Choosing a Life Giving Home (in a World that Doesn’t Want You To)
Recently, I have been rising early to study the Bible and reading The Life Giving Home by Sally Clarkson before bed. After work, if I’m not playing with my daughter or doing chores, I’m usually baking bread or making breakfast from scratch to freeze—like protein bars or egg sandwiches with veg. My husband and I also practice yoga together or work out regularly, catch up over shared meals, and watch lighthearted TV. We split our housework equally, because our family motto is to be a blessing to others.
I share these daily habits not because they represent the ideal of what home life should look like, but because they are what make our home delightful to us.
I invite you to think about what makes your home delightful. Is it baking fresh cookies every Sunday afternoon or dancing whenever the mood strikes? Is it hosting friends and family regularly, Pizza nights, or snuggling in front of the fireplace when it snows?
Now I want you to think about what takes away from the warm and loving nature of your family’s culture. Consider the hobbies and habits that break the “spell” of a happy home, inviting negativity where love and hope should dwell. Guard your heart against these things, because as Sally Clarkson says, “Home is your garden of life, so to speak…you are free to order it and plant it as you will.”
Do you really wish to plant weeds amongst your daisies?
One type of content we avoid in our home is true crime. These shows are often produced to emphasize brutality and gruesome details—the more horrific, the more “entertaining” they are meant to be. But should we really be entertained by such actions? For our family, the answer is “no.” It doesn’t feel morally right to us to find joy in another’s perversions–especially not one that leads to the taking of someone’s life. Which is why this type of content often leaves my husband and me with a lingering sense of horror and dread, rather than contributing to a lifegiving home.
Similarly, we are not fans of social media. Its creators have admitted that it is designed to take advantage of us, and that it can make real life feel unfulfilling. Just as I wouldn’t walk into a casino or a bar every day, I choose not to regularly feed into this modern addiction. Frankly, I don’t see the point. Why would I engage in something that makes me less appreciative of my daughter’s smile, the warmth of my husband’s embrace, and the beautiful life we share together, here and now, in real time? A “like” from an aquaintance feels lukewarm in comparison to sharing life with those who are actually willing to experience its highs and lows with us.
From the outside, our family’s boundaries may look restrictive. It’s ok. We are used to making unpopular decisions.
From the inside, they feel like freedom. By being intentional about what we allow into our minds, bodies, and our home, we are not denying ourselves pleasures or avoiding reality—we are choosing to build our own world. Darkness will always exist, but we are not obligated to engage with it at every turn. By protecting what is good and life-giving, we give the light space to grow.
What are some ways you keep your home a warm, welcoming, and lovely space for your family to dwell in?
