The Time I thought Throw Pillows were Silly

I know that most men would probably agree with the title of this blog post. I’m pretty sure my husband does as well. My friends and I have swapped countless stories of how our spouses don’t understand the need for all these tiny, plush squares in our lives, but yes there was a time when I too wondered what the big deal was as well. I mean, they are just throw pillows? Yet it’s not silly to want to love our homes or Love the spaces we Live in, and find comfort in them. Our homes can impact our emotional well being greatly, and offer us security with how they welcome us in after our a long hard day. So why did I used to think throw pillows were silly? Today I’m sharing the journey of how I went from wondering what the big deal was, to embracing all the power they hold in making our spaces feel just little bit more cozy.

Come and Join me ~

The sign that hangs in our living room below has special meaning to me. To others at first glance that’s all that it would appear to be, a piece of decor. But to me it serves as a reminder of why I do the things I do.

You see there was a time when I really loved home decor, but used to think that throw pillows were silly. But then I would ask myself, “if they were so silly than why did they have to be such an important of our home?” Because it really wasn’t about “having” stuff, as much as it was about wanting our home to reflect a warm and cozy environment that welcomed us in.

Home has always been very important to me, and I’ve loved home decor all the back to about 7th grade, that I can remember. I grew up in a church that was pretty stearn on their teachings, and often-times as a kid, church came across as more of a list of things you don’t do vs. having a personal relationship in my faith. Among that firm list of things you don’t do, there was a strong emphasis on not desiring the things of the world or storing up earthly possessions.

As a kid, it was simple concept. I took that as “don’t want what your neighbor has”, and “don’t be a lover of money or stuff”. OK, easy, because as a kid I didn’t have my own money and I was content with the things I had. My parents did alright, so I wasn’t really lacking in the things department. No, I didn’t get everything I wanted, but I had my own bedroom, enough clothes in my drawers, and plenty of toys to play with.

However, as an adult, I struggled when my passion for home decor really started to surface, and I “thought” it would conflict with my faith.

I loved all things home. Picking out furniture, trying new paint colors, tiny little knick knacks, and YES – throw pillows.

I’ve shared before how at 13, my first computer game I ever picked out was interior design software that allowed you to create floor plans for homes. And if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my 13 yr. old self would confidently give you the answer Interior Designer.

Yet as an adult, I internally struggled with loving all the things that make a home cozy and inviting, and not wanting to be considered a “lover of material possessions” that my preacher had so firmly warned against from the pulpit when I was a kid.

One day, I finally took my struggle to God. I was taking photos in our dining room for a spring tablescape blog post a few years ago, and found myself completely at peace with my inner self feeling like I was 100% aligned perfectly with my purpose, when I cried out to God ” why did you make me to love all theses things about home so much, if we aren’t supposed to have too many material possessions?”.

I said it outloud, with no one else in the room, with as much honesty and heart felt conviction that I could muster up.

As soon as I said those words out loud, I felt relief. Like this inner struggle that I had been battling in my heart all those years, was finally brought to light. All of a sudden I didn’t feel conflicted anymore over my faith or my purpose.

I felt peace.

And then I felt like God whispered back to my heart, “I love home too”. I love all the things that make up a home. That make it welcoming, and warm and cozy, and comfortable. That make it a place to find rest.

What I realized during the conversation I had in my heart that day, was that God was never against those things. In fact, he’s very much for all the things that make a home lovely and inviting. The piece I was missing, or never heard taught upon, was that when those things become unbalanced, and the love for money and things becomes greater than our love for God or his people, that is when we need to take caution.

It’s a matter of the heart. Not meant to be a struggle, but a perspective to keep in balance.

Sure, if I was coveting my neighbors home, and all the fine things they had decorated it with. Or began only comparing my home to others, or allowed the need for wanting new things to make my spending out of control, and put us into debt over it- then yep absolutely, God would not want me to be consumed with the things of the world.

But I wasn’t doing any of that. I was just living out my passion and a love for home from deep within.

When I was only focusing on what things would be like if they were unbalanced in my heart, I was missing out on the purpose of all the good things, and the gift that home can mean not only to us, but to those we share it with.

It’s ok to want to have nice things. It’s ok to want to make our homes cozy and inviting, so that others (including ourselves) feel welcomed – because that is God’s heart for home too. Even if that means we have a love for throw pillows too!

What I realized that day was that I wasn’t contradicting my faith if I wanted to fill my home with nice things. If anything, I was sharing the gift that God had given me – to love home – with others around me, in person and online with you too!

I know it may seem silly to talk about faith and throw pillows in the same post, but it was something I struggled with, and would feel guilty about for a long time. Until I had that heart to heart with God, and got clarity on the things I was struggling with, did I finally have peace about buying decor for our home, and maybe in sharing my story you find peace too. Or at least know that God has a love for home too!

And that is what the scripture verse on this sign in our living room reminds me of everytime I see it. God brought this scripture verse to me, to show me that yes – He loves all the things that go into making a home cozy!

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge it’s rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. ” Proverbs 24:3

Sign made by Between You & Me – found HERE

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