Just got home from my first staging job! Wow! I had so much fun and my friend was so thrilled with the results! I was constantly asking Jesus for fresh, creative ideas and He would just bring them to me. It was like breathing! A total natural high of finding “your thing” and then having the freedom to do that thing.
What made it even more exhilarating was Teresa’s reaction. She danced and oohed and awed and hugged me over and over. She kept saying, “This is what I always wanted my house to look like!” She was like a little girl in a candy shop and it was precious. When her husband and daughter came home they were equally excited and her daughter asked if she could be my apprentice.
Sounds a little like bragging, doesn’t it? I sure don’t mean it that way. I just see it as God answering the prayer that I posted earlier this morning. He worked alongside me to create an atmosphere of warmth and love that depicted her personality and taste. That’s why she loved it so much. Because it was an extension of her and felt like home to her. I have to give the credit to Jesus. He knows her so much better than I do and so gave me the sense of what to do to best minister to her heart.
The day also gave us a chance to connect at a deeper level with great conversation, laughter and sharing. We both know each other a little bit better after spending the day together. At one point, she went and bought lunch for us. When she prayed, she thanked God for bringing us together as friends and asked God’s blessing on our friendship for years to come. And I couldn’t help but smile. She took a chance, let me into her home with her possessions and trusted me enough to let me go with the picture I saw in my head of what we could do. And that trust produced a sense of freedom for me to follow God’s lead in creativity.
It was a good, good day. Adrenaline was running big time. And now I am exhausted. Spent. But fully pleased with a day well spent with my creative partner, Jesus. A good, good day.
I fully understand what you mean about Jesus being your creative partner in decorating someone else’s home. I used to coordinate the interiors for spec houses (just the backdrop, not any furniture or accessories). I LOVED it! I always prayed first, not having any idea who was going to end up living there, and each time, ideas would flow and the colors and patterns just jumped out at me and I KNEW it was right! It was fun when it went that way! Each home was totally different, and each house I did sold right away, and I always knew it was because I had a great design partner! I’ve always been better at the backdrop than at the staging, but I sure am glad you’ve found that you have such a nack for it! Awesome, awesome!
So, what are you going to call your new business? Have you made business cards yet? (I’m jumping up and down for your right now!)
Thank you, sweet cheerleader! Isn’t it crazy when that happens? It is like it just pours out without any effort! That’s how you know it is Jesus at work. So much fun. No words to even describe it. Just plain phenomenal! And when it’s you and Jesus smiling and working together – that is pure magic! A modern day miracle…
I was just thinking about what I would call it – I’m actually thinking about combing this with the writing (book?) aspect. Since my passion is restoration, both spiritual and literal, I was thinking about the name Do Over. There are just so many parallels for me. What do you think? Is that too ridiculous? I have several more “clients” already lined up, so I better come up with something so I can actually start charging for my services 🙂
Imagine if you were backdropping houses and I was staging them…would that be fun, or what????
big huge hugs…
Do Over sounds kind of fun. Or something with the word Restoration would certainly work. Or your love of music might even work its way in there. “Restorations that Sing!” or something like that. (That was just off the top of my head, not to be taken too seriously!) “Harmonies of the Inner Sanctum”. Okay, I’m getting carried away. Coming up with that perfect name is fun and frustrating. I’ve done it a few times. (!) Just be sure to get your business registered as soon as you figure it out, so you can get rolling. And that does mean you have to keep records and stay on top of the math. Just to warn you, although, I don’t think you’ll have any problems with the math, just set up a good system to keep you from getting too scatter-brained. Also, be sure you’re taking before and after photos to build up a portfolio.
And yes, when you first mentioned your new-found niche, I thought, “Wow! Wouldn’t it be fun to work together?” But, alas, I’ve been out of that field for a very long time, and am finding other things that I love as much or more that have nothing to do with interiors. Not to mention that we live in different states…(sigh)
Hugs back!
Good thoughts and advice. Thanks, girl!