CoffeeLotte: keeper at home

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

"Scents" and Sensibility

Do you like flavored coffee? I do...sometimes. Right about now, a cup of pumpkin spice coffee sounds yummy! It smells and tastes like fall.

Last year, I was visiting my sister and decided to buy some flavored coffee. She's not really a coffee drinker, but she likes cappuccino, so we thought we'd get a good flavored coffee and "doctor it up". The flavor we bought (some kind of chocolate) sounded so good, but when we started brewing it, it smelled a little strange. But, we figured that it had to be good. It was chocolate, right? We poured ourselves two big mugs, and took our first sip. It was terrible!!! However, I had paid good money for the coffee, so neither of us wanted to admit that it wasn't any good. After about three drinks, I couldn't stand it any more. "Do you think this tastes funny?" I asked. I could almost see her relief as she said yes.

We didn't want to give up on it just yet, though (it was chocolate, remember?). We thought maybe we had just made it too strong. So we poured out that pot and made another one. It was just as terrible as the first!

The moral of this silly, but true, story is that the scent was warning us that our other senses may not enjoy this experience very much, but we didn't have the sensibility to listen. Aroma and smell can tell us that something very enjoyable is in store, or it can warn us to stay away (think skunk!).

I. Scents

Think about your home. What scents surround you? What scents greet visitors when they walk in the door? What aromas do people associate with you and your home? Now, I'm not talking about air fresheners or candles here, although I like both. My mom always says that she wants people to associate certain aromas with her home.....the scent of freshly baked bread, chocolate chip cookies, and clean laundry are just a few of the scents that I associate with my mom's house. It's fine to have a banana nut bread candle burning (one of my friends just gave me one....mmmmm!), but when was the last time it was actually banana nut bread baking that smelled so wonderful? 0ne of my husband's favorite scents in our home is Pine-Sol because it means I've been cleaning!

Scent is important because it is helps us identify things. When we smell smoke, we think fire! When you smell something good in the oven, you get hungry. Moms, when you smell a dirty diaper, you know a change is needed.

As the keepers of our homes, we should recognize that scent is important. Does your home smell inviting, clean, satisfying? Or does it need a little maintenance in the scent department? When your kids are grown, what scents will remind them of home?

II. Senses

Scent is only one of our five senses. One of the things that we can think about as creative homemakers is appealing to all five senses in our homes. A sweet-smelling candle won't cover up a home that looks dirty, floors that feel sticky, noises that are annoying, and food that isn't tasty.
It is a big task to try to get all of these things together at the same time! As I write this, my desk is cluttered and needs a good straightening! However, we should think about this, and make the effort to keep our homes at their best.

III. Sensibility

We mustn't conclude without using our sensibility to think about the spiritual side of this. We've talked all week about attitude being our spiritual aroma. What is the attitude or atmosphere of your home? The most beautifully decorated, sweetest smelling home is worthless if it is filled with attitudes of bitterness , greed, spite, or selfishness. Proverbs 15:17 says, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."

Our homes should be filled with love, joy, peace, kindness, laughter, and patience. If there is a spirit of tension or contention, then we need to work on the spiritual aroma of our home.

Let me ask you, when people come to your home, do they feel comfortable, welcome, at peace, relaxed? Do people know that your home is a Christian home when they walk in the door?

Set the mood in your home. Use all of your abilities and sensibilities. This doesn't have to require large budget. Just do your best to keep your home neat (it doesn't have to be museum quality), sweet-smelling, and sweet-spirited. Pop something good in the oven, or put on a fresh pot of coffee. Play beautiful music. Make your home a place of comfort and welcome for your family and for others who may enter.

Tomorrow's Topic: Giving Makes "Scents"

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Realize Your Strength

Alright, fellow coffee lovers (and non-coffee lovers), what's your favorite kind of coffee? Do you like a breakfast blend, a medium roast, or a dark roast? Are you a flavored coffee drinker? Do you like yours black, with cream and sugar, cream only, sugar only, or some other variation?

I like just about any kind of coffee, but my favorite is a dark roast coffee with cream and a little Splenda. My dad often reminds me that a serious coffee drinker doesn't need cream and sweetener, but that's just the way I like it!

If you like some level of sweetener or creamer in your coffee, you may know that it's hard to have someone else "doctor" your coffee. Unless it's a barista (can you believe we know that word?) and you give very specific instructions, it's easiest to add your own cream and sugar to get that perfect taste and strength you're looking for....not too strong, not too weak, not too bitter, not too sweet!

I love being a "keeper at home." On top of it being my part of my calling from the Lord, it's a great creative outlet and opportunity to express myself. I am not only the "housekeeper", I am the interior decorator, the chef, the seamstress and much more. I'm sure you could add your own titles to your homemaking resume. Being a homemaker can be a rewarding job, but it's also a challenging one.

If we are going to find joy and fulfillment in our role as "keepers at home", one thing we need to do is to find and realize our strengths.

I. Realize the Strength of Your Place

By this I mean, do not diminish the importance of the role you have. God has commanded us to be "keepers at home" (Tit. 2:5), and instructed us to "guide the house" (I Tim. 5:14). This is no small responsibility. If we see our place and our purpose in our homes as something that is important and precious to God, we will realize that it is not only a duty, but a joy to seek to fulfill it.

II. Realize the Strength of Your Personality

Every personality has strengths and weaknesses. We need to learn to incorporate and make the most of our strengths in every area of our lives, including our homes. We then need to ask God to help us in our weak areas. The wonderful thing is that He tells us that His "strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Cor. 12:9).

Let's look at some examples. Maybe you're an organizer and a perfectionist by nature. This can be a great strength. You may excel in the cleaning of your home, and the organization of your family. Your weakness may be that you tend to expect perfection, and feel frustrated and disappointed because it's always just out of reach. Make the most of your strength! Use your organization and detail skills to keep your home at it's best. Then ask the Lord to help you give your expectations to Him, and to enable you to relax enough to enjoy your family.

Another example may be the opposite of this. Maybe you're a very laid-back, relaxed personality. Your strength may be in the ability to be flexible and creative. You probably take the time to go outside and play with your kids, and not worry so much about the house being perfect. What a gift that is! On the other hand, you may need to ask the Lord to help you to not be so relaxed and fun-loving that you neglect the tasks of keeping your home "clean enough to be healthy".

Maybe you fall somewhere in between these two examples. The key here is to find your personal strengths, and make the most of the gifts God has given you. Then, seek God's help in your areas of weakness, and know that He is able and willing to give it.

III. Realize the Strength of Your "Palace"

Part of the joy of being a homemaker is learning to enjoy our home. If you're expecting to have your "dream house", you may live in a world of disappointment. It is easy to focus on the problems and shortcomings of our homes, instead of maximizing their potential.

My house is 80 years old. Now, I love old homes, but when we first looked at our house, it really needed some love! It has been a lot of fun to fix it up, and make it reflect our personalities and lifestyle. It has also been a lot of work! Be willing to invest in your home, not only financially, but with love and creativity.

If you're on a budget (and who's not?!), don't use that as an excuse to do nothing. Instead, use that as inspiration to get creative. Go to your library, and find books that reflect styles you like, and get ideas. Then, adapt them to your home and budget. Will it take some effort? Sure. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

View your home as your own personal "palace". Realize the strength of a welcoming home, not only to serve your family, but to serve the Lord. Use it as a place of hospitality. Your home is a reflection of you. So as you look around today, are you pleased with that reflection? More importantly, is the Lord pleased? If not, begin to make some changes. Find your strengths.

I'm going to add some before and after pictures of my home. Hope you enjoy!

Tomorrow's Topic: Are you diluted?

The "befores"

living room