The Beauty and Uniqueness of Family and My New Wood Floor

Our wood floor during installation

Maybe the paint fumes are getting to me, but there are a lot of similarities between my family and my new wood floor!  This description describes them both!  See if this may be true of your family, as well.


If you stare at it too closely, you start to think it doesn't look good, but when you stand back and get the bigger picture, it's beautiful.  It's made up of uniquely different pieces, and without those unique differences, it wouldn't be as beautiful! Each one adds to the whole: to its strength, to its ability to serve, and to its beauty.  Vastly different may be two that are side by side, but that's ok.  It wouldn't be right to try to make one like the other.


The whole thing has to be lined up straight.  It's the firm foundation of everything else.  It's rugged and tough, yet easily marred and damaged if not treated with respect.  Daily care is best, with gentleness.  Cleansing is crucial.


I see so many lessons in my new wood floor.  So many analogies.  Without the careful work of Someone skilled, how could this family be?  I see His Hand everywhere.

Whether a wood floor or a family, the skill of the one who put each piece in place is seen by all.  Of all the lessons I have been learning during our remodeling, perhaps this lesson of the wood floor is the most precious.


My Lord has carefully chosen each and every one of the members of our family and fitted us together tightly, for life. He placed us in the exact spot where He knew we should be. It took skill, creativity, wisdom. We are His workmanship, individually and as a family, created in Christ Jesus, for His glory.  I celebrate our uniqueness and the differences within the whole.


As I sweep away dirt and debris, I think of how we need to quickly ask forgiveness when we've wronged each other, lest we leave a pebble that may cause someone to trip or leave a permanent mark.  As I look at the clean floor shining, I think of the reflection of Jesus in us, even when we don't know it, but realize that only as we pursue holy living through His power and cleansing will we continue to shine as He would have us.


So many lessons to be learned in the day-to-day life of a family.  When we began our remodeling project, I thought we were just remodeling.  God's goal always includes spiritual growth.  So, I step back and look at my family and my new wood floor, and am so thankful for the beauty I see.

I'm going back to link up today to Homemakers Linkup (this linkup wasn't there at midnight last night when I posted this, but now it is, I'm #50).  To read other posts on Homemaking and participate go to Raising Homemakers.  Click on the links above to read other posts that I think you'll like.