This last week, we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. The humidity has been crazy high, and it’s been impossible to be outside. So when the sun came out this morning, I was ready to soak it in. I made my way outside with a towel that I used to dry off a chair and the small table we keep on our deck. I carried out my morning time supplies~a candle, my coffee, and a fly swatter because the flys are crazy out there.

It was early, so it wasn’t super hot yet; and it was quiet. The girls were still in bed, and Matt took Malachi out to get some early morning driving time in. Malachi’s working on accumulating his sixty hours needed to get his license. So, it was just me.

A Look Into Our Backyard

Let me give you a picture of my back deck and yard both literally and figuratively. When I step out back, there are no views of the mountains. There’s no lake, and no view of the beach. The view in our backyard is…houses. And trees. Wet swimsuits and towels that should have been brought inside before the rain hang from the railings. There’s overgrowth that I need to cut down…again and a deck that needs to be restained…again. A random Lowe’s bucket sits in the corner, holding birdseed for our bird feeder that fell over during one of the storms over the weekend. There’s a tree that needs to be taken down.

And yet, as I sat here and do my morning time, I look over and catch a glimpse of sun rays coming through the trees by one of our neighbor’s houses. And in this moment of stillness, the start of a brand new day, I see the beauty of this life right here, right now. Those wet swimsuits? Those are evidence of my precious children and reminders of the laughter and fun they have in the pool. The Lowe’s container with birdseed reminds me of all the birds we see and hear in out backyard, calling out every morning. Those sun rays remind me that the sun came up today, and it will rise again tomorrow. And just as the sun rises faithfully every single morning, God will be walk with me through today and through tomorrow.

Sacred Places

It’s a beautiful life when you stop and consider it. Is it perfect? No, but if you look for beauty, you will find it. So this small table on my back deck becomes a sacred place, a place where I connect with God. A place where I am reminded of His faithfulness, His favor, and His many blessings.

There are a few sacred places in my home besides my spot outside. There’s my spot at the dining table where I do my morning time routine most mornings. There’s my writing desk upstairs in my room where I try to keep mementos and pictures of the amazing places we’ve traveled where I’ve gotten to see the beauty of God’s creation up close.

I’m working on making another sacred place in what used to be our homeschool room. We cleaned it out and repainted it and are planning on getting rid of the table we’ve had in there for years and replacing it with two overstuffed chairs, a lamp, and a rug. We want to make this a reading room.

Making Sacred Places

Making sacred places is all about looking past what is and seeing what could be. It’s about finding a place to connect to God and get away from the chaos of life for just a little bit. It’s about being able to renew your peace and find some breathing room for your soul.

Where’s your sacred place at home? If you don’t have one, where could you make one?

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, Finding Inspiration and Creativity through Beauty. For some inspiration, check out these books by Myquillin Smith. Matt bought me two of these books while we were on vacation. She has great ideas on how to decorate and create inviting, cozy spaces on a budget.