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Redecorating

Have you ever lived in a house that doesn’t match your stuff? A house full of flooring and light fixtures and cupboards that are outdated and worn and ugly? That’s my house. It’s was built in the seventies and retains some of the charm of that era: a Jack and Jill bathroom in the playroom, gold carpet on the floor, dark shelving and trim in the living room.

And the paint! Oh my word! I do not long for fall. It’s colors are spread out majestically over my walls. Pumpkin. Caramel. Hunter Green. Gold. I love light and these colors drink in the sun in big thirsty gulps, covering me in shade and shadows.

So we work. All the changes that we have made in the house so far have been with an eye to creating more light. Heavy drapes came down. Stuart is preparing to install French doors leading out to the sunroom. I paint. Cameo blue and white cover the gold hallway. Blue and white comforters do not pop against a pumpkin background, so bedroom walls are coated in layers and layers of white.

The house is a mess this afternoon. Stuart has tools scattered down the length of the hallway. He is installing trim in Lauren’s bedroom. I have shoved the furniture in John’s room against one wall and laid a sheet of plastic over the floor. A roller full of Kilz bulldozes away the caramel color in his room. The gold carpet, which was muted against the caramel walls, now shouts from the floor. It is out of place against the white walls and blue bedding.

I think as I paint. This must be how it is for God.When He comes and makes our heart His home, I’ll bet He is excited to get to work so that this “home” can better show off His glory. It must bother Him that His elegant furnishings don’t match our tacky décor.

My blog links have been full of evidence of His redecorating in the lives fellow bloggers this week. He clears away the old to make room for the new. God’s new is always better than our old. Some share triumphant news. God’s glory is surely found in the triumphant when a person frames success in terms of look what God has done rather than An Ode to the Great and Talented Me. A friend writes of her journey to acceptance in a time of sickness. Our natural tendency is to rebel, to be bitter when health is elusive. To rejoice during such a time could only be a change wrought by the Master Designer. Two sisters write of the death of a nephew. They grieve deeply and and yet declare God's sovereignty during this dark and sudden chapter that has been written into their family. They are hard pressed, perplexed but they do not despair. Only those filled with the glory of God would not despair at such a loss.

All of these triumphs, disappointments and tragedies are invitations extended to us by the Father to allow Him to tear out, to rebuild, to redecorate for we house His glory. He wants our house to match His.
I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. Psalm 26: 8
And glory has come to me through them. John 17:10

Comments

Janelle said…
I hope your remodel creates a fresh outlook in your home. Let the light shine in!

What a great word picture of how God lives inside of us and "remodels" us in His image.
Kathy said…
Good analogy. I appreciate your words: We house his glory. He wants our house to match his. YES! We resist what is best for us. Thanks for sharing.
Melissa said…
Kate,

Beautiful as always!
tammi said…
What a great parallel and reminder that our hearts are indeed Christ's home and like our homes reflect our ownership, our lives should reflect His as well. Very great post.

Good luck with the redecorating in your house!!
Mary@notbefore7 said…
Kate,

I have enjoyed catching up with you today! I missed some great posts while away. Thanks as always for your insight!

This is a great analogy. Thanks for the links to various other sources of truth and encouragement.

Mary
gail said…
just stumbled upon your blog, but really it was God leading me to it. what a beautiful word pic you painted. it spoke deeply to me as i go thru my own valley.

i've just gotton into blogging myself and love to share word pictures that the Lord shows me.

gail
lori said…
Kate,
I blogged the other night on what makes my house a home...we have lived in so many places, the good the bad and the ugly, and I have always tried to make it home, no matter how temporary. We have been blessed to have been here for the last 10 years, but I understand...

I believe that God LOVES when we allow the redecoration of our Spirits and souls to occur...HE is the master decorator...if we allow Him to be...
I really loved this one!!
Don't I say that everytime?
I really do love stopping by here! You bless me!
lori
Well said! Thanks for some good encouragement - "unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it."
Jthemilker said…
Our home is also in great need of updating and we are piecing it together one bit at a time... but always trying to keep the perspective that God has provided abundantly and trying not to succumb to discontent. It's hard when the puke green carpet is dryrotted under your feet... but I see you understand. Thanks for the great analogy.
Hi Kate,

I can't believe I am just now getting to know you here. I poked around here for a good long while and enjoyed every minute learning about your beautiful family.

Thank you for your kind words on my blog - prayer is what we have needed most through this time, and God has been faithful, even in this.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you more with time.

Katherine
Sarah Markley said…
I really love what you wrote here. It comforts and shows what a student of life and of God you are. Thank you for sharing.
Rachel Anne said…
Kate, as always, a beautiful post. I just love the picture you've painted.

Thank you so much for your prayers for our family this week. We've needed them. I know that God is faithful and will bring us through. It just sometimes hard to see what He's doing, or why.

Blessings.

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