I was driving through North Philly and saw her sitting on the side of the road. Literally kicked to the curb. Abandoned and used. Broken. But I saw something beautiful beneath her scars. Beneath the coats of paint that she wore to cover said scars. She was a treasure once, I could tell. I went back and forth in my head, “Should I take her?” My heart won out and I took her home.
She sat on my porch for a while. Useful but unchanged. My schedule had gotten crazy and I’m sure she thought I’d forgotten about her. I hadn’t. She was always on mind.
I finally found some time to work on her. I stripped her of the masks of paint that covered her. She didn’t need any of it. She was authentically beautiful down to every grain. I then sanded out her imperfections. Not all of them. Some I left in because they gave her character. They were the evidence of her life. After sanding, I wiped her clean and let her sit for a while. Yes, she was exposed but this was a good thing. She could breathe.
After sitting for a few days, I returned to her. She still had some broken places. Places that needed tightening. So I fixed her wobble and stood her up; solid and sure. Finally, since all of the inside work had been done, the scars addressed, it was time to beautify her. I painted and glossed her. Not to cover up who she was authentically like before, but to enhance what was always there.
This transformation took some time, as transformations often do. But Praise God, she is restored!
Thank you Lord for the lesson found in a simple domestic project. You are not only the Author and Finisher of our Faith. You are also the Re-Finisher for those of us who have felt abandoned and broken. Hallelujah!
How has God re-finished you?
HeARTtalk - Healing Through Art and Story 
Good reminder of a patient Heavenly Father who sees all of our imperfections and flaws but still sees our intrinsic value. I am The Table.
There is such a powerful message in this metaphor! Love it. I got picked up and refinished a long time ago, however it seems I could use a new coat of gloss these days. I suppose I should pick up the Word every now and again…