All Things New

Behold, I make all things new...

Revelation 21:5

 

This past week was Spring Break for the school system in my county.  This meant two significant things for me:  I didn't have to teach school, and I didn't have any children's activities at the church.  I had a holiday at the church on Monday, and Friday is my regular day off, so I decided to take Tuesday through Thursday as vacation days and really get things done around the house.

I sporadically follow Emily Clark's decorating blog, and one of her recent posts had given me an idea.  She began a series based on working with what you have.  Utilizing a wide variety of paints, colorful fabrics and lots of ingenuity, she and her readers shared wonderful ways of taking something you own and making it new and different, rather than purchasing a replacement item. My goal this week was to utilize that concept in my own home.  At the end of this week, I had completed four "old to new" projects:

1. The shutters on my red brick house (five sets of two) were probably a beautiful teal green color when they were first installed, but the sun completely washed out the vibrancy.  Armed with two ladders (short and tall), a million paint brushes and a gallon of oil-based paint, I now have gleaming black shutters and an amazing facelift for the front of my home.
2. The large planters in my front yard were old, bleached-out terracotta plastic pots - ugly but still very serviceable.  Gathering two spray cans of primer for plastic and two spray cans of Hunter Green Semi-Gloss paint, I transformed my old pots into glossy dark green planters that would have cost me a fortune if I had purchased them new.
3. My family photo grouping that should be adorning a wall in my living has never been put up because it is housed in picture frames that are a kaleidoscope of colors, materials, textures, and conditions.  Taking out the photos, mats and glass, I spray painted my hodgepodge of frames the same color - a very light, silvery taupe.  They turned out beautifully, and my grouping now looks stunning instead of stodgy.
4. The red brick fireplace surround in the living room is far too dark for the color scheme of the walls.  Two coats of white primer has transformed the look of the living room, even before the final coats of latex are applied.

Watching the "old" turn to "new" this week has been a very satisfying experience.  A simple coat or two of paint covered up a whole host of imperfections.  How wonderful it would be if there was a "coating" of some kind that could hide my personal flaws.  The scriptures advise us to put on the robe of Christ's righteousness: His character perfection covering our sins and weaknesses.  God is also in the business of making all things new - new hearts, new lives, new outlooks.  All He needs is for us to be willing.