CREATING A ‘NEW’ HOUSE OF ORDER
There are so many voices out there, and so many ‘experts’, but no free thinkers. Everybody is on their own path all while the home front is falling apart. It seems like many good people are just focused on themselves becoming sanctified but forgetting it is not just about us, it is also about what goes on in our homes and on lands, too. I love how we have scriptures and the inspired teachings of the prophets to teach us what to do on all topics, and how we can bless our families if we just turn to them. It is about learning how to heal our homes the way God intended it to be done, putting our homes in order, which cannot be neglected. So what role as mothers do we have in this order, healing and beautification process with our children and family?
For the last 8+years I have loved studying a House of Order found in Doctrine and Covenants section 109 when it says:
7 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best abooks words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;
8 Organize yourselves; aprepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a bhouse of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of corder, a dhouse of God;
9 That your aincomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High
As we have worked together to build spiritually a new home and strengthen our foundation as a family (long ways to still go!). It was really hard to leave our little 100 year old home we loved in Manti. We had adorned the land and turned it to beautiful organic gardens, planting over 80 trees and many herbs and flowers. This was a place we all came together as a family, to learn HOW to be a family. However, for some reason I believe God has a plan for us, to now learn how to transform a house to a home, physically.
In November 20123 we bought a fixer-upper. This home needed so much work done to it to even begin to live in it, beginning with the awful pet smell. We removed all the carpets, redid the floors and baseboards, small kitchen remodeling, paint (every room/ceiling was dark hideous colors), all new lighting as they were all homemade lights, and so on, and so on. We stripped this home down to its bare bones removing trailer loads of junk from it. In one month we made enough progress we could move in and finish the rest as we lived there. However, tiresome it has been we now have a house livable as we continue with the many small tasks of personalizing rooms and space. Not only has our focus been inside, but outside, with 1.5 acres we have grounds that need to be healed from erosion, abuse with chemicals and neglect. We also need to give the outside a facelift that is inviting for others
Our ancestor’s beliefs were etched in the ground as they worked to cultivate the land, construct fences, dig irrigation ditches, and build homes and gardens here in the Rocky Mountains. Every act of gardening, grafting, weeding, and harvesting was, potentially, a holy act, part of the process of creating a sacred space. Brigham Young taught the saints how to rebuild after their hard journey here to Utah. They were to rebuild upon the principle of “holiness.”
Brigham said, “This earth, in its present condition and situation, is not a fit habitation for the sanctified. . . .”This earth must become a paradise-must be purged of the sin that has been upon it for many generations, for all sin and iniquity must be swept from it, and a people be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.”. . . “Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations.”
So, as a mother what will I continue to do with this house and land to make it ‘holy’? How will I bring the angels to come and visit? We begin at the beginning, at ground zero just like we did spiritually. We will use this home to testify of God’s goodness, his mercy in rescuing our family, and share of those things that are important to us. If we were to peek behind the veil that temporarily separates us from our heavenly home we would see a lovely and vitreous existence there. Someday we will live in a home and environment of infinite refinement and beauty, that is reflected in the language, literature, music, art, gardens, decor, colors, design and simplicity. All of this adding to a home of order. So my desire is to create that now with my family, beginning with this new home.
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