Vintage is definitely in. There are ways of making items for your home appear older than they really are. After painting a piece of furniture, all you need to do is use a little sandpaper to give it a nice, worn look. Sand lightly to take a little paint off the corners; scratch the surface a little to make it look less new. Instant vintage!
Some days, I certainly feel vintage. Life’s sandpaper has roughened and scratched me up. Some sandpaper has been heavy duty; coarse and rough. My breast cancer diagnosis…scritch, scratch. That horrible phone call when I was expecting my brother, telling me he had been in a serious accident…scritch, scratch. My mother’s death…scratch, gouge. This sandpaper has worn me down and aged me. It has left me tired, sad, and feeling old.
Some of life’s sandpaper has been less coarse. The sand on this paper is fine, almost soft. I had my first child when I was 35 years old, and had already entered the category of “high-risk pregnancy.” Many of my friends from college already have children in high school or even college. Next to young moms, I really feel my age. I feel vintage. Considering my taste in music and my old flip phone that doesn’t use apps (no Instagram here), “retro” would be a more definitive word. But perhaps this sanding makes my rough edges smooth, like a rock that’s been turned over and over again by the waves on a beach. I am able to smile when I hear an old woman say for the millionth time at the grocery store, “Enjoy them while they’re little” because I know they are remembering their own children. I’ve already had my time to go out to the bars, to stay up late dancing and partying. I’ve already started my career and been successful; I already know what I want out of life.
Throughout it all, through the light sandings, the rough patches and the gouges I’ve received, there is a piece of wood that sandpaper cannot touch. And on that piece of wood; on that old rugged cross, is a Savior who endured even more than the mere scratches and gouging of sandpaper. He suffered much more than that for this scratched up and scarred “vintage” woman. Not only that, He conquered death.
There will certainly be more sandpaper in my life. I’m sure to become more vintage; more retro. Some days, I’m going to fight that whole aging process; other days, I’ll try to age gracefully. As I age, I’m coming to rely more and more upon that old rugged cross and my Savior. He will smooth away the scratches and the gouges, and when I am old enough, He will come for me.
I’m linking up today at Tasting Grace and Momalom today!
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