Are there things in your home you’re not using?
My husband and I recently “reclaimed” a room in our house (whoa! I accidentally typed “hearts” instead of “house”…. hmmmmm) transforming an unused formal living room into what we refer to as the “communal dining room.”
Our vision for the room encompassed more than the dining aspect; we wanted it to be a place where a group of people could worship, have fellowship, and study God’s word; a place where we could share life. A place where we could sit down as strangers and leave as friends.
We wanted to use our new/old dining room – the more scratches and dents the better and so we opted for mostly reclaimed materials – pieces of furniture and accessories that had once served a purpose, but had become relegated to the “past it’s prime, no longer functional, out of style,” category.
If only the old pieces could tell their stories….How did the long gash on top of the farm table get there? Who decided that honey pine chair would look better with a coat of turquoise paint? What was served in that old ceramic pitcher with the crackled glace– iced tea, lemonade, well water?
This is what one corner of the finished room looks like. The “jelly cupboard” is actually the top to an antique sideboard.
As a former baker and owner of “The Dainty Morsel,” I couldn’t pass up this old cake tin – I wonder what types of cakes they kept in it?
The old Italian espresso cups were a gift from my grandmother when I was just a little girl.
Aside from my car, I guess I have a thing for scratches and dents, bangs and bruises – I like the mellowness that comes with aging. Old things have tales to tell and I want to hear them.
My attraction to all things battered extends to people, too – I don’t wish them battered, but I realize most of us are. We need to tell our stories if we’re to become useful again and where better to tell them than gathered around the table?
The Last Course:
One of the meanings of shared is “to take a stake in.” Have you taken a stake in someone else’s life lately? Are you willing to risk letting someone into your home, your heart, your closed-off place?
