Life has a way of throwing you some unexpected adventures/endeavors/road blocks/twists/blessings/or whatever you want to call them.  Last month as Tim and my eldest, Hunter, were attaching the last strand of lights on the roof so that we can have the “Clark Griswald home of the neighborhood”, Hunter stepped THROUGH our roof.  Thankfully, where he stepped had a support block just a few inches down, so he wasn’t hurt in the process.  The roof on the other hand, it had a boo-boo.
We have known for years that this day was approaching.  This old home hasn’t seen a new roof since 1981. We just kept delaying the inevitable because we didn’t have any leaks. The further the contractor got into this unexpected Christmas projected the more “boo-boos” were discovered. 
As the last day of 2013 was about to end, so was this Christmas present that Tim and I gave each other. (Great gift, huh?)  The roof and all its under-wood trappings were complete, and the precious painter couple brushed the last stroke of white paint on the wood and blocks.  They even cleaned and put a sealant on the brick.  Ahhh, freshness!  A new start.
When I stepped back to inspect the final work, God gave me an illustration of what He does for us.
We all have “boo-boos” in our life.  We all sin. (Yep, it says it right here…Romans 3:23) The deeper we look into our own life (Worry about your own self.  Don’t judge others.), the more wrongs we discover.
But, there’s good, no…there’s AMAZING news…God is the best contractor, painter, The Creator ever! Much like my home got a new, white, fresh paint job; God is ready to make you clean and “whiter than snow”.  (Oh, Please read Psalm 51:7, Isaiah 1:16-18, and John 1:29)
And then…remember how I said they put a sealant on the bricks?  Well, Jesus does that on us as well. (Christians, we are sealed! 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.) God makes us strong in Christ and, as the Message translations puts it, “God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting His Yes within us. By His Spirit he has stamped us with His eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what He is destined to complete.” Are you a believer in Christ and have invited him into your life?  Then you are a “sure thing”!  What He has begun in you and me, He will complete.
Ahhh, freshness!  A new start. 
Start your 2014 off right with God.
Blessings and God’s abundant love to y’all! 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!