Graceful Abode

* Can household objects have spiritual significance?
~ No.
~ Yes, only if the owner assigns significance to them.
~ Yes, only if the maker assigns significance to them.
~ Yes, of course, God is in all things!
~ Why is this difficult to see?
* Is this significance purely nostalgia?

* Can material "worldly" goods help us connect with God? Or, should we follow in St. Francis' footsteps and place our wealth at the altar of God?

* Define "household objects".
* What about natural or machine-made objects used/placed in the home?
* We are wasteful. Why do we buy objects we do not like? Why do we buy objects we do not need? Why do we buy objects that do not work? Why do we buy objects that have no meaning to us?
* Why are some objects easier to throw away than others?
* If an object is functional (i.e. kitchen sponge) but not beautiful, is it less significant than an object that is functional and beautiful?

* What is "kitsch"? What purpose does it serve?

* What do the objects you surround yourself with say about you?
* How do these objects affect how we feel about ourselves?
* How do these objects affect visitors?
* How do they affect our quality of life?
* How can these objects help us think about / meditate on our relationship with God?

* Are contemporary American artists & artisans concerned with spirituality?
* Are any of these artists in the mainstream?
* Where are these artists?
* What are they making?

* What is the history of craftsmanship and the church?
* What does the contemporary church have to say about art and its purpose in the home?