is not a just a shelter or a place to dwell.

It is not just the sum of its parts or the justification from the powers that be of its existence.

It's ever evolving identity moves and flows with the people that live in it and the changing seasons both of our physical world and our spiritual being.

It changes as lives change, as children come .......................... and go.

As people move in age and wisdom, it envelops and holds onto the stories of the past and sets the stage of the stories to come.

The paint colour may change or in fact the whole house may change.  The purpose of the house may change, it may be decorated for resale, or it may be decorated for what is the current "what's in", it may even be that its purpose has been developed for someone's individual quirks and taste, or maybe it is just ....... there.

But these things do not make a home.

Let me share a bit of my home.

Firstly, as for me and my HOME we serve the LORD.

This home is different from the others we have had.  It is a home built by the hands of people we love and that love us.  It is ever changing (mainly because it's not finished).  It is a house where frankly there is no money to spend on it, so each item must be precisely and lovingly reused, brought second hand or saved for.

It is a home where the furniture is old and the native wood floors are scratched, the ceiling that soars above us is not painted and the tiling is not finished.

But as I sit here and write, the Aga burns quietly behind me, there is music in the air, my dogs surround me and the cats are trying to break into the cat food.  The best part is that my young adult son sits in an old leather chair that has a sheep skin on it to cover the holes with a woolen blanket.  His legs are flung over of the arms of the chair, feet poised to gather the heat from the AGA, as he tries to talk to me about taxes as I write.

There are no pretenses here, this house, my home is made of old things, and some very beautiful old things like the hallway gallery of art that causes you to stop just for minute to witness the talent and stories told by other human beings.  And this space is not finished either, yet peace and chaos reign, it is quiet but all encompassing.

I have a green wall, a blue couch. a pink mat, a yellow bowl and hand painted Art gallery sign all in one room!!! (Note from Christine, yellow bowl and art gallery sign is heading to the shop to sell!). It doesn't match but it gives me great joy.

This home can be still and then without warning noise will erupt, feet running, with shouts and squeals of either excitement or wailing of perceived sadness that endures.  

Or the part I like the best is being somewhere in my home with just my thoughts or doing a chore and then .......... suddenly..............

arms gently wrap around me, and I hear "I love you."  quietly.    whispered.  evoking warmth, security and love.

Home should be a Haven where your soul can soar, rest, retreat, laugh and love or even to quietly cry without judgement.

My interior design advice (not that you asked for it) is this...  fill your house with what you love for the season that you are in.  It does not need to be prefect or new (or in my case even finished) for a house to become your home.

However, what does work wonders is a dog or two and the odd cat lol.

Peace out beautiful people

Kerri