If you look around my office what will you see? What do those things tell you about the values I hold?
When you look into my office you will find hope displayed in many ways. You will find those things I value and know to be close to the heart of God.
My office is intentionally designed to care for those who walk into it, from the essential oils light in the air, a barely present aroma of healing, to the reupholstered wing-back chair that reminds us that old things can be made new, and given new life. Our God doesn’t just throw us away when we are used up, he tenderly cares for us and restores us to better than new.
The atmosphere is calm and intentionally a place of refuge. The almost white shade of lavender on the walls and the salt lamp that purifies the air, giving a calm and serene touch to a busy world. The sound machine that lightly plays in the background, creating a resounding hum of peace. This place is designed with you in mind. Hopefully, every piece lets you know that you are cared for and loved. Everywhere you look you will be reminded that I care about people.
In my office, you will find many handcrafted items, that show that I value the people behind the product. You won’t find cute things bought at department stores, instead, you will find that every piece is made by a person and has a story.
My desk is a beautiful roll-top that belonged to my grandmother. I have many memories of her sitting at it when I was a child. It always stayed in her library, and it was in the midst of books and the caring for families and the teaching of children.
My candleholder was designed by a group of therapists that I am a part of and handmade by a friend of my husband’s. It has been anointed with oil and prayed over. It stands as a constant reminder that the Holy Spirit is with me in the work that I do.
My Labyrinth Meditation boards are hand made by a mom living just off the Baltic Sea in Latvia. Making solid wood items provides a job for her and her husband to care for their two kids in all the ways that moms and dads care for their children.
My meditation cushions were handmade in Vietnam by Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts. This beautifully designed pillow provides dignified jobs to those who may otherwise have nothing, or worse may be sold into human slavery. This cushion was sold by Ten Thousand Villages, who partner with artisan groups from around the world so that they can provide artisans in developing countries a fair wage while treating them with dignity and respect.
My bookcases are handmade, solid wood by a friend’s dad, who happens to also be one of my high school teachers. They are something I will treasure for many years to come. They are built not just of solid wood, but also lots of love, time, and hard work.
You may be wondering, “Why does any of this matter?” or even “Does any of this matter?” Yes, it matters. It matters that God created people who are just as creative as He is. It matters that when we see people, we see the image of God imparted onto them by their maker. So often we ask what can we get, maybe we need to start asking who can we love? I value the people God made, and all the ways that God uses them, to create, to love, to dream to grow more into His likeness.
I value people, because God values people.
My value of people doesn’t begin or end at the products I buy. I value each person who enters my office – and life. We may not look alike, or talk alike, we may not believe in the same things or make the same lifestyle choices, but this I can promise you:
I will treat you with dignity and respect,
I will love you to the best of my ability, and
when I fail I will seek your forgiveness.