That old sewing machine table.

Next to my bed I do not have a typical bedside table. I have, what used to be, an old sewing machine cabinet. My husband loves rummage sales. He can always find treasure in someone else's trash. Actually this old sewing machine was on the side of the road in someone's garbage and he stopped and asked if he could take it. When he brought it home I looked at him strangely because it looked like a piece of someone's garbage..literally. It was dirty, the wood was faded and it had nicks in the wood where time had withered it. But, he was determined to fix it up for me. So, he took time in cleaning all the cracks, making sure to get out each speck of dirt. Then we restained it and polished it. Wow! What a beautiful piece of furniture. I have loved my little sewing machine cabinet. It even has a piece of one of the corners missing, but that doesn't bother me. It reminds me of it's age and adds character to it. I have probably moved it around in every room of my house. In the beginning it was in my kitchen ,with a candle and a vase of flowers sitting on top of a white lace doily. Then I moved it in my livingroom, where I used it to display pictures of each of my children on it. Now, it's home is next to my bed where I have a lamp, a clock and a daily devotional book with a small vase of flowers sitting on top of it. Something that I thought was nothing, has become many things. My husband saw what it could have been the moment he saw the dirty thing on the side of the road. Isn't that how God is? HE sees us in our dirty forms and takes us as we are. No need for us to clean up for HIM to love and accept us. HE takes us just as we are. HE takes us into HIS heart first, cleans us off, polishes us up and sometimes leaves a nick or two on us just to remind us where he brought us from. You see, our nicks and cracks have made us who we are and have given us character. Our scars are reminders of the struggles we have made it THROUGH! To God, we are beautiful pieces of HIS creation way before he cleans us off. HIS love is cleansing! Even when we can't see what we can become, HE does, and HE has many uses for us in HIS house. I think most of us feel like we have to clean up before we go to God so that HE will accept us, then time passes by, and we never fully make that step closer to HIM. Have joy in knowing God loves us just the way we are, dirt and all! Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."