House Blessing

 

When you enter our home, this is the very first thing that you see. 

Way back in the very beginning of our marriage, actually, even a little before we were married, my husband and I were blessed to be part of a Young Marrieds Sunday school class.  (We started early because all of our friends were already in the class...it doesn't hurt to get a head start on learning about marriage!)  Both of the couples that taught the class were such a good example for us, not just for marriage, but life, parenting, godliness, etc.  There are so many foundations to life that I gained right from the very start.  One of them being giving your house up to the Lord. 

This is where it all happens.

This is where life takes place.

This is where learning begins.

This is where memories are formed.

This is where tears are shed and hugs are given.

This is the place of discipline and correction.

This is the place of forgiveness and love.

This is the center of it all.

This is Home.

Something of this magnitude cannot just happen by simply occupying a house.  It must be intentional.  We don't just live in our houses to live there, but also to edify and grow with each other. 

I can still remember being invited to our Sunday School teacher's home for lunch. 

I remember that Josh and I were late. (I have a thing for timeliness) 

I don't remember what we ate. 

I remember there being a big quilt on the wall that the hostess had made herself. 

I remember the hostess showing us her calendar and explaining to us that whomever

(husband or wife) gets their event on the calendar first gets first rights.  The other spouse is responsible for the home while the spouse is occupied. 

But what made the biggest impression on me was the scripture painted throughout her house.  On most of her door frames she had taken the time to paint scripture according to where the door led. 

Scriptures for her children, the living area, even the garage.  She took literally the passage in Deuteronomy 6 verse 9 referring Word of God "..and you shall write them on the doorposts of your houses and your gates."

I knew while we were still married newborns that this was something that I wanted to copy for my home when we could finally afford one of our own.

So when we finally owned a permanent home, I did a little bartering and was able to get our first verse put on our wall.  Saint Joshua says it perfectly "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."  That is the statement that I want clear to all of those who enter our home.  Our household serves the Lord. 

As we were studying to become Orthodox, specifically reading Facing East by Frederica Matthews-Green, I learned of something called a House Blessing.  She, being the Priest's wife, was in a little different of a situation than a typical layman, but the idea was intriguing. 

Basically, at the beginning of the new year, following Theophany, and the Blessing of the Waters,  the Priest pays a visit to everyone and blesses their home. 

It is absolutely beautiful! 

Our priest was so kind to let me photograph our first House Blessing. 

 

 

Father Nicholas began by putting everything he needed on our table.  The icon is of a Guardian Angel that we had set out specifically so that he could bless it.  This is an icon given to us by our Godparents that we have hung up in our oldest girls' room.  His Epitrachelion is on the table, followed by the stick (aspergillum) he uses to sprinkle the holy water, our icon, a bowl of holy water, behind the bowl is the censer for the incense. 

 



And of course there is always a handy booklet containing the order of worship for the House Blessing. 

 

 

Since it was just Father Nicholas at the house, Josh was left to do the censing :)  We were just glad the fire alarms didn't go off!  

 

 

He began by blessing the entrance to our home.

 

Because this was our very first House Blessing, Father blessed each of the four corners of our home. 

 

Once in the house, he started in the kitchen.  He says a prayer of blessing and sprinkles holy water throughout the room, while Josh follows behind and censes away.

He blesses Sydney and Julianna's room

 



 

He blesses Makayla and Caroline's room

He blesses each of the icons in our icon corner

 

He blesses our nice and very clean bedroom

I was able to get him to bless our homeschool materials too, truly a Christian school now!

 

Once he had finished blessing the rooms, and pretty much anything else we wanted blessed, he blessed each of us (yes, we were sprinkled with holy water too, kinda one of the fun perks of Orthodoxy) and of course Joe the dog. 

 

Nothing has physically changed about our home, unless you count the lingering aroma of the incense, but there has definitely been a spiritual change.  There is something powerful about purposely asking the spirit on God into your home. 

It's more than just a verse on the wall. 

It's a submission.

It's a plea.

It's a promise from God that He will be with us.

 

We are blessed.