All the World's a Stage

I have beaten off the blogging path lately and meandered far away...but I am back today with some thoughts and reflections. A few weeks ago, our next door neighbors put their house up for sale. They moved in just shortly before we moved into our house last year so we were a bit surprised to see the sign.

We should have seen it coming because there was plenty of activity leading up to the house actually being placed on the market--there was painting and fixing up. But perhaps the most interesting thing that happened is what is commonly known as staging. I have seen it on TV and the concept intrigues me.

At our neighbors house, a crew of two women showed up and they worked in the front yard, planted pretty flowers, placed a nice outdoor table and chair set on the front deck. They spent the entire day in the house bringing in furniture, hanging pictures, placing lamps and other decorative items. All of this activity is followed up with a thorough cleaning of the house--everything has to be spotless and even the shoes at the front door have to be lined up just so.

I have never sold a house, but talking to those who have and observing our neighbors (who are having a difficult time selling a house in a difficult market), it is not a fun adventure. As one friend, who was selling her house while raising 5 children, said, "it's like living in a museum."

I think it's kind of funny that when you're selling your house, it has to be perfect. Because you know once someone buys it and moves it, it isn't going to that way from day to day. Our house certainly isn't. So why is it so important for things to be perfect...for everything to be placed just so...for the whole environment to be "staged?"

It could be that buying a house is such a big purchase you want everything to look perfect. Or could it be that we want to things to appear perfect, because we know that life is not. Many times I think we live our lives as though we are in a museum--we want the outward appearance to be just so...don't give any hint to others that things are not perfect and in order.

But maintaining that kind of outward appearance is exhausting. So who do you trust to let down your guard...who do you invite into the messy rooms of your soul? If there is not another person (and I do hope there is), then know that there is God. God doesn't expect things to be staged, or ordered or perfect. God accepts you as you are--clothes on the floor, furniture undusted, dishes on the counter.

It is good to know that in a world where so many things seem "staged," we can just be who we are and know that that is good enough for God.

Journey on...