Your Shelves Are Fine if You Don't "Restyle Them for Spring"

The role of "influencer" has overtaken social media over the last few years. Open up any social media page and you will find the latest cleaning hack, workout plan, DIY project, and self care promotion. Now I have certainly taken advantage of some of these tools and tricks that have crossed my screen because it truly is helpful! However, all good things in moderation, right? What happens when we are constantly bombarded with the latest trends? We fall into a state of comparison. And while this comparison is usually referenced to us women comparing our physical appearances to others, I have also fallen victim to comparing my home to others as well. I see the latest home trends, renovation ideas, and decor influence and can't help but look around and covet what someone else may have in their home. Thankfully, the Lord not only convicted me of this jealousy and discontentment but faithfully DELIVERED me from it. So, I'm here to tell you, sis, your shelves are fine if you don't "restyle them for Spring".

I think back 3 years ago to when I first left my job teaching public elementary school to stay home with my newborn son. Now while I was never BORED learning how to raise my first baby, there was a point when we settled into our groove and figured each other out enough to where I entered into that sweet season of finally regaining some free time. Unfortunately, I fell into a role of desiring this glamorous lifestyle of the stay-at-home mom who carried the designer bag, took her baby out  shopping, and grabbing an iced coffee or glass of wine just because I didn't have anything else to do. So what would I do? I'd scroll through Instagram, come across the latest home decor influencing post, throw my son in the car and head to Homegoods without a care in the world! I have always, and still do, take pride in my home and it's appearance. If we're being honest, maybe TOO much pride sometimes, but that's a work between me and the Lord that He's still working. But while it is an honorable thing as a homemaker, wife, and mom to keep her home, indulging in it as part of your identity compared to someone else crosses the honorable line into idolatry territory. This is where I found myself. Christmas holiday, it was nothing to go drop hundreds of dollars on the trending holiday decor. Fall season, another few hundred dollars for the cute pumpkin display up my walkway. Then, in no particular season at all, running to the store to find a new plant or area rug because I had grown discontent with having the same old same old. Are you catching the trend here? Discontentment. Discontentment in what the Lord had so GRACIOUSLY given me that was an outward expression of deeper discontentment actually living in my heart. How do I know it was discontentment? Because guess what would happen. As soon as I got home and unloaded and perfectly placed my latest finds, the shininess wore off, and I found a new corner of my home that needed updating. All this discontentment I could have been bringing to the Lord, the one true source of peace, I was instead shoveling a newer, prettier house on top of. It wasn't until the Lord broke me and told me, "Okay Heather, look at this home you think YOU have built here. Never mind the fact that none of this is even yours anyways, but what are you DOING with it? Are you inviting anyone into your home to share life with them? All this time you spend shopping and planning how to make your home appear nicer, what if you used it to actually fill your home with more of my fruit? Are you loving your family well? Being intentional with your children? Utilizing what you already have to glorify me? The more you think you are beautifying your home to keep up with the influencing Jones's, the farther you get from me." 

Well, I could keep going, but I think you get the idea. I had made the appearance of my home an idol. And that's part of a lie that Satan wants us to keep on believing. The weights that hold us back from the Lord and keep us distanced from him sometimes, aren't even bad things. Wanting to keep a nice home, wanting the pay raise to provide more for your children, so many things that while they aren't necessarily bad, can turn into idols if we aren't careful to keep God on the throne of our heart first. 

The other day, I saw a post on how to "restyle your shelves for spring". And honestly, they were GORGEOUS and festive and seasonal and the woman who posted it really did have such an eye for design! I loved it, BUT I kept scrolling, and that was that. Because I looked up and saw some simple bookends with a Bible and some of my favorite reads, a shelves filled with books for my kids to read. I saw the couple decorative vases on the mantle, and the scratch on the wall where my son's "sweeping" got a little out of hand. Now, I see a home that is a GIFT to raise my family in and grow in relationship with other women in, filled with stuff that I can't even take into heaven with me anyways. So, you don't have to restyle your shelves for spring, or fall, or Christmastime. Just remember to thank God first and see where that takes you in that season.