My Dream Home

There are two pictures in this post that I drew in "my dream home" exercises we do with kids age 7 to 11. The idea is that you draw any house you like, anywhere you like, anytime you like, with whoever living there you like. It's a complete dream so it can we as wild and wacky and off the wall as you want. The kids love it, it's not often they're provided with a blank sheet of paper and a free reign. I love it too; it's great to see what the kids produce and it's also fun to have a go myself and see where I am taken with art materials.

So here is the first one I did, in November 2010.


And here is the second one, from last month.


So why am I posting these?
Well I have been worrying about them a little bit. Not staying up at night stressing, but just returning to thinking about it in a spare minute. Let me explain.

The first dream home is a castle; a large fortress of a castle with tall towers, protected windows, a substantial moat and a heavy drawbridge. There are pretty stars and butterflies and a huge moon and the family seem happy; but it is overall a fortress.

The second dream home couldn't be more different. It is a cottage in the forest, like something from a Mr Men book. Again there are a happy family and the house is pretty but look deeper. Around the house on one side is a wood with crow/raven type birds flying around and some protective owls; on the other side is an overly large meadow of flowers with huge insects and spiders. There is a road around the perimeter of the house but between this road and the front door is a maze of complicated maze like paths. So again I am looking at my creation and seeing a fortress.

So why am I drawing pretty houses protected as fortresses as my dream homes?
No doubt I am feeling the need to protect my family from the outside influences of the world, and possible some closer to home; but more than that I think I am showing how fearful I am about our happiness and safety, issues for prayer and therapy and more thought over the weeks and months to come.