By Wisdom a House Is Built

“By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.”
Proverbs 24:3-4

I first jotted down these words a couple months ago while listening to Proverbs on a run.  They struck a cord with me because Jimmy and I are in the process of planning the house we want to build.

I am beyond blessed to have married a man with a plan (thankfully, it’s a plan that I love!).  A couple years ago he bought land with the intention of transforming it from a hundred-some acres of woods to a functioning farm.  Right now it’s in the process of being cleared of the tree stumps [see picture above].  Once that gets going, we’ll prayerfully begin building a house there soon.  (We’re naming it Honey Hammer Farm.  It’s going to be great.)

Ever since before we were married, we have been looking at pictures of farm houses and saving the ones we like, compiling ideas for each room, carefully selecting a floor plan, dreaming of paint colors and countertops, looking forward to the day this imaginary home becomes our reality.

We are anticipating this day more and more as it gets closer, but these words from Proverbs are an ever-healthy reminder to me to slow down and prioritize well.  More important than the timber frame structure we can’t wait to live in, we need to live in wisdom and understanding.  More than dreaming with Pottery Barn and Ikea catalogs, we need to pursue knowledge.

Sure, we can’t wait to raise a family of barefoot kids running around the farmhouse, but what will be of the greatest value to our future children and our ultimate happiness and contentment won’t be the radiant in-floor heat or the front porch or back deck.  Rather, it will be our choices to follow the Lord’s instructions for a life of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.

As we pray for the building process to go smoothly (and to start soon!), we are also praying for our hearts to grow in our relationships with each other and with the Lord as we look forward to blessing our little-ones-to-be with a beautiful, nurturing home.

Have any of you built a home?  Any tips or recommendations?  What about thoughts on building a home that isn’t just physical, but creating a good environment for our future family?