H.O.M.E.

I was never one of those moms that displayed artwork from my kids all over the house. You may have seen the latest and greatest on my refrigerator, but that was probably the extent of it. I have definitely saved my kid's projects and pictures but I blame the years of real estate as to why they are all neatly in a box. Realtors don't paint their walls, use wallpaper, hang family pictures all down their hallway and generally don't personalize too much. We have to practice what we preach, I guess.

However, I am rebelling and becoming a fan of tape. I have been taping printed scripture around my house for some time. I have shared those ideas with you before. For example, "Wash me clean O Lord" is on my laundry door. "Hunger and Thirst for righteousness" might be found on my pantry door. I change them up periodically. I even go so far as to print them in font color that matches the current holiday season. I now have started taping prayer request I receive on my bathroom mirror. Before too long, I won't have to clean the mirror.

Instead of crayon creative artwork on my refrigerator, you will see a copy of The Barron Family mission statement. It says, "The Barron Family Will.... H.O.M.E." Here is our goal:

H - Honor the Lord. We can honor the Lord with our lips and yet our hearts can be far from Him. The people who live with us will be the first to know when we do this. Let's seek to honor Him behind closed doors and live out our devotion to Him in a visible, gentle way as we realize our family is watching.

O - Obey His Word. Obeying His Word at home is not always easy. The Bible tells us to be submissive to our husbands, obey our parents and to love others more than we love ourselves.

M - Minister to One Another. Ministry requires us to love others, reach others, and to lay down our lives for the sake of those God has placed in our lives. This must happen at home first, and yet if we are honest, it is the last place it happens. So, we will not give our family our leftovers.

E - Establish Walls of Truth. We need to be building walls of truth - God's truth, designed not to keep others out but to guard our hearts and give us a safe place to retreat and to rest. These walls of truth make our home a place of retreat when the daily battles wear us out.

I believe we have to become more intentional in living out our Godly integrity. That has to start at home first. Last night I read where some parents send their children outside when they are speaking unkindly to one another. They went on to explain that they are working hard to learn Christ like behavior in their home so they send "wordly behavior" back outside into the world. I thought about my family and began to laugh. The chuckles erupted from the thought of my family setting up camp outside. I pictured our camping chairs out on the front lawn later to be followed by a mini fridge and small television. I then pictured our neighbors driving by and wondering why the Barron's are in the front yard when it is freezing. Think about how peaceful things would be inside. No yelling, no name calling, no noise, and no giving a good talking to. No nothing! Literally sometimes it would be no nothing. This momma would have to be out there preparing dinner on a camping stove due to her careless tongue at times.

I actually thought the idea was pretty cool. No more "Go to your room" but "Go outside". Our computer loving, television addicted children would really dislike that!!! However, I know it would sure make me think more about the verse "I walk in my house with a blameless heart." (Psalm 101:2) The word blameless doesn't mean perfect or sinless. There has to be grace in every home. Blameless is referring to spiritual integrity. It is an active relationship with Jesus that humbles our heart before Him and gives us the desire to act right.

The Barron house is full of our share of mistakes but we are working and praying hard to make our house a H.O.M.E.