I continue to learn how to build a beautiful and joyful home environment where people want to gather. I coax my teens out of their bedrooms with hot tea and some fresh treat always ready after school. I’m learning how to make spaces where they want to linger with me and others.
Lately, it’s keeping environments tidy and orderly with surfaces ready for homework or baking. It’s having candles lit, music playing, and snacks arranged. It’s having elements to foster coziness like freshly laundered blankets, soft pillows on the couches, and warm lighting. It’s having books and magazines to read, a promise of a movie we’ll all watch, or supplies set out for a seasonal craft as simple as paper snowflake cutting.
I’m learning how to make irresistible settings for people to gather and connect. It’s an art form and ministry, so I’m learning from others whenever I enter a new home or learn from another family. I ask questions about the food served and the elements of a joyful, relaxed environment. I take notes and revise.
I think about my own presence in the space as calm and cheerful, as creative and inquisitive (but not too much). I’m learning to listen and create a demeanor of availability by having my phone and computer far away. I’m learning!