We can all be in the business of restoration.
One day last weekend, my daughter was in a terrible mood. She didn’t even want to come out of her room. While I know that this is fairly normal behavior for teenage girls, it bothered me that she was so out of sorts. We talked for a little while and I shared with her some of my own concerns that had been weighing me down.
I reminded her that even though we were both kind of down-and-out, that we were supposed to be staining our table and chairs for our deck. She and her daddy had spent a lot of time and elbow grease, not to mention the bleach, to clean it a couple of weeks earlier. She had also accompanied us to Home Depot to choose the new color.
She kind of reluctantly agreed. The day was warm and beautiful. The birds were singing and we painted and talked. We both began to relax and we began to laugh a lot. She became her normal happy self and I too, felt some tension release.
When we ran out of stain, which was before we finished the project, we were both in different frames of mind as I knew we would be. I marveled at how well the formula always works.
There’s just something healing about creating beauty. There’s something freeing about giving something old, brand new life. There’s a satisfaction that comes from working with your hands that nothing can really compare to and there’s a certain type of peace that only comes from being out in the warm sun, surrounded by trees and singing birds.
I suppose we are wired that way. God created the sun, the birds, and the trees. Why would we not find it peaceful to bask in His creation since we too are His creation? Jesus is in the redemption business. Why would we not find great satisfaction in giving new life to things that seem dingy or even useless? Isn’t that what He does for us everyday?
The world teaches us to stay indoors glued to our electronics, with our doors locked. It teaches us to focus on ourselves. It teaches us to throw away anything or anyone that isn’t bright and shiny and brand new.
The Bible reminds us that we are in this world, but not of it. We are called to look for signs of life in everything and everyone around us and when we find it, to do our best to help them shine.
We too, are in the restoration business. A table and chairs reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂