Happy Sunday! Today I am thankful for the gift of repurposing. This afternoon I spent some time transforming old fleece blankets into new pillow covers for my throw pillows. The colors I used (green, plaid, and brown) are a great transition into the Christmas season. I know we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but I love to start decorating for Christmas early. I enjoy creating many of my holiday decorations, which means I have to start preparing the projects early. Today I finished 2 throw pillows, a lampshade, and a placemat. The projects were completed with a hand-stitched moose applique. I adore the rich colors for this Christmas and have been blessed to find so many complimentary accents. Colors and decorations are not the reason for the season, but I don't think it is wrong to appreciate our seasonal home decor as long as it doesn't distract us from the true meaning of Christmas.
I chose to repurpose items I had for my Christmas decor this year because I think it is important to use the items we already have excess of before we go out and buy more. Many people are struggling to get by this season while I am not even using everything I purchased last year or the year before. I don't think there is anything wrong with sticking to a theme, but I always seem to have themed items left over at the end of the year. These items start to add up and so at some point we have to make a crucial decision: do we donate/toss the excess or repurpose it? This year I am trying to repurpose as many of the items as I can. Most of this is in the form of the packaging I will use for baked goods, but also includes using the spools of wrapping paper I already have instead of purchasing more. Repurposing is a fun and rewarding challenge.
The act of repurposing reminds me of a Biblical truth that I think is especially important in light of current events around the world. God uses circumstances in our lives, circumstances intended for evil, for our good. In essence God takes the evil intent at the heart of our circumstances and repurposes it for our good. He is constantly at work reshaping our lives that in the end our lives would be beautiful masterpieces that reflect the life of His son, Jesus. This act of repurposing I am very grateful for. I love knowing that at the heart of every circumstance God is working it toward my good. It doesn't matter what the original material was. The only thing that matters is the final product. God is a good and perfect craftsman. We are blessed to be in His capable hands as He works in our lives. The Bible itself reflects this very truth. God made use of every person through their flaws, transforming their lives as they allowed Him to repurpose the fabric of their lives, and allowed them to be the wonderful instruments of change that we remember them to be.
Repurposing is a wonderful thing. What are you thankful for today?
No comments:
Post a Comment