Brand (Old) New

I'm writing this post from a brand new location.  A place I've never written from before.

The newness of this space has me smiling and feeling very inspired!  The colors. The furnishings. The artwork/decor.  It's all so inviting! I wish you were here with me right now, enjoying a cup of hot tea.

"Sheri, where is this fantastic new place?  It sounds rather exotic."

I'm glad you asked.

The new location offering such energy for writing is none other than............(drum roll please)........my newly created guest room!

"Aw, Sheri!  We thought you were going to tell about some fantastic, far-away island.  A corner of the world providing gentle breezes, panoramic views and sounds of peace."

Well, in a way, that's exactly what I'm telling you about.

We've lived here twelve years now and this front bedroom has had many personalities.  It was formerly known as, Meg and Nate's room/Kristin's room/Joy and John's room/Kristin and Meagan's room/Amanda's room.   You get the picture; it has served a lot of family members.

When Meg, Nathan and the babies moved into their lovely home last fall, our little house suddenly felt cavernous.  I thought I'd never be able to fill the roughly 300 square feet they had been occupying. (Yes, that does include the bathroom.)

Frank and I also needed a while just to adapt to being empty nesters for the first time in over thirty years.  For a long while, I left everything as it had been, only empty and sad.  The doors remained closed most of the time.

Then we got the call that friends from NC would be in the area for a couple of days and I suddenly knew, it's time for change.  So Frank and I kicked things into high gear.

Gazing around this room now is a literal feast for the eyes.  And I'm happy to report that other than one gallon of paint, a dust ruffle and a $7 spray of flowers, I spent nothing to create this lovely oasis.

We had the bed.  The dresser was my birthday present from Grandma when I turned 13. (No, it has NOT rotted with age!)  We used a beautiful red, black and ivory STAR quilt made by a friend. Another friend had given us an old Singer treadle sewing machine just like the one used by my paternal grandmother.

Bits of lace serving as doilies are from a widow in our church.  I had recently salvaged a lovely picture of three little girls sitting together looking at a huge book.  And two hats (worn by Frank's beloved grandfather) sit jauntily atop the refinished Singer.

Frank painted for two days.  Pat taught me some easy refinishing steps and Kristin came over to pull together the various elements.  Our guests had no idea about the flurry of activity their visit caused. But sitting here now makes me smile!

I had no idea the potential for so much loveliness was hiding behind that carefully closed door.

Our guests slept well and felt cared for; exactly as we hoped.  But this brand new room also gave me a couple of great lessons.

• Choosing to see the room with fresh eyes brought it back to life.
• All the pieces were sitting around me, just waiting for me to take action.  Now they're pulled into service as originally designed, instead of languishing unused in the garage.
• While I delayed, nothing happened.  It took a decision to move forward.
• Frank hates to paint, put it only took one coat because he used quality products.
• Yes, it took a lot of effort.  And not everything fell into place on the first attempt.  But we kept at it and the result is well worth all the work.
• Now we have another way to bless others!

Dear friend, what project in your life is waiting for action?  Is there a door you've left closed far too long?  It could be something as simple as a junk drawer or laundry area that needs cleaning before the end of summer.  

Or perhaps you're like me.......  

That closed door represented some emotional matters I needed to clean out.  While preparing the guest room, the Lord spoke to me about cleaning out some rooms in my heart I've preferred to not see.  But with fresh eyes of prayer and a simple decision, I'm moving forward. 

It already feels like brand new space in my old heart. I'm so grateful His grace is more than sufficient to cover me with only one coat.  And His mercies are new every morning once we decide to let Him pull together the pieces of our lives.

Cleaning out emotional clutter; disappointment; frustration will take effort.  But just think of the people you'll bless with your lovely new attitude!  Personal refreshing allows us to become like an oasis for others instead of a dry, lifeless desert.  You'll be so glad you took a step forward.

What about you?  Any Brand (Old) New projects for you lately?  i'd love to hear about them!