Reclaimed Riches

Some other day I’ll get into the craziness of this move. Three enormous families playing musical houses.  But, no matter the chaos I never stop decorating.  My brain never shuts off. And when I first saw the funky, retro, yellow chair on-line, I bought it.  My husband came home and said, “Did you see that horrible yellow chair that the family moving in here left in the garage?!!”

Um.  “That is our chair.  I bought it.  And I love it.”

I knew the chair had potential and character. And as I brought pieces from around our home into the formal living room to sort for restoration… I thought of reclaiming riches for a new day… and then I thought of Rebekah, my friend who has taught me much about seeing with fresh and creative eyes.

Restoration.

 

It first occurred to me in the foyer of Child Protective Services.  I could barely catch my breath.  I crave union with Jesus. Real Jesus. I was convicted to the core of my being that I had gotten into foster care for the wrong reasons.

I wanted to save children. Criminal? No. But at that moment I knew, my Jesus is a God of restoration.

I would submit to Him in the revelation… wholly.

“We are either people of restoration… or we are not.” My voice cracked, and my husband and I agreed.

 

Alas, more of that another day. I am inspired in the crusade for that which can be restored… reclaimed, and made whole by my friend – fellow foster- adoptive mom, seeker of truth, seer of beauty, and a life-long love affair with the REAL JESUS, I give you… (drum roll) Rebekah Porter of Reclaimed Riches.  Y’all, soak her up!

Love,  Jami

 

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Seer of Beauty

Reclaimed Riches

By Rebekah Porter

I was just a kid when my love affair and infatuation with all things old began. I blame my grandmother, MaMa. She loves antiques and some of my very own precious memories with my MaMa were spent meandering through antique stores. What would typically take me a few minutes to walk through would take hours with her. “Everything has a story,” she would say as she would stroll down isle after isle looking at and touching old treasures.

(She also told me once that nothing would cause her to have a bowel movement faster than walking through an antique store. I don’t know…but that’s what she told me.)

This relationship with junk started out pretty shallow: a coat of paint or an unexpected container for flowers. Amateur. But over time, I gained a bit more courage, or I was just bored and thought, “why not!” and started refurbishing some furniture, reupholstering a chair or two and the occasional completely cutting something down to make something brand new.

As the love evolved, I began to ask God what the purpose in it was. “Who cares if I can make something junky into something beautiful?” Surely it was just a waste of time. I had more important things to do, right? Anyone else ever question your God-designed gifts?

Seer of beauty.

That was it. That was the whisper that held the answer to my question. God spoke, “You are a seer of beauty.”

Whoa. The relationship with junk just took a giant turn. No longer was it just about making something ugly into something pretty. No longer was it just about turning a toolbox into a centerpiece and no longer was it just about the here and now.

At that moment, God revealed his nature for the discarded, the broken, and the ugly. He is THE seer of beauty. He saw the beauty in me, in that awful season of self-destruction. He saw the restored me when my heart was broken. He saw the redeemed me when I thought I was too far gone. Redemption, restoration, and beauty are how the story ends!

 

 

He promises to make all things new. He turns the old, broken, beaten, and shaken into something new….brand new.

I completely agree with MaMa that everything has a story (bowel movement??? Still out for discussion.)

Everything has a purpose, and everything (and everyone) is made beautiful in His time.

All things restored and fab can be found on Rebekah’s blog!  Check out her redo of her historic home!

Head on over to Rebekah’s and see all she is up to… seer of beauty.  And thank you, Rebekah, for sharing today here on Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors!