In the 1939 film entitled “The Wonderful
World of Oz,” Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) says one of the most memorable quotes
of all times. Can you guess which one
I’m speaking of? Let me help you. It’s towards the end of the movie. Dorothy has on those shiny, sparkling red
shoes, and she’s clicking her heels together three times, all the while
repeating this famous phrase. Can you
hear the words…“There’s no place like
home. There’s no place like home.
There’s no place like home.”
Home
can mean so many different things to so many people. However, I believe there is one universal
Truth that home should be – that is a “haven”.
What is a haven? It is a place of
refuge, protection from danger and trouble.
Every home should be a safe place for the development of every family
gem. In order for the individuals of your
family to wholeheartedly believe that there’s
no place like home, allow me to share with you how to establish that type of abode.
Are
you ready to make your home sweet? Let’s
get started as you pause for personal reflection and consider the current
condition of your home in the light of these five key principles to making your
home a h.a.v.e.n.:
1. Strive to create an atmosphere conducive for healing.
Is your home a safe place for the individuals in your
family to be naked and unashamed about their cares, concerns, and hurts? Is it a place of encouragement, exhortation,
and inspiration? Begin by deciding and
choosing to make the threshold of your house the line of demarcation from the outside
hostile environments they enter into and deal with on a daily basis. This will begin to foster a family mindset
that states, “Everything will be alright as soon as I get home.”
2. Develop the skill of acute awareness.
Be purposeful in your desire to see healing take place
in your home by being sensitive to the slightest changes in the temperature of
your home environment as well as the dispositions of each individual who lives
in your abode. For some, this will take
discipline and much effort because they have become self-concerned,
self-focused, and self-absorbed. Look
beyond yourself and attempt to be sensitive to the needs of those living within
your sphere.
3. Strive to operate from a voluntary self-sacrificing perspective.
In order to effectively operate from a voluntary
self-sacrificing perspective, one must adequately develop the skill of acute
awareness which equips him/her to look, listen, and fill the voids or needs of
the home as well as those you are privileged to live with. When you have been given the privilege to see
a need (for example, a sink full of dishes) and you have the capacity to
fulfill (bring to a place of wholeness) that need, there is no need to wait for
someone to ask you to help. Roll up your
sleeves and get to work! This
perspective gives you the wonderful opportunity to re-present the King, Who is
Love!
4. View every individual in your family from an eternal
perspective.
God created everyone for a particular purpose. And since the time each of us arrived on
earth, God has been envisioning us from that eternal perspective. This is exactly how we should see each other
– from God’s vantage point. Without
having an eternal perspective, you can become discouraged, frustrated, and
unnecessarily angry at the temporary condition of your loved one’s soul – mind,
emotions, and behavior. Therefore,
embracing their eternal perspective endows you with the grace to endure the
tumultuous snap shot of their lives while you’re expecting the joyful release
of their entire movie.
5. Consider your home a network of exceptional
people.
Since God is a God of Purpose, understand that you
have been divinely connected to your family for an eternal purpose. When you endeavor to create a home that is
conducive for healing through acute awareness and everyone begins striving to
operate from voluntary self-sacrificing and eternal perspectives, networking
can begin. This is where the enhancement
of the individuals has provoked the advancement of the whole family by capitalizing
on each others’ strengths while minimizing the exposure of individual
weaknesses. Therefore, the family team comes alive where together (unity) there is excellence;
however, when a-part (dissension) yields
mediocrity.
I am hopeful you are encouraged to
establish a home sweet home by personally embracing and reflecting these five
key principles to creating a h.a.v.e.n. Please know that you are only able to give what
you possess. Therefore, begin by
establishing your personal h.a.v.e.n. (within you) and live
from the inside out! From experience,
it’s worth the discipline and all the effort.
Your home will be a place like
no other. You may be surprised that some
may never desire to leave!
© 2011 Julianne Pearson
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