Creating the Home

With our upcoming nuptuals in March, there is lots of change happening in our lives and our home.

We are creating and reinventing our little home for our new family unit.  Its been fun to slowly move Mr. Paul’s things in and replace some of our wall hangings with his.  I love sitting in his chair in our living room early in the morning, sipping coffee and contemplating the things of God.  We’ve painted walls and repurposed spaces.  The kids have inherited new things as well from their soon to be ‘bonus dad’.  There is more to come and whereas Mr. Paul is temporarily homeless and has a storage unit full of his stuff and lives out of a suitcase moving from place to place, we are thankfull for God’s provisions and enjoying the transition.  Soon he’ll be settled and will indeed be able to call our house his home.

I love getting organized and cleaning spaces and drawers and such.  Once I start its hard to stop because the benefit and reward of a well organized space is priceless!  Its so good that it has spread over to my office and we’ve made some changes there.  We’ve been living in disorganized caous at our offices since August.  There were some changes and we have just been taking care of the important things, just getting the work done.  Yesterday we had some time to move some stuff and get all my work space into one room, instead of split between 2 desk:)  I just love it!  Every thing is where it should be and I feel more productive already!

As I was moving around my office and putting things away I came accross a list that grounded me to a place of sanity for years.  It is a list of our human rights in relationships.  It reminded me today of where I’ve come and gave me great hope for what is ahead.  I thought I’d share it with you.  These are basic rights that you are entitled to in your relationships with others.  If they aren’t part of your life you should move to higher ground.  Love yourself enough to take care of you.  Love yourself enough to insist upon these things.  God does!

The right to goodwill from the other

The right to emotional support

The right to be heard by the other and to be responded to with courtesy

The right to have your own view, even if your mate has a different view

The right to have your feelings and expericnec acknowledged as real

The right to receive a sincere apology for any jokes you find offensive

The right to clar and informative answers to questions that concern what is legitimately your business

The right to live free form accusation and blame

The right to live free from criticism and judgement

The right to have your work and your interests spoken of with respect

The right to encouragement

The right to live free from emotional and physical threat

The right to live free from angry outbursts and rage

The right to be called by no name that devalues you

The right to be respectully asked rather than ordered

 

The things on that list go a long way in creating a home.  A safe place for all to flourish.  Its like organization for respect.  I love it and I’m glad I found it to share with you.  Why don’t you go clean a corner of your space and share with me a little something you find there!