What is "Curious Work"?

"Curious work" is a phrase used in the King James Version of the Bible to describe intricate, beautiful, and elaborate handiwork. For example, in Exodus 35, Moses speaks of a few men who have been filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding, "to devise curious works" for the tabernacle, in working with precious metals, cutting stone, carving wood, etc. Then he says:

"Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work." Ex. 35:35

Well, I have often wondered at the worth of a beautiful home and beautiful "work." As a newlywed and a young mama, I have a tight budget and find myself questioning if spending time and money on crafts and homemaking projects is worthwhile. Recently a thought popped into my mind: if a beautiful home weren't important, temples would not be as beautiful as they are. Of course, my budget is much tighter than the Church's, but they say the home is comparable to the temple in sacredness. The scripture above further articulates that those that "devise cunning work" can do so because they have been "filled with wisdom of heart" by God. So it must be important.

Not that my crafts and handiwork are the stuff of the divine. I do try, but sometimes craft projects just plain fail, and none of my projects end up perfect. My choice of title is more of a goal, really, than an up-to-date label. My hope is to encourage and inspire other homemakers. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!