Rare and Beautiful Treasures

by Kim Brenneman

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Proverbs 24:3-4

Have you ever been in a homeschool that was not filled with books? And not just books, but great books. Some find joy in chocolate or expensive clothes--we delight in objects of beauty and wisdom--books. We decorate our homes with them and never seem to have enough shelving--ever!

Books can be beautiful or an eyesore. Extraordinary beauty is leather bound on gorgeous cherry shelves. But leather and cherry are also an unnecessary expense for those of us who would rather buy books than food. Do, however, place your books on real wood. Pull the books out to the edge of the shelf so the spines are all even. This simple, tidy action is so much more attractive than the different sizes sticking out hither and thither. It also makes dusting easier. Just remember to pull the books out and dust the backs of the shelves occasionally.

Look for bookends at thrift stores. Even a nondescript rock is charming in contrast to books tumbling down. A basket of board books placed by a rocking chair, art books displayed upon a coffee table, picture books easily available on a sofa table--all of this helps make our book collections more beautiful.

Teach your children to put books away properly. Teach them to care for these precious heirlooms. Magazines tend to look messy when left out. If you prefer to keep the whole magazine as opposed to tearing out articles and filing, then cut a triangle-shaped section off the upper part of a cereal box and cover with fabric using spray adhesive. These make very inexpensive magazine holders and eliminate the clutter.

Where are your children's collections? Strewn here and there? Is there a rock pile in the corner of the garage? Is your six-year-old's latest masterpiece crumpled in the bottom of the kitchen drawer? Have you said, "Don't bring that dirty feather in here!" and seen the previously excited face fall with disappointment? Children will appreciate art and beauty more when they are allowed to display it in an orderly manner.

Make a family museum for those interesting collections. Label all the items and organize them attractively in a bookshelf. Baskets are an inexpensive choice and can be found easily at thrift stores. Either maintain their original color and give them a good scrubbing, or, for a unified look, spray paint several the same color and use them for storing collections of shells, rocks, fossils or snake skins. Make scrapbooks of pressed flowers and leaves, labeled and kept in the museum. Mat and frame key scripture verses printed on quality paper, or pressed flora and fauna to hang at your museum. Frames can be purchased quite inexpensively at thrift stores. Do not look at the pictures; they can easily be taken out. Look for frames that suit you. Place feathers in vases according to bird type or in their nest if you have a match. Frame the children's best nature sketches and show them off. Your museum might also be a good place to hang your husband's elk head or stuffed walleye!

Are the materials that hold your collections beautiful and natural? How do they feel in your hands? How do they smell? Are they pleasing to the eye? Things do not need to be expensive, fancy or elaborate to be beautiful.

Often simplicity is best. Look for wooden storage pieces at garage sales, estate auctions, thrift stores and the like. You and your children can make simple repairs and refinish furniture. If it's new to you, learn along with your children through library books.

There could be some beautiful wood under that awful orange paint! God made different woods with different characteristics. Show your children how they are all beautiful in different ways. Use silver, brass, ceramic, glass, stone and other natural materials. Explain how they are all God's handiwork. They feel and look very good. Plastic and fiberboard do not fit these qualifications; slowly replace these materials in your home. Soon you will discover that your home is filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

We study art, and our homes are filled with copies of the great Masterpieces alongside the paper piles of finger paintings and nature sketches. An easy and budget-wise way to collect art is to buy an art calendar every year and, at the end of the year, cut it apart and frame your family's favorite prints. Once again, pick up frames at thrift stores and buy inexpensive mats to complement the art. Let your children do the repairs and put it together. Duct tape does wonders, and no one ever sees the back of a frame. Frames can be painted to match your décor and trim removed or added to suit your style. Use a number of the same style frames and create a grouping of your family's favorite artist.

Postcard art can also be framed and set on a lamp table or hung in small places. Display your children's artwork in a large frame. Rotate art so that everyone gets a turn at being the resident Master. This also keeps the clutter off of the refrigerator! Grouped frames are more pleasing when the same color of frame is used. For example, a grouping of Van Gogh in different styles of walnut stained frames or a grouping of your children's portraits in different styles of silver frames.

A home with a sterile schoolroom of plastic bins and fiberboard shelves may not reflect the warmth you want to convey. A cluttered family room that speaks mayhem to guests is probably not what you're after either. All those collections can begin to look and feel chaotic. Then again, a picture-perfect, magazine-cover home may stunt the relaxed life-giving flow of the family.

As teachers, we know that God's order is evident in math and science and the rhythms of music and poetry. Our Heavenly Father is the greatest artist of all. Beauty and order are gratifying to our senses, and we help our children display their love of God's creation by encouraging beauty throughout our homes. They should reflect His peace, order, family warmth and creativity. When we decorate our homes with His handiwork we bring glory to Him with our rare and beautiful treasures.

Mrs. Kim Brenneman is wife to Matt and mother to six wonderful blessings from God. She lives in rural Iowa and loves to teach, read, write, cook, garden, and work in her home. Her desire is to teach other women to love and serve God and glorify Him forever through all the facets of being keepers at home.

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