FRESH PAINT

 I am excited about the way my new office has come together.  A few days ago it was a mess, stuff everywhere, the walls sanded down and the blue dust from them all over the room and the empty shelves.  Then it began to change.  A fresh coat of paint was applied.  The shelves were re-arranged.  The mementos were added and the lighting was put in to place, and suddenly the place looks very different than it did for my predecessor.  After reworking the office is not set for me to use in the ways I can and I am excited
 about that.

Still, no matter how good it looks on the outside, if the underlying supporting structure isn't solid, all the fresh paint in the world can hold up for the long term. The outer appearance of this office is only as good as the structure that lies beneath.  If the framing of behind the dry wall is rotted, the walls will not hold up.  If the foundation of the building is not firm everything in the room will eventually come crashing down. We are only as good and strong as our foundation. 

 So as I embark on this new journey in Dayton, Indiana, I am reminded of two things by my new office.  First, I am reminded that now matter how dirty and beaten something is, it can be given a fresh coat of paint and renewed.  Second, I am reminded that no matter how good something looks it is no stronger than its foundation.  If the fresh paint is point on a strong foundation it will draw people to it.  As Christians may our foundation be strong, and may what people see when they look at as be something they would see and say, that's good.