I have a confession to make. I used to spend a ridiculous amount of time stressing about seasonal decorating.
As one season blended into the next, my laptop screen would be filled with open tabs linking me to a myriad of ideas. My brain felt like it had just as many open tabs. I was in a constant state of confusion as I wondered how I was going to make everything seem fresh and new each year. This may sound strange to you. But so much of my work and ministry has centered around sharing ideas and inspiration for your heart and home. So there was a very real pressure to provide the latest, greatest, and most Pinterest-worthy content.
Many years ago, I was lying in bed unable to fall asleep. My mind swirled with plans for what to put on my fireplace mantels, how to create the perfect centerpiece for the dining room, and style my kitchen counters in the most Autumnal way possible. But, somewhere in the foggy haze of trying to decide between the corn husk wreath or the bundle of wheat for my front door, I felt a pricking of my spirit.
Why was I allowing my mind to be consumed by these thoughts? I used to enjoy decorating as an extension of the creativity given to me by my Creator. But now I wasted so much time, money, and energy to get the perfect look for Instagram.
In 2 Corinthians 10:5, we are challenged to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
Suddenly, I became aware that the pressure I was putting on myself was causing my thoughts to run around like wild animals. It was past time for me to take them captive.
So, I did.
With my head on my pillow and tears threatening to spill from my eyes, I confessed to my Savior and fell asleep immediately. Friends, I’ve never looked back. Once I took my thoughts captive, I discovered that I actually preferred the simplicity. The less time I spend decorating my home for each season, the more I find I love the results. As I relax, so does my home and the people who have to live with me. Bless their hearts.
Most importantly, the less time I spend comparing my home to those I see in those little squares online, the more time I have to focus on making it a place that embodies the intangible things that I love about each season. And, as we enter the season of Thanksgiving, that means watching as our maple tree turns glorious shades of red and gold and orange. It means welcoming friends to our home for a chili dinner followed by board games. It means gathering around the fire pit outside, warming our hands and toes as we savor the last few days of perfectly crisp weather.
Decorating for each season should always be about simply enhancing what is already there. And, when what is already there is a home centered around a harvest of laughter and joy and grace and community, it doesn’t take much to improve upon it.
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