Re-purposed

I love decorating on a budget.  It requires some creativity and a lot of work, but the end result is rewarding.  When Josh and I first got married our budget for furniture was very little, so I had to learn early on how to be creative.  I shopped around at some old junk furniture stores, found a great armoir, brought it home to my husband thinking I was crazy for seeing a future of that piece in our home.  I sanded it, sanded it some more, put a primer coat on it, then painted it black. My dad had to put some finishing touches on the doors of it, and I replaced the hardware.   It was beautiful.  Josh loved it and we used that as our t.v. cabinet for years.  I even re-painted it again and it was used in our bedroom too.  Now we are still on a budget for furniture, and we need several pieces.  I was looking for a console table that could double as a small computer desk for our guest suite.  I have a hard time finding time, a major requirement for shopping for good deals, due to my three children and busy life.  I decided to take Karis to a birthday party of a little girl in her class Saturday.  I intended on dropping her off and going shopping at the junk furniture stores for this table.  Upon arrival at the party, I was not comfortable leaving her since I did not know anyone at the party.  I stayed outside at the jumper watching the children jump.  Outside this girls house was the perfect console table, sitting outside, exactly what I was looking for.  I went inside and found the mother and asked her if she was interested in selling the table to me.  She told me that she wanted to get rid of the table and I could have it.  I loaded that baby up and brought it home.  After the kids went to bed that night I went to work out in the garage.  I washed it off really good, then I sanded and sanded and sanded.  The next morning I painted it.  I had to paint three coats, then I sanded again and roughed it up a little to make it look old.  It really did have bad places on it from sitting outside in the weather for so long, but that made it more perfect, since I was looking for a table with imperfections.

This process is green, since it is healthy for the planet to re-purpose old furniture- not sure how much it helps but it does keep the old furniture from ending up in landfills.  This process is also economical because it saves my family a lot of money, it rid someone of unwanted stuff taking up yard space, and it serves the purpose for which we use it in our home- everyone gets a good deal!  This process is also spiritual because it reminds me of my salvation.  I am also re-purposed.  I was born a sinner and I was supposed to live my life and die in my sin.  God sought me, and bought me.  He cleaned me up, washed my sin away and I became white.  He sanded off some rough edges, he sanded down some old scars.  He placed me in a useful position to be used and look beautiful to Him.  Now He admires me and loves me, why? Because He did all the work to make me His.  Instead of being in a junkyard or landfill, I sit in His palace and look beautiful to Him.

“Thank you Jesus for your mercy and grace.  Thank you Jesus for not turning your back on mankind when we deserved it.  Thank you for seeking me, saving me, and setting me in a place as the child of the King.  I am not deserving, but that’s what grace is.  Amazing Grace can re-purpose even the oldest and dirtiest.  Amen.”