Parade of Homes (and Hearts)

These days, new homes are more than brick and mortar — they’re smart, sleek, and filled with more buttons than a space shuttle.

Case in point: Carl’s daughter, Amelia, and her husband, Terrell, recently moved into their “forever home” here in Austin. With their kids off to college, the basketballs and pool toys are packed away. Instead? Think heated bathroom floors, touch faucets, geothermal efficiency, high-end appliances, and a view so private, curtains aren’t even needed.

And let me tell you — the home is beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that Carl and I offered to dog-sit just to stay there. That’s saying something, considering our dog days are blessedly behind us.

But as dazzling as this modern marvel is, what really stirred me wasn’t the view — it was the thought:
What if we could stroll through a “Parade of Homes”… not based on square footage or stonework, but on the heartbeat inside?

What if, instead of ultra-modern layouts, the prize homes were those where God is the Centerpiece?

Where decisions are run through heaven’s filter, not just the group chat.
Where family values are more than framed quotes — they’re lived.
Where laughter is shared, forgiveness is quick, and peace lives like a long-term guest.

Joshua 24:15 puts it plainly: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Not just occasionally. Not just when company’s coming. But always.

In our home, God isn’t our #1 priority — He’s the center. Because when He’s the center, everything else gets its proper place.

Do we always get it right? Of course not. But when we drift (and we do), we circle back to our center. He never moved — we just needed a course correction.

Proverbs 3:6 reminds us, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

And maybe — just maybe — when others enter that kind of home, the kind where grace is thick in the air and peace flows like sweet tea on a porch… they’ll want a home like that too.

Forget granite countertops — give me a home with God at the center. Because when He’s the centerpiece, everything else falls into place.