How Safe Is Your Home?

Ok so you met Oscar, now back to my serious self.  For those of you who don’t know I am the President of the Serious Club in our house.  The catch is, I’m the only official member.  Everyone else is part of the Silly Club.

Five years though after those clubs were formed I think we may need to revisit who is a member of what.  If I can say so myself, I think I’m getting funnier.  And I’m not going to mention names, but some are  getting a whole lot more serious (perhaps what being a church-planter does:) to you).

But, seriously… I’m still pondering issues from my first post about true friendships or any close relationship, needing to have loyalty, safety and unity.

So my question today – Is your home safe?

Not safe in that you live in a gated neighborhood, have a security system or Beware of Dog sign.

Or, safe in case of natural disaster. Which means having a tornado shelter if you live in Oklahoma!

I mean Safe in the sense that it’s a Safe Haven!

A place your spouse wants to come home to.  A reprieve after a long day.  A place to find rest and joy. After a long day of work, maybe being beat up in the world, the last thing any of us want is to come home to nagging. Or a giant to-do list!

A place your kids can be themselves.  A place they enjoy hanging out.  A place they want to bring their friends.  After dealing with the pressures at school amongst peers and keeping up appearances, balancing school work and extra activities, is home a place they can process their successes and failures and all their emotions including sadness, loneliness and excitement?

Does everyone in the home feel safe to freely share their heart.  Or, is there fear of judgment or shame?

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I don’t want to hear the deeper thoughts, hurts or trials of my family member because then it effects me!  And quite honestly messes with my agenda.  I’ld prefer to just brush it off and pretend it’s not there so I don’t have to stop what I”m doing and have a real heart-to-heart conversation.  Or then maybe lose sleep thinking about it which effects MY next day.

Sometimes I find myself trying to fix everybody so they look a little more perfect.  I mean if someone saw what he had on or heard what she just said, you might think less of us.  So instead I criticize and condemn them.

But wait, this is my home I’m talking about.  The people I love most.  The people I want to be safe.  And here I go knocking them down or dismissing them.

Lord, have mercy on ME, a sinner in need of grace.  Every day…grace.  To make my home a place of grace…and safety.

I must depend on Him for my rest and safety first.  For His wisdom and strength, so I can then pour that out to my family and others.

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