The Not So Hidden Art

Thirty or so years ago I came across a book that breathed life into my new vocation as a stay-at-home mother and homeschooler. It was The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer. Her words spoke to my heart about wanting to create a space that was warm, welcoming, and nurturing. I don't know that I always succeeded well in that endeavor, but it certainly gave me a goal to strive for.

Her definition of making a "home" was very different from my understanding of keeping "house." Some of the elements were similar, but with the first, everything seemed to have a greater purpose. She helped me understand that there is art in creating a space that lifts and encourages those who inhabit it, and that art can be expressed in a million little ways... even in the seemingly mundane and everyday.

Advice was plentiful about using fresh eyes to see and use what we have in new and creative ways. In essence, she was teaching me to try my best to elevate the ordinary. What it took to do just that was wealth... a wealth of imagination and a healthy dose of attention to detail.

I have to laugh, actually, when I think about my initial efforts to adhere to her principles. I can safely say I took a number of missteps before settling into this idea, but once there, I never looked back! It thrilled me to no end to discover how something so insignificant as a mint sprig perched on the rim of a tea glass or the "pop" of a basil leaf topping tomato soup could make simple staples look like a million bucks. I was hooked.

Tom didn't always share my enthusiasm for these little artful touches, but he didn't really discourage me either because I think he instinctively knew that in my heart I was a creative, and I needed a way to let that speak. I gleefully continue to paint furniture, embellish food, toss blankets over chairs, and rearrange furniture. These little touches don't cost much, but they contribute in untold ways to making this little casita of ours "home," and they also feed my soul.

It really takes so little to elevate this ordinary... this everyday life we live. A lit candle. A pot of mums at the door. A doily adorning the top of a lampshade. These small touches remind us to be thankful for all that is lovely in the world. I believe God put in each of us a craving for beauty, and a desire to create it wherever we can, because He is the Creator of all. Each of us came from His hand, so His fingerprints are left on our hearts, and that imprint manifests itself in our own creativity.

A few years ago I wrote a post on Facebook describing the "art" of making our bed each morning. It's become a ritual of sorts. I fluff the pillows and run my hands over the quilt to smoothe it before placing and fluffing the duvet at the foot. Once, Tom asked about the attention to detail I was putting into something that was just going to get messed up again as soon as evening came. I explained to him, "It is my widow's mite. It is my prayer of gratitude to my heavenly Father for His provision and care." Tom never questioned it again.

I don't think the art of homemaking is hidden at all. It's right there in plain sight in all the minute touches that speak of love and care and devotion to the greatest ornaments of home...

the people we love.