Old made new

I am currently working on refurbishing our mailbox and lamp posts. The mailbox had been painted over and was peeling and rusty. I didn't think to get a before picture, but I'll spare you the bird poop and rust and will just post an "after" picture once it's done.

I have finished painting the rooms (although the kitchen is just "phase one" and I will come back to it in a few weeks or months to do the next phase). I am really enjoying finding inexpensive ways to change things to make them look better.
I had priced the frames for the collage for Grey's room and it was going to be pushing $150. Whoa! So I took some friend's advice and visited Goodwill and found frames to refurbish for a total of $12. That's right folks, twelve dollars. I was very excited. I am going to pick up paint for these projects today or tomorrow and will share pictures as I get them finished.

I also took all of the brass kitchen cabinet hardware off and painted it a brushed silver. It was a super easy project. I just lightly sanded them all and used a primer and paint in one type of spray paint. Also, per a useful blog I read the suggestion to make a little stand for the handles so all the paint applies evenly. We took a cardboard box and Jon measured it out and put finishing nails up thru the box and I propped the handles up on the nails in the holes on the hardware. Make sense? Well, it was easy and they dried quickly and are back on the cabinets looking better than ever! All for under four dollars.

I have to make a mention though that as I typed the title of this post I realized it begs for the analogy that Christ is the ultimate in making the old, new. I have been terrible about making any time for reading my Bible since I have been done with work. I know this needs to change immediately. I picked up a devotional book at a garage sale that I really like but I know that doesn't replace the living Word. So I am going to try some different times during my day to get a good, uninterrupted time to read God's Word. I know He wants me to draw close and I want to do that. I also hope to find a women's bible study. If anyone knows of any in the area, please post a comment for me. All of that said, Jesus makes me new. He takes my old sinfulness and my lack of discipline, patience and turns me into something, someone that is beautiful. What a relief. I don't live stuck in the spiritual junk pile. I'm thankful He's into restoring.