I have a friend who designed his house a few years ago. He purposefully designed the bedrooms to be relatively small by today’s standards. The bedrooms had just enough space for a bed and dresser. He also designed the house so that it did not have a den or bonus room.
These design decisions were not based upon economics. My friend makes plenty of money and is very successful in his field. Rather, my friend’s house design decisions were based upon love.
If you’ve noticed over the past few decades, the average American home is getting larger in square footage while the number of family members is getting smaller.
Do you realize that in--
1970 the average household size was 3.14; the average house was 1,400 sq ft
1980 a household size was 2.76; the house was 1,740 sq ft
1990 a household size was 2.63; the house was 2,080 sq ft
2000 a household size was 2.60; the house was 2,330 sq ft
Now it is not unusual for multiple rooms to have telephones, televisions, computers and video games. My friend has two children and one wife. He wanted a home where they would have togetherness. The bedrooms are adequate for sleeping and dressing. To read, do homework, use a computer or watch television one has to be in the living room. My friend actually designed a house where doing life together happens in the living room. Many homes today don’t even use the living room.
These days you have to be intentional and strategic to have significant family connection. The same is true for connecting with God. Home theaters, iPods, Blackberry’s and “surfing the net”, not to mention work and recreation, can become so consuming that we literally don’t have time to develop connection and relationship with God.
For many of us it takes extraordinary “downsizing” of life to have room for God.
These design decisions were not based upon economics. My friend makes plenty of money and is very successful in his field. Rather, my friend’s house design decisions were based upon love.
If you’ve noticed over the past few decades, the average American home is getting larger in square footage while the number of family members is getting smaller.
Do you realize that in--
1970 the average household size was 3.14; the average house was 1,400 sq ft
1980 a household size was 2.76; the house was 1,740 sq ft
1990 a household size was 2.63; the house was 2,080 sq ft
2000 a household size was 2.60; the house was 2,330 sq ft
Now it is not unusual for multiple rooms to have telephones, televisions, computers and video games. My friend has two children and one wife. He wanted a home where they would have togetherness. The bedrooms are adequate for sleeping and dressing. To read, do homework, use a computer or watch television one has to be in the living room. My friend actually designed a house where doing life together happens in the living room. Many homes today don’t even use the living room.
These days you have to be intentional and strategic to have significant family connection. The same is true for connecting with God. Home theaters, iPods, Blackberry’s and “surfing the net”, not to mention work and recreation, can become so consuming that we literally don’t have time to develop connection and relationship with God.
For many of us it takes extraordinary “downsizing” of life to have room for God.
No comments:
Post a Comment