Home Keeping: Comfort

Dictionary.com says the following about the word Comfort.

com·fort

  [kuhm-fert]  Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1.

to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to: They tried to comfort her after her loss.

2.

to make physically comfortable.

3.

Obsolete . to aid; support or encourage.

noun

4.

relief in affliction; consolation; solace: Her presence was a comfort to him.

5.

a feeling of relief or consolation: Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.

6.

a person or thing that gives consolation: She was a great comfort to him.

7.

a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction: The patient's recovery was a comfort to the doctor.

8.

a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety: He is a man who enjoys his comfort.

The older I get the more I love this word.  I long for our home to be a place of comfort and encouragement for my family and my friends.  Likewise, I like for this blog - my home on the web - to be a comforting place for those of you who visit me here.  I want you to be comfortable when you come to my house or blog.  I want you to feel our welcome of you and for you to know we care about you.

Coming home from this trip to Florida was comforting.  Our home welcomes us, and we feel at peace here.  There is the rhythm of life here that we know and love.  In a world where there is chaos and uncertainty, it is delightful to have this kind of haven.

Why is coming home such a big deal to us?  After all we just got back from being able to go to the beach, swim in the pool, eat out, be with family we don't see often.  Why the joy in being home?

I think it is because we have made this home a place of comfort and consolation.  We know that we have comfy places to sit and candles and good food, and tea and coffee to share.  Our beds are comfortable and there are places to put your feet up in the living room.  Quiet spaces to read, a table with chairs to sit at on the deck with candle light in the evenings.

Our children and our granddaughter will have the memories of growing up here - playing in the creek, catching frogs and fireflies, collecting eggs from the chickens, riding on the horses.  They will have the memories of picking flowers from the garden, and picking strawberries.  Our friends kids will have those memories too, and of tea parties, and lots and lots of laughter.  The comfort of a home and family life that is centered on the Lord.

I think the ultimate comfort is to know and be known - to know that you are accepted and to know the comfort of the One from whom all comforts come from.  One who gives us companions to share joys and sorrows with, to comfort those who need it with the same kind of comfort we were comforted with.

2 Corinthians 1:4  - who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

This has been an important truth that has played out in our lives over the years, and we have been both comforted by others when we were going through a struggle, and we have been allowed to be comforters to people who were likewise struggling.  We could comfort them, because we had been comforted and we understood.

I hope that you all have made this kind of life for yourself.  It takes thought and it takes sacrifice but there is such a rich reward, that it makes it all worthwhile.

The post I intended to write was just a chatty one about getting home and back into a routine and getting the kids off to their conference.  But I guess that God had other ideas about this post.  The importance of comfort in uncertain times.  And in case you don't know, Jesus is the source of all comfort.  Look to Him to see how you can make your home a place of comfort and welcome for others.  A haven of encouragement and friendship, that will be a blessing to others and to yourself.

I'd love to hear how your home comforts you and others.

Count Your Blessings

Thank you for praying for my cousin, Lisa.  She says, "My faith in God is holding me up."  I know that in the days to come she will be tempted to "curse God and die" as Job was encouraged to do.   The enemy of our souls loves to come into the midst of our pain, and bring more hurt, in the form of doubt and accusation.  I want to remember to up hold her in prayer in the days to come as I am now.  Her son's funeral is today at 2:00pm, so this will be another horrible day for her and the family.

This song was on my mind this morning.  This is a "lighthearted" style hymn that I grew up singing in church, but the words are true.    I feel like with the truths of this song, it should be sung with a more majestic tune.  Do you all know this song?

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
   
   

I love songs that tell about God character, goodness, mercy, love…and not the ones that talk about me and how I am going to worship him or love him or lift him up…I will fail and He never can. 

During this week that focuses on Thanksgiving, I always work to be deliberate in our focus of thankfulness for what we have, especially since we are headed into the season of what we want.  I don't mean to say that we demand or have things we think we deserve, but I always want my children to learn to 'Count their blessings.'  

When they start to grumble about things, I try to remind them that compared to most of the world we are wealthy beyond imagination!  Why each of us have our own beds - with pillows, and warm blankets.  We have four bedrooms and two bathrooms IN THE HOUSE!  Hot water, too, with a turn of the knob.  Add to that clothes, shoes, coats, hats, toys, computers, music and musical instruments, our health…well, you can see our blessings.  We are overflowing with them.

It's humbling to be so well cared for.

How about you?  Care to share your blessings?

I've Been Trying To Rest, Really I Have!

Why, oh why, is it so hard?

My cold lingers on and is wiping me out.  I have been trying since Monday to just spend a day in bed, RESTING.  

I know that it is because I am wife and Momma to my precious family.  They need me and want me.  I am glad of that and thankful!

When Momma has a cold, she is still needed for help with math, to listen to a young reader, to encourage another dear child.

I am thankful to be called upon to walk these paths with my children.  I am thankful for His care, knowing just what we need.

Now I am off to sneak in a nap, before I must go out to a dinner tonight.