The Master's Workshop: 5 Projects for A Happy Home
In our home, I have an eagerness to move beyond functioning and strive toward deep-rooted fellowship together as a family … to move beyond merely working (i.e. getting things done) and strive toward joy-filled worship together as a family … to move beyond life-logistics and strive toward enjoying divine life together as a family.
There are quiet pressures within the home that wage war against the soul and livelihood of the family. These pressures, for the most part, go unnoticed for a great deal of time. Busyness and routines of the day sweep us up, and we habituate ourselves to their patterns and suggestions. As a result, we fall into the trap of merely functioning and surviving … and we’re really good at it also.
Granted, these daily activities are for the benefit of the family - the family’s life and provision, physically and spiritually. In the midst of “taking care of our families”, are we discovering that we are overlooking what matters most? In the midst of “providing our families with the good life”, does the enjoyment of our families seem like a pipe dream?
Do you have that nagging feeling that you’re missing something in your family while you’re tirelessly, working for your family?
You don’t have to let the life of your family slip by.
Here are some considerations that can get you headed down the right path to bring life back into your home. The family can experience unequaled joy and be a happy home when it becomes the Master’s workshop.
Make Jesus Your Only and Highest Aim
Psalm 144:15 calls to mind a happiness that belongs to “the people whose God is the LORD!” Immeasurable happiness and joy belong to those who make the everlasting, self-existent, self-revealing, and personal God of Scripture their highest aim and single object of worship.
Now, look at the previous verses (Psalm 144:12-15) and take note of the wonderful blessings God pours out on His people when He meets them with unmerited favor - economic success, multiplication of efforts, safety, peace.
Of all the earthly blessings made possible, what tops the list?
A happy home.
Of all the earthly blessings one can experience in one lifetime, there may not be one closer to the heart than a happy home.
“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.”
As you have possibly fallen complacent to old patterns in your home life that seem to deprive your family of enjoyment and peace, it’s time to breathe new life into your habits.
Recalibrate Your Family’s Liturgy
Every family has a liturgy whether you realize it or not. Every family has a pattern that defines and governs its identity whether or not it was established purposefully or out of tradition, habit, and/or necessity.
If you were to inspect your family for its patterns and habits, what are your evident priorities, and what is your family’s over-arching trajectory? Are your days and weeks over-packed and unfocused that you struggle to squeeze out time and opportunity to sense the goodness of God and rejoice in it? Examine your schedules and activities and discern whether every component works together for the goal of being the Master’s workshop, or do many of your activities detract from eternal priorities?
Greg McKeown, in his book Essentialism, calls us to be editors of our lives. We have to learn how to purposefully remove the non-essentials in life in order to add greater depth and value to that which should remain.
Don’t allow distractions to creep into your life.
Don’t allow the culture’s alluring idols to capture your hearts.
Inspire Your Family Toward Jesus.
Make it easy for your family to love God and be inspired toward Him. Determine in your home not to set roadblocks or speed bumps in loving God. Isn’t that what you desire in your home?
“But how often do my kids hear me thank the Lord for His bright and joyous gifts? Even the simplest of things like laughter? Do we intentionally set patterns in our home to be a positive, humane, God-indwelt experience, with gentleness, sincerity, prayer, Bible stories, fun, health, good books, and so on?”
Don’t waste your energies trying to determine “big” events worth sharing and celebrating together. Whether big or small, whether seemingly significant or not, simply cultivate a culture in your home that is thankful for all things and in all circumstances.
Make every effort to enjoy every moment in the Lord together, for all things are truly working together for the good … many times we just have to learn together what good looks like.
Have Greater Aspirations for Your Children
Have an aim for your children that goes beyond earthly securities, academic accomplishments, vocational goals, material safeties, etc. You know, all the “stuff” with which the world concerns itself. The “stuff” that crushes the lives of your children with undue pressure. The “stuff” that sends your children down the road of trying to obtain false hopes and false securities. The “stuff” that ultimately deludes your children regarding their identity, self-worth, and purpose in life.
Set higher aspirations for the identity of your children that they may be prepared to worship God and live on mission in whatever His good, sovereign will brings their way.
May Psalm 144:12 be our prayer and aim for our children, “May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.”
Set Aside Time Daily
A fun and meaningful time I have come to value is setting time aside each day to simply speak with our children about their day. When we get together, we simply talk through 3 questions:
What was the highlight of your day?
What was something that was quite difficult for you today?
What do you want to pray for today?
It doesn’t have to be long and drawn out in order to be meaningful. Be flexible with the time, as some days will be shorter, and other days will yield longer conversations. This time can be used for personal instruction and catered reminders, but refrain from spending this time “lecturing” your children. If done well, this time is an opportunity for them to open up and be transparent, while drawing you all closer together. Simply enjoy the time together, and you will see how the Lord maximizes these opportunities to cultivate divine intimacy in your home.
Thank you for taking the time to reflect with me, and I pray that this post strengthens your heart in the Lord. Let’s encourage one another; share in the comments below what your best practices are for cultivating a heart for the Lord and obedience in your home. Spread the Word.
Linus Nguyen is the founder of Of The Way Ministries and serves as lead pastor of Emmanuel Bible Fellowship (Houston, Texas). He has taught in, developed curriculum for, and written on the subjects of Biblical Studies, Theology, Discipleship, Spiritual Formation, Philosophy of Religion, Missions, Humanities, Rhetoric, and Communications at Secondary, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate levels. // Follow him on Podcast, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook.