Wednesday, May 05, 2010

U-reek-A

I think I read somewhere that our strongest sense is the sense of smell. I believe what I was reading had more to do with the way that we connect smells to certain events or people. Perhaps the smell of gingerbread makes you think of Christmas, or mothballs cause you to recall your Great Aunt Gertrude, or a certain flower's scent reminds you of your wedding.

I've been considering what my home smells like lately. Usually it's dirty diapers, (seriously that smell just lingers!), or that burnt aroma announcing to the world that my oven needs to be cleaned again. Sometimes it's chocolate chip cookies or pot roast. I don't think I have a home that has a consistently appealing aroma, most likely due to the fact that I only think about lighting candles instead of actually doing it and I never remember to Febreeze.

But the concept I've been dwelling on reaches far beyond physical smell. I wonder if my home has a Godsence. When people step into my home can they smell the presence of God? Perhaps they don't know what that smell is, but they know they're smelling it and that they don't smell it everywhere. I wish for my home to be surrounded in a mist of Godsence, like the tabernacle would have been flooded with incense. And I wonder what does that smell like? How do I create that smell?

I've also been thinking about what I smell like. You know how some people can tell what you've had for dinner when you go to an evening meeting? Or how aware you are of that sweaty smell at the gym? Do I have a signature scent? I'm sure in recent days past it would have been Eau du Baby Barf. If I have time to actually get ready before going somewhere I do wear my favourite perfume and I love the way I smell on those days. And the way it lingers on my pillow case for a night or two. Wouldn't it be amazing if I walked past people in the mall and they got a wiff of God?

I know my desire is to reek of my home and for my home to smell like the presence of God.

At the moment I think a more accurate description of my surrounding scents would be: whale vomit.

4 comments:

Bloggy Mama said...

whale vomit, eh? That doesn't sound appealing.

Ice Cream Lady said...

I know what you mean! I just found an empty kippered herring can behind my couch! Yeesh! I was wondering where that smell was coming from!

Jill said...

I understand the baby vomit/nasty diaper pail smell that seems to linger.
I really appreciated the thought of having a home that oozes God's love so that, when people enter, they feel His presence.
Thanks for the inspiring thought.

The Yee's said...

Great thoughts. I enjoyed this and it has caused me to think a little more about what my home and I smell like! Thanks Amanada!