Antiques

Antiques are something that I now am fond of, but I did not always appreciate their value.

Our dear Aunt Jesse (God rest her soul) enjoyed a house full of antiques. I do hope and expect that her grand children cherished them.

Uncle Joel had an Awning business with two men working for him as bookkeepers. When the men left for a better job, Aunt Jessie took the place of both, and worked in Joel’s office. Uncle Joel gave Jesse a salary, but told her that he was always going to take care of her, so he allowed her the freedom to spend her earnings how ever she desired.

Aunt Jessie was intelligent and clever, and she began to purchase houses with low down payments. The rents would cover the mortgage, and in most cases she would make a profit. Some of the houses she purchased were from estate sales, and often there was old furniture in the homes. Jessie began to collect beautiful antiques, and have them refinished until she found a place in her own home for them.

One summer we drove from California to Georgia to visit Aunt Jessie and Uncle Joel, and Jessie was pleased to show us all her pretty things.

Aunt Jessie proudly took us on a drive by tour to view all the houses she had purchased with her earnings.

Besides furniture she enjoyed a lovely collection of old dishes. She had antique dinner plates displayed all along her upper walls. Each meal time, she would take the next plates down. By this method she was using them, and keeping them clean as they would soon have another turn to be used.

After seeing how Aunt Jessie treasured “ancient things” it caused me to realize that my rather old fashioned Maple wood table that I once hated for its large clumsiness was indeed a jewel.  One day my Aunt Lucille and Aunt Geneva almost had a fight both wanting my table. At that time I did not see the value in it until I was made aware how beautiful they thought it was. (So I kept it, and later on I paid a friend to refinish it.) The table and chairs were beautifully restored.

Years went by and eventually I gave my antique dining room table and chairs to daughter Nancy, because she often had large family gatherings.

When God looks down from Heaven at those in his world, he first sees us as tattered, wretched, old, and in need of renovation.

That is why He sent his Son Jesus to redeem and restore us to become the New Creation that He wants us all to be. God loves old antiques but he wishes to recreate them into something beautiful. Come to Jesus for he is in the business of restoration and He will change you spiritually into something new.

2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Then your part is to begin to read and study God’s word for the renewing of your mind, for this is how you will discover the perfect will of God for your life.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.