Hello, Fancy Friends!

Let’s continue our conversation about “rare and beautiful” treasures in our homes.  One of the things I love about conversation is that you can’t always predict where it will go.  I sat down to write this post with a plan.  I’m a planner!  And I know that must amuse God endlessly, because quite often my plans take a slightly different direction than what I want or intend.    Today, my “plan” wasn’t working.  I didn’t have all the photos I wanted, the words just didn’t come.  Nothing was resonating.  But there were nuggets in there I just couldn’t quite mine.  So after wrestling with myself at the keyboard for a while, I gave it over to God.

Okay, Lord…what do YOU want me to write about?  What can I share that will be meaningful?

I read through some verses in my Bible.  Prayed and thought for a bit. Folded laundry.  Emptied the dishwasher.  Went to Target. {You’d be amazed at how THAT can clear or muddle the thinking!}.  And when I got home I checked email before sitting down to tackle this post once again.

Many of you may know I’m in the midst of a major dining room overhaul that I sharing over at Decor & More.  And in my inbox was a sweet comment from a faithful blogging friend and reader, Megan from Balancing Home.

I wanted to tell you that I love how much history you have in your dining room. Everything seems to have a story. I love it!!

Long after I’d replied my thanks and acknowledged how blessed I am to have such wonderful “treasures”, her comment kept running through my mind.  Everything seems to have a story.

She’s right.  I have beautiful pieces with stories.  My grandmother’s buffet.

I have silver baby spoons belonging to myself and my children.

I have watercolors my grandmother painted in an art class back in the 1950’s.

These are just a handful of the blessings with stories in my home.  And I’m fully aware of how blessed I am to have these lovely pieces.

But treasures don’t have to be pieces of furniture handed down or a painting by a loved relative or friend.  One of the definitions of “treasure” is “any thing or person greatly valued or highly prized.” (via Dictionary.com).

Any thing or person.

Our homes are full of things.  And in many cases (mine, too!) full of persons.  Have you ever thought of the things and persons in your home as treasures?  Brittany wrote a fabulous post yesterday about seeing our children and our child-rearing years as treasure.  Danielle has reminded us that not only are our spouses treasures, but so are the differences between us!

What if you looked at the things in your home with new eyes — with treasure-seeking eyes?

Would you see your family photographs the same way?  Or would they have a treasured story to tell?  Would you see your great-grandmother’s recipe the same way?  Would you see that collection of seashells from your beach trip the same way? Or that card you saved that your best friend wrote you in your time of need?  Or your husband’s prized T-shirt he wears to fish in?  Okay, maybe not that last one… *wink, wink.

Let’s expand our thinking about what we have in our homes!  Let’s treasure the stories even our smallest and simplest things  have.  I would venture to say that if we can put aside the wishing-our -homes-were beautifully-furnished-and-pulled-together mindset  (I have a plank in MY eye as I type this!), and really really look at our homes with treasure-seeking eyes… well, I bet we find more rare and beautiful treasures than we could count.

Happy Treasure-Seeking!

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