Sunday, September 21, 2014

Fall Decorating and Image Bearing

This week holds the very first official day of Fall and to celebrate I am sipping on a latte, wearing one of my favorite fall jackets and sitting in the corner of a coffee shop with my favorite guy.

Even though fall technically starts this week, I have been embracing and anticipating this fall season now for several weeks. Yes, I am keenly aware that I may be among the minority in this, but my excitement for the season is not easily quenched!

Last weekend I took all of my pent up fall lovin' and let it explode all over our home. It began with a pot of chili and homemade bread, then moved on to the dining room with pumpkin centerpieces and pinecones, it continued with football and a sweatshirt, then ended with homemade applesauce and a good book. Cozy and satisfied. Every last fiber of my being was exactly that.

I posted a few pictures of my fall-crazed materializations and thought nothing of it. No one really took interest in my home decor ideas right? That was my thought anyway, until Tuesday morning came along.

 My beautiful friend caught me off guard when I received a text with a job for me to consider. I'm usually up for a challenge, so I responded with a somewhat hesitant, "sure, what did you have in mind?" I wasn't expecting what came next but oh boy was I in for a treat!

In all my life this little "job" was something that I have literally dreamed about, and my Pinterest board would tell you the same!

My task: Make her home look like fall, on a budget.

After the initial elation subsided and I was able to think like a sane person, I agreed and began forming a plan. If I was going to do this job well, I had to get a vision for what my "client" ( feels silly calling her that but for the purposes of this post I'm going to roll with it.) wanted to feel and see when she walked into her transformed space.

This fun little decorating task was a confidence builder for me. Deep down, I desperately want to use my passion for design and the creative eye that Lord has given me, and be the very best steward I can be.

Honestly though, if I can be completely candid, I struggle to see myself in the eyes of the Lord. Often times I dismiss the compliments and encouragement far too quickly without acknowledging that I might actually in-fact be good at something. It's because I forget to remember in the forefront who gave me these passions and gifts in the first place.

My sweet Savior made me in his image. HIS IMAGE! How many times have I failed to recognize the beauty of how intricately God made me? My creativity comes directly from Him. When I use this gift of creativity it is a direct reflection that I am indeed created in the image of God.

It's amazing to me how God can use something as simple as fall decorations to bring me back to Him. I am unashamedly humbled and astonished by His constant weaving in and through my everyday life as he reveals His Glory to me in the simple-deep moments. Truly astounding!

The colors of Autumn are brilliant to me, I think that is why I am so inthralled by this season. Today I am  Thankful for a creative God who shares pieces of His splendor with me!