Friday, February 10, 2006

Which Road Are You Taking?

Have you ever opened a box of nightcrawlers? The worms are all twisted together--wiggling every which way. And you can't really tell the difference between the beginning of one and the end of another.

Have you ever driven under one of those huge clover leaf highway interchanges? With roads going every direction and you can't really figure out which one goes where?

Have you ever thought about how alike the two things are? That occured to me today as we drove under a massive cloverleaf. Wow. You really have to be paying attention to make sure you get on the right road--and that you're going the right direction!! Sometimes it can be really confusing. Especially in Texas--they are the WORST about marking their roads!

And then I thought about how many choices we have in our lives. Shall I take this road, or this one? Where does this road lead? Will this one get me there any faster? And each life road has a different destination.

In all the roads of life that we have to choose from, there is one particular road. We are told that it is a wide road, and easy to travel on. And that lots of people travel on it. But the destination is destruction.

And then there is another road. One less traveled on. And we are told it is narrow. And oft times it has many potholes and "s" curves--sometimes gravel, sometimes dirt; and sometimes we find ourselves going the wrong way. But God always allows U-turns. And if we persevere to the end, the view will be incredible.

And by the way--there is a Road Map!

Monday, February 06, 2006

Antique Cabinet--top section Posted by Picasa
Antique Cabinet--bottom section Posted by Picasa
Antique Cabinet--doors and drawers Posted by Picasa
Antique Cabinet--Restored! Posted by Picasa

FINISHED!

It is finally finished!! And in my basement! I almost drove my husband over the edge, insisting that he get it moved inside. It came in at 10:00 night before last. The pictures don't quite do it justice--and how I wish I had taken a picture before I ever started!!! It was really just a heap of dark, dark brown broken pieces when I started. After Emerson got it moved in, he stepped back and said, "Well, I never would have believed it!" I'm not quite sure if he meant that the heap of pieces could ever be restored, or that I could actually do it. I did most of it by myself, but he helped with a few things.

I really am please with the way it turned out--oh, it still has flaws. Lots of old nail holes, burn marks on the top of the bottom part--they look like sorch marks from hot pans, the doors have some pieces that were broken and missing--some I replaced, some I just left. But as Emerson says, "You don't want it to look NEW." And so it doesn't.

It has the marks of service. It was well used. And sometimes abused. And it bears the marks of all of that. But now it has been restored. And believe me, it has a place of honor in my house--even though it's in the basement. I'll be keeping quilt fabrics, pieces of old quilts, thread, quilting tools, etc. in it. It seems fitting to store things in it that I hope will become heirlooms--and hope that it will itself become an heirloom.

Chirst is like that, you know. He came to earth to show the Father's love. And he was used. And abused (beyond what words can even describe). And He still bears the marks in His hands and his feet. He paid the price for us. But now, He has been restored to His rightful place at the Father's right hand.

"Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his diving privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbledhimself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated im to the place of highest honer and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:5-11

I've learned a lot from this old cabinet. It's a treasure. Take a look back and see what else I've written about it:

More Things Than Time
Crime Scene Investigation
Dusting Off my Life