Gratitude Day 224

Tues., Mar. 5, 2019

Isaiah 28:5 – On that day, the Lord of heavenly forces will be a splendid garland and a beautiful wreath for the people who survive,

I like to do these Refresh stories on Wednesday. But with Lent beginning on Wednesday this, I’m opting to do it on Tuesday.

Actually, I hadn’t really thought about doing this post; until my friend stopped by the house last week and thought this decoration in our downstairs bathroom was SO COOL. This spurred me to share it here.

Let’s start with what this space looked like at Christmas. I attended a paint-a-sign event and made this sign. It looked great in our downstairs bathroom over the holidays.

For the last couple of months, the door on this storage area has been bare. One day, I decided to put something back up. And so, I began looking through what I already had. (One of my favorite redecorating ideas: shop your house. Use something that you have, just in a different way or in a different space.) I found this old picture frame, which I had redone a couple years ago.

The picture frame came from the attic of my in-laws. Hubby Rick brought a couple home a few years ago. One night, I took these brown picture frames and painted them. I simply cleaned the frames and used some sample paint I had picked up. The frame of the left (which is the one which I used in the bathroom) was painted with a teal-blue color. I used a darker gray on the frame on the right. The whole painting process took no more than one hour. With the teal frame, I didn’t paint over the entire frame. I let some of the dark brown wood come through between the teal paint.

And then, the frame sat. Yes, I did have it somewhere else for a while. When looking for something to use in the bathroom last week, I rediscovered the frame and started with this.

Once the frame was on the storage door, I felt it needed something else. In these situations, I think a wreath looks fantastic. I used a magnolia wreath that I picked up last fall for $10-15. Super cheap. But … it doesn’t look super cheap.

And suddenly, I have this new way of decorating the storage door in this bathroom!

Wreaths are an easy and fun way to dress up a space. I have come to enjoy layering the wreaths with other things. These layers give more dimension and give a simple wreath more character.

Notice the scripture verse at the beginning of the post. It says that the Lord will be a beautiful garland and wreath for the people. While we most often think of a wreath and God at Christmas time, the wreath can help point us back to God at all times of the year. A wreath has no official beginning and ending, just like the love of God has no beginning and no end. Wreaths can be made up of so many different materials. God covers a wide range of offerings for us as well: peace, love, kindness, mercy, compassion and so many more. God speaks to us through a variety of materials and mediums, unique to each of us and not necessarily like how God speaks to others.

It’s just an old picture frame and a wreath. Pretty simple items when it comes to decorating. But once again, taking simple things and layering them in your home can be peace, love, kindness and a whole bunch of other reminders of God.

For the never beginning and ending love of God, I am grateful.

Lord God – how easy it is for us to forget that your love has no beginning or no end. It is just comes no matter what. As we see every day things like a wreath, may it be a gentle reminder to us again. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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