Homespun Normality
I’ve been devouring Henri J.M. Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus. It’s a tiny book, but busting with intelligent thought, encouragement and honest spirituality.
Recently while reading, I came upon the term “homespun normality.” It’s a glorious phrase, meant for those that understand down home living, authentic relationship and outrageous love. Homespun normality, or HN, as I’ve come to call it, can make most situations better.
If you’re the one who can bring a little HN to the crowd, you probably don’t even know the power you possess.
- HN takes a serious situation and lightens the load. While it doesn’t make the problem go away, the load just isn’t as heavy.
- HN creates warmth.
- HN invites others into the intimacies of daily living.
I’m going to spend this year, trying to keep homespun normality at the center of my life. For our family, Jesus is homespun normality, friends and family linger in the intimacies of daily life, and comforts of home are intentionally packed to go with us wherever we may roam.
HN is a favorite warm blanket in a hospital room, a worn Bible on a bedside table, the sharing of problems and celebrating victory over a Starbucks, the worst version of the Happy Birthday song sung by the best people and red velvet cake with white frosting on a blue plate. It’s stars and stripes blowing high in the wind and the same flag waving at half mast. It’s the celebration of life ended too soon and the pain of birth. It is the simplest thread and deepest intricacies that keep us bound together in a majestic mosiac.
How do you bring homespun normality to your life and better yet, how will you bring it to others?
Audra Krell 
I’m not sure normality has a place in a sentence that also has my name in it, unless it saying I don’t possess any…
But I get your point, I do try. Maybe I should try a little harder? Got me thinking, it ain’t pretty, but thanks!
Come on Floyd, you know you got your own version of homespun normality, a normality like no other! That’s what makes this world so great! How about some homespun prayers, I’m heading to Denver on Wednesday to pitch the novel a few more times, hoping to walk out with an agent!
Nice, Audra! I have never heard this term, but I love the idea embodied in it. Sounds like an embodiment of “loving God and loving others.” So glad you shared.
How I wish we lived closer, so we could discuss this in person. Xo. I suppose my version of HN would include gratitude to the Giver, scented candlelight nearly each morning to greet the Light & lights of my life, silliness & laughter, & girlfriends.
Gretchen, I too, wish we could talk our days away, over a Starbucks and an episode of Little House on the Prairie. I LOVE that you have scented candlelight in the mornings, that is a sweet memory that your loved ones will always remember about you! It must make them feel so good.
That is a perfect combination of two otherwise disparate words.I love, love this post. When I was in the hospital, and then in the early stages of recovery, the homespun normality brought to us by our friends and family were an absolute lifeline! I have always wanted to live so authentically that it knocks peoples shoes off, takes their coat and asks them to stay a while. I so appreciate when people love me that way!
That’s really cool. I ❤ the fragrance of normalcy. And homespun is all I do. I'm just authentic, sometimes quirky, often redneck me and I'm growing into it through God's grace. Just talked with my hubby tonight about allowing myself to just be me, pressing into Jesus. Instead of me TRYING. I love the real life version but vulnerability, generosity and freedom to be imperfect have all been a growing process. 🙂
Jessie,Thank you so much for stopping by! Love your great comments, I feel like you wrote a description of me: “Sometimes quirky often redneck me!”
🙂 Okay then, “quirky, redneck US!” We are kindreds.
Nouwen is an incredible writer. I loved In the Name of Jesus, but never really gave HN much thought. To think I’ve been missing out.
Hi Seth,
I just found your comment in my spam folder, sorry about that! I just bought the essential Henri Nouwen, have you read that?