A Poloroid Moment
Do not judge my story by the chapter you walked in on."
-unknown
Have you ever judged someone based on a snapshot of their life? I hate to admit it- but I have. I even judged Michal, a woman in the Bible, based on an interaction with her husband, David. (AKA: Goliath killing slingshot expert, man after God’s heart, Bathsheba's stalker, forgiven king)
We learn that Michal despised David and “When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" (2 Samuel 6: 20) David responded, Hey- the Lord made me King, and not your father, so I am going to party- "I will become even more undignified than this!” (2 Samuel 6:22)
Michal, wet blanket much? Your husband is worshipping the Lord and celebrating Him. He can dance, sing, let loose and party because God is faithful. You don't love the Lord as David does and apparently, you're an awful wife.
However, these verses are merely a quick polaroid of Michal's life. Let's back up and understand Michal's full story. In 1 Samuel we learn that Michal loved David greatly, so her Father, King Saul, after some deceit and trickery, gave Michal to David in marriage as a prize. Saul hated David and decided to kill him. But Michal risked her life to protect David from her father’s men and implemented a brilliant escape plan, saving his life. (1 Samuel 19:7–11) Saul ended Michal's marriage to David and sent Michal to wed, Palti, son of Laish. Later, when David became King, he decided he wanted Michal back since he won her from Saul. David sent men to remove her from her home forcibly. We read her new husband, Palti, followed after her weeping as they took her back to David (2 Samuel 3:14–16). (Side Note: Netflix original dramas have nothing on Scripture. Move over Bloodline.) The next time we pick up with Michal is when she sees David dancing half-naked in front of the slave girls.
If we judge Michal based on the first scene, we fail to know the whole person of Michal. She is so much more than just one interaction. Every day we come across people who have a story. A story of pain, hurt and brokenness. When we jump to judge and write people off due to one snapshot, we fail to see their humanity; we miss out on their story and the opportunity to show Christ's love. We all have bad days or months (okay years) where we react out of our hurt. What would it look like Church if we pour out grace and love instead of quick judgment?
Okay- time to transition into pretty house stuff....
Many times when clients invite us into their homes, they apologize for the mess or generally how their homes look. BUT, we thank you for welcoming us into the mess- we love getting to know people and helping them make a home that is comfortable and reflects their story. We know life is messy and insta-perfect lives are make-believe.
Last week our team had an opportunity to surprise a sweet woman on her return from caring for her elderly parents. She invited us into her home to create a space where every seat had a light and a place to put a drink.
We started by painting the brick surround the same color as the mantel. Then, we covered the brass with a matte black high heat durable spray. We had the homeowner remove the sconce; we moved the love seat and placed a small glass table beside it. The coffee table is from Wayfair, and the wheels allow her daughter to scoot it closer to the sofa since the living room is her preferred homework space. We added the baskets underneath for extra books and school supplies. Our client is a violin teacher, and her daughter plays beautifully, so we printed out sheet music and placed it on the mantel to help tell their story.
The old space needed a system in place to help keep the family organized. They like to spend their time in this beloved room so pulling it together with extra storage was a priority.
The homeowner loves botanical so this was easy. We sell these botanicals at our pop-up shops and I am obsessed with them! They are so pretty- just one or six layered over the sofa.
The TV needed to remain in its original spot. So we wanted to open the space up yet make it feel included in the whole room. By removing the curtains, and the gallery wall and adding the rug, we accomplished both goals. We love these shelves from Uttermost that frame the window.
We will be posting a video with more details and helpful hints soon plus see the homeowners reaction to the transformation!
