Making your HOUSE a HOME is really a wonderful way of expressing
your heart and love by using your creativity.   Now don't say you aren't creative.  Some people just have to work harder at it than others.  But we all enjoy having beautiful things around us.   Beautiful doesn't have to be expensive.

"....but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
~Joshua 24:15~

When someone comes to visit your home, can they tell that you are a Christian? 
I am not talking about a sign on the door that says: "Beware of Christian".  We reflect our HEART in what we say and do.  The Scriptures say that "Where our treasure is there our heart will be also." What is your treasure? If you are a Christian then your HEART will reflect the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.  Your home should be a home that you would want to invite others to and a place that reflects that wonderful relationship you have with the Lord.

I remember a NavPress booklet called "My Heart Christ's Home".  I'm sure that some of you have read it too.  The premise of the booklet is this:
"Could you invite the Lord into every room in your house?".
As I remember the inspiring words here is what comes to my mind:

Would you feel comfortable entertaining the Lord in your home?

He would want to see everything and have the grand tour. Not just the living room but the closets, the attic, the TV room and yes even under the bed. He knows that you have things that you are not proud of in your life, even if you are a Christian. But don't forget that the Lord is patient and loves you unconditionally. Unless the conviction to change comes from the Lord you will constantly fail to try and change things in your life. That is because you are trying to change on your own strength. Give this over to the Lord and He will change you from the inside out. He works on our heart first. It may be difficult but it will be worth it all WHEN WE SEE JESUS!!!

You don't have to have large pictures of Jesus in your house to tell others you are a Christian.  We don't have to wear a "SIGN" that says we are Christians either.   Of course that would make it a lot easier on us. Wouldn't it?

Visit my "Annie's Lovely Christian Ladies Page" to learn what a Christian Lady looks like.

God is not the author of confusion.  All we have to do is look up in the sky or at the magnificence of His creation to know that our God is a God of order. He has a plan for you and for your life. He asks us to trust Him and let Him direct our steps and paths. We can find many different books on how to organize our homes and our lives.  BUT maybe the timely question would be "WWJD" or What would Jesus Do?". What kind of home would the Lord have? Would it be a home that is unorganized and a mess? Or would it be one that reflects His love for the Father and for you?

The Holidays are always a time that seems to be full of mixed emotions to many. Going HOME always brings many different feelings and memories to mind and heart.

NO matter where you are there is no place like HOME.  If you don't feel that way then maybe you are still in the wilderness like the Israelites.  When you see the promised land in the distance ahead it makes getting there a little easier.

Whether you live in an apartment, a duplex or a mobile home it really doesn't matter for your HOME is what you make it. Your home is your family, your friends, all the people that you love.

What type of "home" do you have?  Is it the house you always dreamed of?  With the white picket fence?  Is it the kind that has a living room that no one uses?  You know the "only for company" room?  Is there a "peace" in your home?  A calm and welcoming "feeling"?

You may already be a Christian but is Christ the center of your life? He can't be at the center of your Home if He is not at the center of your life. I know from my own life that it is so easy to say "Lord this is what I want. PLEASE bless it". Kind of like when you forget to thank the Lord for your meal and for the hands that have prepared it. Then you shoot up a quick silent pray asking the Lord to bless the food and forgive you for forgetting. What you say and do is a reflection of your heart. So stop a few minutes and think about what you spend the most time doing? How do you start your day? Do you read the Bible anymore? Do you know how to pray? Do you pray?

Lets go back a minute to a significant question for you to ask yourself.  
What does the Lord REALLY want you to do?  Now say it again but put your name in it. What does the Lord want _____ to do?
Well here is a scripture that will give you an idea.

"What doth the Lord they God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God."

Isn't that a wonderful verse?

Here are some of the many verses about what our "houses" should be:

Psalms 84:3 - "Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, [even] thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God."
Psalms 127:1 - "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain."
Proverbs 27:10 - "Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off."

Now, can you say this verse and have it come from you heart?
"....but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15

If not, then lets take a few minutes right now to get back to the place where the Lord is the most important thing in your life. No matter what you have done our God is a loving, just and forgiving God. The verse below was written by John to believers:

"If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Don't wait until you stop all your bad habits. Don't wait another day, minute or hour. The Lord promised us that He will return. We are to be ready and watching for His return. The rapture of believers could be at any moment. You don't want to be left behind.

Do you remember the story of the prodigal son? It is an amazing story of a father who is waiting for his son to return even though he had squandered his inheritance and was living in filth. Come to the Lord and let Him through the Holy Spirit convict you to change your lifestyle and habits. It is easy to try to be a "perfect Christian" but that is not what being a believer is all about. We all sin daily because we are not perfect. Sin is sin. BIG or small. A lie or murder. That is why we need to go the Lord every day and ask Him to forgive us.

Unfortunately people will look at you and you may be the only Christian that they will ever see. We need to let others know that they need to look to Christ because He is the only "perfect person."

"Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love. So beloved let us love one another." 1 John 4:7&8

If you are not a Christian and want to know how to become one
click the hearts below.

The Mezuzah
In the neighborhoods in the States you will find that many people have wreaths on their doors or banner's flown outside the front door of their homes.  That doesn't necessarily tell us their religion. It does show a love of the holidays and their homes. In the Bible we learn a way that we can tell if a Jewish family lives in a home. During the time of Moses, while the Children of Israel were slaves to Egypt, God used 7 plagues to convince the King to "Let my people go".  The children of Israel were slaves in Egypt and they wanted to go HOME.  To the Promised Land flowing with Milk and Honey. Of course it was a really long road home for them.  It took them 40 years to get there.  I often have wondered how the Angels of the Lord could see only the blood on the doors of the  Jewish families. How could only the first born sons of the Israelites be spared? But that is just another one of the Miracles in the Bible. (You can read the rest of the story in Exodus 12).
  Today God's chosen people the Jews still put a Mezuzah in the entrance way of their home.

Candles:

"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
~Matthew 5:15~

Candle is an object made of wax or a similar material that is burned to
give light. When a candle is lighted, wax melted by the flame is drawn up
an embedded wick made of cotton, paper, or a combination of the two.
This liquid wax burns, producing light. Candles are made in many colors,
scents, shapes, and sizes.
They have been made of many substances, including bayberry wax,
beeswax, paraffin, spermaceti, stearin, and tallow. Candles are made by
hand by (1) dipping the wick repeatedly into liquid wax, (2) pouring liquid
wax into a mold that contains a suspended wick, or (3) rolling sheets of
softened wax around the wick. Candle manufacturers use machines that
produce several dozen to several hundred candles at a time.
Before electric lighting became common in the early 1900's, people used
candles as one source of artificial light. Today, candles are used for such
purposes as birthday celebrations, holiday and home decorations, and for
religious services. Many people enjoy candle making as a hobby.
~Information about Candles excerpted from The World Book~

Flowers & Spices

Flower is mentioned 17 times in the Bible and Flowers is mentioned 17 times also. That sure is interesting.

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;"
~Song of Solomon 2:12~

Visit My Flower Related Pages:
"Annie's Flowers & Their Meaning Page"
Annie's "Flower & Gardening Links" Page

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of
our God shall stand for ever."
~Isaiah 40:8~

Don't forget to use FRESH FLOWERS or a nice seasonal plant.

Flower Arrangements: Most flower arrangements are made of fresh flowers. However, you can use dried flowers. Flowers suited to drying include chrysanthemums, goldenrod, hydrangeas, larkspurs, and pearly everlastings. You can dry any of these flowers by hanging the blossoms head downward in a dark, dry, well-ventilated room for about three weeks. You can also dry various kinds of grasses and leaves in this way and then add the specimens to the flower arrangement. A dried floral arrangement that is prepared in late summer or fall should last through the winter. ~From World Book Encyclopedia~

Spices and Herbs give a lovely aroma. A sweet fragrance to enjoy.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a popular spice used in cooking and for flavoring candies and preserves. It comes from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree grows in Sri Lanka, the principal source of the spice, and in . The tree Brazil Jamaica, Java, Madagascar, and Martinique. The cinnamon tree , India, grows as high as 30 feet (9 meters) and has oval leaves and tiny yellow flowers. The fruit of the cinnamon tree looks like an acorn.

Workers cut off the tops of cinnamon trees near the lower buds so that strong, straight shoots grow up from the base. The shoots are gathered, and the inner bark is peeled off. The bark then turns brown and curls up as it dries. The dried bark is sold as stick cinnamon or is ground up to make powdered cinnamon. Oil of cinnamon is made from the fruit, leaves, and roots of the tree.
~From The World Book Encyclopedia~

Beauty:
I am sure you have heard this saying before:
"Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder".
I looked up the word "Beauty" in the concordance from my
"Annie's Bible Study Resources Page" and found that is was listed 49 times.

What do you call "Beautiful"?
The Lord God created such wonderful beauty and intricate design when He created the world.  Adam and Eve lived in an amazingly beautiful garden.  A garden shows us the details of design, color and form.  Walking through the garden you can see the lovely flowers and smell their fragrant aroma.  The butterflies and the bees seem to be sing and smile as they fly around the flowers.

Fresh Flowers can brighten an otherwise dreary day.  Its ok, go ahead and smell the flowers.  Aren't they lovely?

I found these two verses quite interesting.
Look at how the words "Glory and Beauty" are used together:
Exodus 28:2 - "And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother
for glory and for beauty."
Exodus 28:40 - "And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou
shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them,
for glory and for beauty."

Here is the definition for "Beauty" from Miriam Webster Dictionary:
The Thesaurus shows other words for "Beauty" below:
Entry Word: beauty
Function: n
Text: a physically attractive woman <a charming woman and a beauty to boot>
Synonyms ||beaut, bunny, eyeful, knockout, looker, lovely, stunner
Related Word charmer, dazzler, dream, eye-opener, good-looker, peach; belle, toast raving beauty
Contrasted Words dog, gorgon, hag, slattern, witch

Can "beauty" be on the inside?
Or is beauty only vanity and an outer appearance?

Main Entry: beau ty
Pronunciation: 'byü-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural beauties
Etymology: Middle English beaute, from Old French biauté, from bel, biau beautiful, from Latin bellus pretty; akin to Latin bonus good -- more at BOUNTY
Date: 14th century
1 : the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit : LOVELINESS
2 : a beautiful person or thing; especially : a beautiful woman
3 : a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality
4 : a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance <that mistake was a beauty>
5 : a quantum characteristic that accounts for the existence and lifetime of the upsilon particle; also : a particle having this characteristic

2 Chronicles 3:6 - "And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold [was] gold of Parvaim."

1 Chronicles 16:29 - "Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

Garnishes

Here is the definition for Dictionary
"Garnished" from Miriam Webster Main Entry: ¹gar nish
Pronunciation: 'gär-nish
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French garniss-, stem of garnir to warn, equip, garnish, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German warn on to take heed -- more at WARN
Date: 14th century
1 a : DECORATE, EMBELLISH b : to add decorative or savory touches to (food or drink)
2 : to equip with accessories : FURNISH
3 : GARNISHEE
synonym see ADORN

"Garnished" is mentioned 5 times in the Bible. I looked up "decorate" but it was not used so the word "Garnished" is quite similar.

"By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand
hath formed the crooked serpent."
Job 26:13

"And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty:
and the gold [was] gold of Parvaim."
2 Chronicles 3:6

"And when he cometh, he findeth [it] swept and garnished."
Luke 11:25

"Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out;
and when he is come, he findeth [it] empty, swept, and garnished."
Matthew 12:44

"And the foundations of the wall of the city [were] garnished with all manner of
precious stones. The first foundation [was] jasper; the second, sapphire;
the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;"
Revelations 21:19

Hospitality & Home

Hospitality defined from Webster's Dictionary:
Main Entry: hos pi tal i ty
Pronunciation: "häs-p&-'ta-l&-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
Date: 14th century
: hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition

Look at what the Naves Topical Bible says about Hospitality.

Did you know that one of the "gifts" from the Lord
is the Gift of Hospitality?

Do you know what the Bible says about the GIFT OF HOSPITALITY?

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging."
~1 Peter 4:9~

"Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
~Romans 12:13~

"But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate;"
~Titus 1:8~

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
~1 Timothy 3:2~

"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh
it down with her hands."
~Proverbs 14:1~

"Better [is] a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house
full of sacrifices [with] strife."
~Proverbs 17:1~

"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by
understanding it is established:"
~Proverbs 24:3~

"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his
banner over me [was] love."
~Song of Solomon 2:4~

A house doesn't have to be large to make it a special home.
All it needs is a lot of love.  Remember these old sayings may be cute
but they seem to hold some truth: "There's no place like home"
  & "Home is where the heart is".

"A house is made of wood and stone. But only love can make it home."
~Author Unknown~

Don't Forget!!!!
Never go to visit without taking a gift for the Host and Hostess. Enjoy
your Holiday decorating! Remember we can express beauty as well as see it.

Related Links:
Visit this page by my friend Leah: "What does the Bible teach about Hospitality?"
Learn2 Host a Dinner Party & Learn2 Make Decorative Soap
CreativeHomemaking.com
Home Decorating Tips from Ammey
Decorate Your Home Crafts from
KidsDomain Craft Exchange
Household Decor Tips - links page
Setting the Table- Traditional instructions
NEW - 5/13/02 - A Place Setting in English (Label Me! Printout) & Answers

Annie's Other Related Pages:
Annie's Holiday Page
Annie's Why I have Holiday Pages Page
Annie's Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas Page
Annie's Lovely Christian Ladies Page
Annie's "Holiday Fun & Free Stuff" Page
Annie's Christmas Tea Page

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