I like to find old vintage treasures. I might be looking for a piece to add to a set of dishes, or a furniture piece, or kitchen utensils that remind me of grandma and my mom, cups, or even a piece that just seems beyond help, but catches my eye. It is a hobby of mine and I do it often. It is also fun to share pieces that I find with others that I know are looking for it. I have a great friend who watches for pieces for me too. Love it! I am very fortunate that my hubby enjoys it also, so we make that a part of our trips out. He goes to the books, and on occasion, has found a few other cool items for me. We enjoy doing it.
So… my latest find was a silver tea/coffee pot. It was in real bad shape when I got it, but I thought it was real silver, and it was certainly a good price at $3.00. The other reason it caught my eye was the simplicity of the piece.
Here is what I found that most others would have probably passed by. Do you notice its darkened, rough look? The inside was in great shape, but there were stains, not just tarnish on it. I didn’t think I was going to be able to get it back to any “normal” state. It looked pretty hopeless.
I tried one silver cleaner on it but still wasn’t happy with how it looked. So after the 3 tries, I told my hubby this isn’t working right. It looked a bit better, but you could still see the stains. Then, he brought another one he found, which I was looking for before and couldn’t find, and I worked on it with that cleaner 2 times. It is was a very pretty style and there had to be a way to get it back to its original creation. I gently rubbed, let the polish dry, and buffed it out again. After the two times, I said, “There you are! I knew you had to be in there somewhere under all that stain and tarnish!”
As I was enjoying the fruits of my labor, it just made me think about how much like that I am, and maybe you. I get all tarnished and stained up from the things in my in my life that I experience, or try to control, or hurts from others, and even decisions that I have made that have made my way harder. It builds and builds, until one day you notice that you have lost your joy, or your sunny personality, or your “want to”. Then along comes Jesus with His oh so gentle touch, to buff off a little here and there, to help me lift my head up again. It’s not pleasant, because there are times that those gentle buffings, and sometimes not so gentle, rub me the wrong way. It doesn’t feel good. It may need to come off, but still…However, in His mercy, He can’t always do it all at once. He may have to do it in layers. He will gladly and graciously bring me back to a place where my light can shine, my sins are lifted off of me, and my joy returns.
Have you ever noticed that it is hard to polish silver without getting some of the tarnish on you? Think of it this way…as Jesus buffs off the tarnish, He takes it upon Himself, so that we can shine. All our ugly stains and dark stuff is taken upon Him and it leaves us shining like the silver tea/coffee pot that I purchased.
I am enjoying this piece, as well as the message I was given as I cleaned it. I feel pretty special after realizing that no matter how bad I look or act, that He will take it all way and fix me up again to get back on track. I don’t need to feel guilty about it either, because if I come to Him with it as He says to do, He removes that from me. Isn’t that a great analogy?!?!???
I hope this speaks to your heart today as well. Don’t let it build up in you or on you. Turn it over to the Master and He will make something beautiful out of what looks to be impossible, or like something that is thrown in a bin because it’s not wanted anymore. You ARE wanted, and He is ready to make things new every morning for you! It’s never hopeless. Remember that.
What needs to be cleaned and buffed out in your heart and spirit today?
Until next time…
~JoAnn
I think we sometimes have this idea that our vision is stationary and doesn’t change, and if it does change, then it is lost. But I have come to know that it is how I SEE those changes, that then give me a new vision. It evolves into the next thing that I get to do. We are each given vision to see the world around us. HOW we see it can make all the difference. If I had stuck with my earlier vision, I may have felt defeated and disappointed in myself that I didn’t continue. But I would have missed all the other visions that God has placed in my spirit. I would have missed the people he has brought into my life. I would have missed the promptings to expand and readjust my vision of my life and circumstances. THAT would be a total loss of vision. Instead, I have allowed my visions to change and I have changed with them. I have gotten to do some marvelous things in my life.
around and ask for new eyes to see; a vision to open up to you. Watch out when it happens though because it will be life changing and life altering. You may find a new zeal in your life that wasn’t there before. It may move you to do things you haven’t ever done. It COULD even make it so you take part in activities that others think are kind of wild and crazy. I say this: “DO what you love, and do it every day.” It’s like drinking from the good glasses every day! Or…a different mocha cup!
vision of happiness. Yours is of course different depending on where you are in life journey. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a vision geared toward you. Would you do me a favor? In the comments here on the blog, share a part of what you feel your vision is for your life at this time? It may just be that you get through your day. It could be a new craft you want to spend time doing. It could be more family time. It may be doing something different on the job. Whatever it is, I would love to hear about it, as well as, how you see that coming to fruition. What do you see?
It will change until the day I pass from this world into my heavenly home. That is a really great way to live in freedom…a vision that excited me! You see the picture to the left is me with a Tootsie Pop out camping and staying in a cottage; something our family did a lot of growing up. That vision has always been a live in me, and now I am establishing that vision for my family; our cabin. Yes. Having vision IS important and can be life changing for generations to come.
Have you ever had someone say to you, “I was one decision away from a different life path in life.”? I can relate to that. I have had many points in my life been at a crossroads and my decision totally changed the trajectory of my life. I have not always chosen what was right for me, but often chosen out of compassion or not wanting to hurt feelings, rather than listening to the Holy Spirit that is sending me a different message and a different path to take. Those decisions are so hard, aren’t they? Sometimes there is so much to give up…but what if we listened to the hard message in the first place and didn’t take OUR decision, but listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit? And…what if the Holy Spirit even sent friends along the way to ask you the hard questions about a decision you were making? Ahhh…now THOSE are hard questions! Here is another one for you…what if changes in your life circumstances mean that you NEED to consider yet another change in order for it to be the best yes in your life, and it will require a LOT out of you? That’s not even to mention all those who think you are nuts to have done it in the first place, or they are thinking you can’t seem to make up your mind.
I think you know your words have power, right? Power to build up, or power to destroy; and I’m not talking about just those are around you. I’m talking about you. Your words or actions are your self-talk. Self-talk has lethal effects on your thinking and brain. Negative thoughts or attitudes is like injecting yourself with an addictive substance; an addiction to bad thinking. We soon start believing it is true. What do you see, or think about yourself, as you look in the mirror? Do you tell yourself negative things? Do you believe you are shining the light of Jesus in all you do and say with your words? What about your actions?
your branches have been pruned back so far your are they losing your grip on your life right now? Maybe the fog has rolled in and you can see clearly what’s ahead.
As I navigate through the “falling off” in my move further from my kids, grandson, and family and church family, He is drawing me closer to Him. He has given me NEW things. He has given me a new environment. He has also set me apart, to have fewer distractions. He will do that sometimes to finally get our attention. However, I believe that He has new endeavors for me to involve myself. He may be leading me to the point where He wants to do NEW things through me. Now THAT isn’t a new thing…He always wants to do new things through me. I know He works through those who are willing to be used. Now that is exciting! It’s scary at times. It’s lonely at times. But He is never separated from me, unless I separate myself from Him. He speaks through His Word, through people around me, and He may speak to another person’s heart to invite me to be involved in a “new thing”. I just need to be willing to be obedient when He gives me something to do.
In photography editing, you can have something called a filter or preset that is used to enhance your photo. One click or maybe two, and supposedly, your picture is better. Click and done. Boom! But God isn’t a one-click-and-done kind of God. He wants to keep molding us until we go home to heaven. He adds light where it may be dark. He will give contrast in order to enhance what we see. He will give clarity so we can see clearly what He desires us to see. He can blur some of the hurtful things so they aren’t so much a part of our picture. However, I would like to suggest that you don’t set your life and thinking on a preset. You would be limiting what God wants to do in you by a click-and-done fix. Give Him full access. Let Him give you the settings. The view through His viewfinder is SO much better. He has a mega zoom lens and can see the end from the beginning. He wants a life for you better that anything you can imagine.
As I have been planning my new year, I just want to take this opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate your faithfulness in being a part of this community! Sometimes, I’m not sure if it helps or encourages anyone, but then I will get a message from one of you and it is thanking me for post. So, as a part of my new year, I will continue to share my thoughts and life with you in hopes that it will bring hope and encouragement to you just when you need it.
Go get your coffee, tea, hot chocolate, put your feet up for a few minutes and let’s chat about this.
I have had some hard decisions that have had to be made just in the last couple of weeks. It has been hard not to be disappointed, or get angry over the circumstances, or feel like I have always had to do things this way. It would be nice for just once, to have it be different, where what is a problem is never an issue for me anymore. Been there? But when I start looking at through the lens of gratitude, things shift and God changes my heart. I get back up, dust myself off, and say, “Ok Lord. I don’t know the why, but I know YOU, and you do. Now, help me, by the work of the Holy Spirit, to remember that the next time I’m a stinker about it.” It’s like playing a detective about ourselves and asking ourselves the hard questions, but then walking it out when the answer comes.
I have a couple of pages in my little book so far of my goals for this year. It’s fun to consider the journey God will take me on to enable me to fulfill desires I believe He has put on my heart. I pray for each post that I write in hopes that it reaches hearts to encourage. So my desire for you is that you are encouraged not to look at your life as something too busy to implement any changes, but as a new opportunity to live each day in the moment, and totally change your life from something you live each day to something that fulfills you each day! God bless you to that end.
have groups and actually decide more how you want your page to look. I have never been interested in the numbers of people who I have either. I just like to share and connect with people. I enjoy being a resource for others. This is my goal: Share life together and encourage each other when we need it; walking the journey together.
journeysofmyheart.com 