Before and After :: The Journey of the Coffee Table

This is the story of my coffee table.

Once upon a time there was a pine, uncoated blanket box. Purchased in 1998, the colour was chosen and she was stained a lovely teak. In 2003 Miss Blanket Box was unfortunately abandoned when her owner relocated indefinitely to the magical island of Hong Kong. In 2008 the owner's parents moved house and were in need of some additional furniture, so Miss Blanket Box, now living in a shipping storage container, was rescued and placed in a loving home. In 2011, Miss Blanket Box's owner, now back in Melbourne, was in need of a coffee table. So after nine long years, the two were reunited. Now here is the story of Miss Blanket Box's transformation into a lovely.. white.. coffee table.

I started painting the blanket box late one night (notice the stunning makeshift coffee table in the background). The flow of creativity usually comes to me late in the evening, and I just have to go with it. So at 10pm, I was chilling out, watching TV, when I glanced at the coffee table.. and the urge came. So of course I had to act. Up I jumped. Grabbed the paint, brushes and dropsheets from the garage, and within ten minutes I was right into it. No messing around! I know you know what I mean.. When you get that "decorating urge" nothing can stop you. You just go full steam ahead until it's done no matter what the hour! But the results are so worth it. And... here she is!!

I just love white paint. It makes everything look schmick. It does take a bit of effort, but the moment you start you can see the evidence of change immediately. And so it is with us. When we begin to make a change and work on ourselves, for example - the way we think - we immediately see the evidence. I've found that as I think and rethink over negative issues, things that have happened that I actually can't do anything about, as I worry about things, and just mull over the wrong things in my mind, it's not good. The way we think determines who we are. And so much can be said about thinking the right way. We can literally be transformed by the renewing of our minds. 

This was taken a few weeks ago when I got my new couch. I recently gave the table a fresh coat of white paint and I think she looks even better now. :)

So.. this week I'm challenged to renovate my thinking. It's time to throw out old thinking patterns and give our minds a coat of fresh white paint. It's time to forgive when we don't feel like it.. to love when it's hard.. to have compassion instead of frustration.. and to still believe in ourselves even though we've failed a hundred times. 

Hope you are having a beautiful Sunday arvo.. I'm off to church!

nat x

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