Lovely Dwelling Places......

~ House Beautiful~

 ~House Beautiful~

~Window Treatments and Design by Starfish Designs~

~House Beautiful~

Our dwelling places as people, in a small way, define us.  When we are young, we rely upon the care, love, and wisdom of others to provide a place and environment for us to grow up healthy.  Even in nature, the love and tenderness of a mother bird caring for her eggs, waiting for them to hatch and come to life is a beautiful picture of a mother's love.  She works tirelessly preparing her "nest" and settling in....... to dwell and wait, expectantly!  It's funny ......but we are not very different.  Life is meant to be simple, not complicated and full of stress and worry.  The beautiful rooms pictured above are lovely dwelling places that are inviting and warm and just waiting for someone to enjoy and live!  All but one are from House Beautiful Magazine, and in the third picture, I made the window treatments and assisted with the layout of the room.  Each home has an essence of beauty~in other words that element which makes it special to the person or people who dwell there.   


In our homes, we hopefully are safe and secure from the trials and pressures of the world.  Once, I found a treasure of beautifully scripted words that I keep in my entry foyer which reads, "When home is ruled according to God's Word, Angels might ask to stay with us, and they would not find themselves out of their element." Charles  Spurgeon.  Christ can dwell in our homes if  we've invited Him to dwell with us, so we are more than able to trust His Words to have assurance that He is with us at all times. The Scriptures say and I agree, "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height~to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge: that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:14~19  Yes, dear one, the good news for us is.......... that in our homes and lives we are able to have this wonderful reinforcement of the Spirit in our inner person. So..... no matter what happens on the outside, just as a storm-tossed ship once sailed,  we can be strengthened inside by bracing and  being under-girded outside by Christ.  It is never by laws or rules but by inward character.  When we open the door of our home and our heart for Christ to dwell ~He imprints His nature upon our minds, will, and emotions.  When He enters a life, He brings His life-the very soil in which we take root and blossom.  The soil and ground where you are building today, I hope, is welcoming of the One who loves you so!!  As the Scriptures say.....Christ's love is bringing the fullness of God when you take the time to seek Him and ask Him.  Live your life with an expectancy for great things.  Today people call that being optimistic or rather bright and hopeful!  Be blessed my friend with the assurance that you can expect a bright and hopeful day!  No matter what happens in life, God can dwell in you if you invite Him into your heart!   May you find joy in this beautiful day!  Everyday is a gift!