While reflecting on 2018 and focusing on what I would like to change and accomplish in the coming year, I was reminded to be cautious of taking shortcuts. There is always a balance between time and cost, but for me, the bottom line is quality which I believe to be of great worth.
The following article was originally published on June, 29th, 2017, on my home decor website, figtreetreasures.com. It is my hope that it will challenge you, as it does me, to consider what you are willing to sacrifice for something of quality.
Are you filling your home with heirloom treasures or less costly imitations?
Today there are many homes filled with furnishings that look amazing on the surface but are merely a facade when it comes to quality. When you take a deeper look, that beautiful finish is just a surface thing, designed to make you believe the item is built with great craftsmanship. Over the years we have become a society willing to exchange quality for a lower price tag, but at what cost?
In today’s marketplace, this philosophy is permeating our culture. When shopping for home decor items there may be a certain look you want to achieve, but the cost of fine furnishings may be more than your budget can handle. This leads to a dilemma. Do you patiently save for the more expensive, but well-built heirloom pieces, or do you choose the easier on the budget, lightweight pieces that look great from a distance, but have no long-term value?
If you are like me, you are being tempted to do the latter more and more, but is it worth it?
This question is a continual struggle for me. Although I place great value on excellent craftsmanship, I am also extremely frugal. When I am searching for additional pieces to restore for FIG TREE, quality is always on my mind. I look for pieces made of sturdy materials, well-built and made to last. There may be newer, less expensive alternatives to be had, but finding treasures that will be worthy to be passed down for generations to come is my guiding principle.
At what point should we allow quality to be outweighed by lower cost? The answer to this question will likely vary from person-to-person depending on what they value most, what their circumstances are, and what they are willing to sacrifice.
This question can be applied to our lives as well. There is always a way that seems easier at the time, but will it end up adding quality to your life or is it just a facade?
As I was writing this, I was reminded of something I heard several weeks ago while I was listening to a guest speaker at my daughter’s church. He compared our lives to a house and that got me thinking… If my life is like a house, what kind of furnishings am I choosing? Am I choosing treasures made by the Master Craftsman or am I settling for cheap imitations that have no lasting value?
What makes a treasure something of great worth anyway?
Its value comes from the quality of the materials that are used to build it, combined with the effort and level of skill of the craftsman. Anything of great worth comes with a great price, so what are you willing to sacrifice to fill your “house” with treasures?
· Time
· Money
· Pride
· Selfishness
· What I say and what I do
· What I watch, read, and listen to
· Etc...
Are you building a life filled with heirloom treasures that are made of strong, heavy, materials that can weather the worst of storms, or are you building it with flimsy imitations that splinter and break apart when a stiff wind blows? There are many seemingly beautiful things in this world vying for a place in your “house.” Look closely at the decor you choose because it just might be a cheap imitation disguised by a beautiful faux finish!
May your life be filled today with priceless treasures made by the skilled hands of the Master Craftsman Himself!
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt 6:21
Blessings and Happy New Year Friends!
#heirloomtreasures #fauxfinish #qualitycomeswithaprice #mastercrafstman #whereyourtreasureisyourheartwillbealso #figtreetreasures #kellyneffspeaks #tuesdaytreasures
FIG TREE Blog post June 29th, 2017, https://figtreetreasures.com/blogs/news/is-your-house-filled-with-heirloom-treasures-or-less-costly-imitations
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