Not So Big!

Yesterday, I rode along with Jay as he submitted a resume for a construction job. While we sat in the office waiting, I was able to read an interesting book about new trends in Architecture. One trend that really resounded with me was called 'The Not So Big House'. The premise is that today's main housing trends are "the bigger- the better". People build to impress by sheer size- while skimping on interior details. The 'Not So Big' house designs are modest, but elegant homes with open living spaces. Why waste money and materials on rooms you will rarely- if ever use? Formal Dining Rooms add to the value of the home, but really- how many people in our fast-paced culture even use them enough to make it worth it?? 'Not So Big Houses' make maximum use of minimal space. When you spend less on square footage, you can afford to be artistic & creative in how you design & decorate the dwelling. It's a beautiful thing!!

When Jay & I built our first house years ago- a 1750 sq. ft. home, we had this idea in mind. While other people we know are mortgaged to the hilt and stressed out in order to have as much space as possible, we chose to keep things simple & personable. I don't need a house any bigger than I myself can maintain. For me, anything over 2000 sq ft. is too much space. I remember when there were just 3 of us, I stayed home in a huge 4 bedroom (rented) farmhouse and when my baby was napping, I felt this big, empty house would swallow me up. So we kept it simple, did the work ourselves and our total monthly mortgage payment was $300 a month. Can't beat that! (We'd be there still had we not made the foolish decision to follow a bad job elsewhere.)

Jay needs a dream right now. He needs hope, so I pulled him into a discussion about 'Not So Big Houses' and he went along with it. Before we knew it, we had a wonderful talk about design ideas and he was actually hopeful that someday we will again design and build a home of our own. The whole point of scaling down is to have quality not quantity, and to create an inviting atmosphere.

Perhaps churches are in need of simplifying a bit as well. When the 'mega-church' mentality kicks in, we are after quantity, but are we offering quality encounters with God and with each other?? Success is measured by how many baptisms are gained, how much tithe comes in and how many names are on the roster. Wouldn't it make sense to focus more on member-retention? What good does it do to bring newbies in, if our own members are feeling neglected or malcontent? Instead of going out and winning over scores of converts, perhaps we should focus more on nurturing and enjoying the ones we already have first? Growth happens more naturally & gradually that way. Maybe the church would be smaller, but would this lend to a greater degree of sincerity in congregations?? Don't get me wrong, I'm not against growth, but I am wary of excessiveness.

I hope to build a 'Not So Big House' again someday. It will be a cozy and functional place to raise a family.