Refurbishing and Repentance

42 degrees and a day off work made today ideal for some good old fashioned refurbishing.

Naturally my projects have taken a back seat what with the demanding wedding plans, ever-falling snow and the crazy holiday season. The dermatologist was first on my list today and since extractions left moon craters on my face I figured my usual errands could be left alone for one day. The skies were blue and the air was warm (er than usual), so I threw on a jacket and got to work on my long lost project.

Months ago, August I'm ashamed to say, I purchased a disaster of a dining set from a local thrift store. I was at the prime of my refurbishing days and confident that I could transfer the little table and chairs into a beauty for my newly-married kitchen. Sadly, I barely made it through the first chair before the excitement wore off. The set was in bad condition and needed more love than I could give one chair... times three. The once-white paint was yellowing in some spots, green in others. The paint job was uneven and peeling, as if the previous owner had only two minutes to paint the whole set.

Anyways, I definitely overestimated the potential of this table and chairs. I finished only one chair before the weather turned icy and eventually kicked me back inside. Too bad I'm one of those people that can't stand unfinished projects. I had to finish the chairs and I would find a place to do it! Unfortunately for my mom, that place was right smack in the middle of her kitchen. I sanded, stapled and painted until finally I had myself two beautifully transformed chairs.

The table, however, was a different story. Too big to fit in the kitchen, basement or garage, it sat in my backyard from August to January, standing strong in even the worst weather conditions. I mean seriously, that's a hero of a table to withstand the Utah blizzard of 2010. ;)

So with married life two weeks away, it is critical I get to work on our kitchen table! I'm sure The Captain would love a picnic on our floor every night, but I wouldn't be so thrilled. Anyways, today was get-the-table-done-or-else-I'll-come-unglued day. I figured my work would get pretty old without some kind of entertainment, so I scoured the house for an ipod. Eventually I returned to my project empty handed and I turned to my thoughts as the scream of the sander blazed in my ears.

I wish I had a picture of the table! Just image these chairs but five times worse.

Refurbishing old furniture is an interesting thing. It's fascinating, really, to transform an unattractive object into a completely different form. You start with such a hopeless mess and slowly move from one issue to another, correcting old flaws and replacing them instead with something wholesome, something new, and something beautiful.

As I sanded, I was struck with the parallels this thought drew to certain gospel teachings I've heard all my life. Repentance tranforms hopeless things into something manageable. It gives us the tools we need to correct ugly markings that slowly form on our life. But with Christ's help we can overcome weaknesses and become stronger and better than ever before.

I sanded over and over the surface over my table, marveling in the drastic success and distress of the wood. Some areas were clear and smooth with not a flaw in sight. Other areas, however, cracked under the smallest amount of pressure. Previous days had left the surface nicked, and harsh weather conditions had created ridges in the wood that would surely leave the tabletop uneven.

But much to my amazement, each flaw could be completely removed with the right amount of effort. It took time and work, some more difficult than others, and each different from the last, but as long as I persevered any flaw could be smoothed over, disappearing completely from view.

What comforting knowledge we possess.

After a great deal of time my table was nearly complete. It was a tremendous transformation, literally the difference between black and white. My ultra-fine sand paper had done it's job, and the surface of my table was smooth as can be. But it wasn't done. One tiny dent disrupted the peace. It will never be perfect, I thought. In fact, there will always be dents, scratches and bumps in my table, but I'm okay with that. It's a part of life. I'll go about filling them in, patching them up and starting over with the knowledge in mind that my work will pay off in the end.

Anything can be fixed with the right kind of aid.