Kicked to the Curb?!! Really?!?!?!

Last weekend as I was driving home from the store, I saw something that you KNOW caught my eye!!!!

Since I had already passed it, it took my mind a few moments to process it. "Oh, I've got to go back and check that out."

Boy, am I glad I did! This is what I saw on the circle back.

It definitely was some sort of cabinet. A little out of date, but we junkers just call that VINTAGE.

This front section was with it. A little worse for wear, but it was still there!

It had this big lid on it. Hmmm..... I wonder what's inside?

Well, it does lift up. Is that what I think it is????

Yup!! An old "phonograph"!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? Someone had tossed out an old phonograph!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but my wheels are spinning! I'm thinking some kind of cool "beverage" cabinet for starters.

But I could even restore it if I wanted, the owner even included all the necessary parts.

So why did they throw it out? Did they think the cost of repairing it would be too great? Or was it just too much bother? Maybe they just wanted a newer model, or were tired of it, or maybe they no longer had a place for it? ...............They may have kicked it to the curb, but I'm glad they did. I scooped it up and am excited to have it!

Sadly, too many people feel like they've been "kicked to the curb" and are hurting from broken relationships. Is the cost of repair just too great? Is it too much bother? Or maybe people are searching for something new, or have tired of the people in their lives, or no longer have room for them..... So sad...... They seem to not even realize what they already have.

People can let us down, but God never will. He is always there for us, and we never have to worry that he might "kick us to the curb"....

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. -- Deuteronomy 31:8

Midge

No tape measure needed for this one!

Ahh, yes. Measuring. We junkers have to do a lot of it...

"How big IS that dresser on the curb? Will it fit in the back of my car?"....."That end table looks a little tall. Does it need to be cut down?"......"Queen Size? Are you sure it's not a full size?" .....And if you're someone who redesigns items-- OH BOY.


There's even a famous saying about measuring....
But I like this one a lot better....

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. "
-- Ephesians 3: 17-19

Midge

It's a Stone Project, For Crying out Loud!

HAPPY PALM SUNDAY

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"
"Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 11:1-10

The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
"I tell you, " he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." Luke 19:37-40


And have a blessed Holy Week,
Midge

I'm linking this up to Donna's Saturday Nite Special #23 over at Funky Junk Interiors. Be sure to head over there and check out all the great projects.

It was FREE!

I picked up this great croquet set this weekend...

And the best part was.... it was FREE!

I've picked up a LOT of free things over the past few years. You can do some amazing things with free things.


I've grabbed a lot of these.....

and made things like this......

and this.....

I found this....

and turned it into this...

I've gathered up many, many,many of these ....

and made many things (but this is probably the biggest)....

I was given bunches of these (by the high school janitor, nonetheless)......

and came up with this.....

Believe it or not, I been given 3 of these (so far)...

and I've come away with this....

and these.....

and even this....

No one wanted this....

but now it looks like this....

Picked up this (along with 2 others).....

and it became this....

Came across this....

which gave me the opportunity to make more of these....

BUT...... the BEST thing I ever got for FREE was......

In Jesus Christ, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesains 1:7

and because of that

to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, you may know that you have eternal life. I John 5:13

Midge

Who couldn't use another lamp?

I love making lamps from other things! It's thrifty -- reuse the "guts" from a .50 garage sale lamp. It's green and creative -- when ideas evade you, make a lamp, almost ANYTHING can be a lamp. And it's practical -- who couldn't use another lamp?

But my favorite lamp is one I didn't have to repurpose at all.........

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

Midge

Suitcases!

I'm not sure what's up with junkers and suitcases, but we sure love them! And with suitcases come thoughts of --


VACATION!

Yup. Tuesday morning my two daughters and I are leaving MI and heading to MN. We'll be visiting the Mall of America, the Junk Bonanza (of course the REAL motivation for the trip), and any other adventures along the way. I'm excited to see new sights, to meet new people, and to experience new "experiences".

But no matter how great a vacation we have, there's nothing like the feeling when you get back home, walk through the door, drop your things, and announce "Ahhhh, it's good to be home."

As much as I enjoy vacations, sights, people, experiences, and just life in general, (and I REALLY do!) my life here on earth is just temporary. I guess my LIFE is on vacation!

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me " John 14:2,3

What an indescribably wonderful feeling it will be when my "vacation" is over, and I can drop my earthly baggage at heaven's gates and finally declare "Ahhhh, it's good to be home."

Peace. Midge

Guess Who Else is a Junker.....

I'm a junker. And for me there's nothing more exciting than finding some discarded piece next to a dumpster and transforming it into a soughtafter treasure. Yes, taking the broken, ugly, worthless and making it a treasured possession -- that's what it's all about (nope, not the hokey pokey). There are a lot of us out there. And we're in good company. Because there is someone else I discovered is a junker....


"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Jesus, along with the criminals -- one on his right, the other on his left. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!'

But the other criminal rebuked him 'Don't you fear God,' he said 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'

Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:33-43)


Broken ? Ugly ? Worthless ? That guy wasn't just junk setting by a dumpster, he was next to the dumpster and the dump truck had just turned onto his street!

And now he's spending eternity as God's treasured possession. That's because, yes folks, Jesus isn't just a junker, He's the Master Junker.

Midge

Happy Fourth! Just saying....

"The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity...I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God." -- John Adams

"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure... are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments." -- Charles Carroll (signer of the Declaration of Independence)

"In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciouly answered...do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?" -- Ben Franklin

"God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel". -- Ben Franklin

"For my own part, I sincerely esteem it [the Constitution] a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests. "
-- Alexander Hamilton

"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual. ...Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us." -- John Hancock

It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worshhip here." --Patrick Henry

"[The Bible] is the rock on which our Republic rests." -- Andrew Jackson

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure w hen we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever." -- Thomas Jefferson

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We've staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity...to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God. -- James Madison

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible." -- George Washington

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian." -- George Washington

A Salute to Father's Day

This is my second Father's Day without my dad. But I certainly am not sad today. He lived a full life, and after spending his last years suffering from Alzheimer's is now spending eternity in Heaven with HIS father. I had an awesome dad who raised me right, loved me very much, and always let me know how proud of me he was. I feel very blessed to have had him for a father and that he lived as long as he did (82 years). I hope you feel the same about your dad.

But sadly, I know that many people do not. If you are one of those, my hope and prayer is that you do not think that that father, who's a product of a broken and sinful world, is an example of what our Heavenly Father is like. Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can even humanly comprehend, but here are some quotes from and about Him that might help us get an inkling:

Genesis 5:1 When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them.

Exodus 3:7 The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey

Deuteronomy 10: 17 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Psalm 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his heart; and carries them close to his heart

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 11:11 Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

I John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Just a small sampling of verses I found flipping through the Bible. It is filled with examples of our Heavenly Father's love and care for us. Happy Father's Day!

Midge

Happy Easter

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: "He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. Here you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28: 1-10,16-20

Angels All Around

Positive things are happening with Refunction Junktion right now. I'll be sharing more about that with you later. Just know that it's BIG. For now I'll just say that I think there are angels all around...
Clearly, that one was designed with the upcoming baseball/softball season in mind. Most people when they think spring is around the corner start thinking about gardens. I think about baseball. I have to remind myself that it's still February.

Speaking of February, yesterday (2-21) was my adopted birthday. No, not the day I adopted as my birthday, but the day my parents adopted me many years ago at 6 weeks old. I want to say that I was lucky to have such great parents. But it wasn't luck, it was just a part of a very deliberate plan God has for my life.....



These angels are made up of many various parts of whatever. There's a molding doodad from a headboard, parts of bed posts, spindles, brackets, table leg, and some crazy thing cut in half.
Take all those pieces of "junk" and look what they turned into. (Unfortunately, I think the short chubby one is the one that most resembles me -- ouch!)




I was amazed when I realized that hinges looked like wings, and then combined with other hardware that it made angels. They're the perfect size for Christmas ornaments.

I will continue to look for angel possibilities that surround me. It shouldn't be too hard, I just have to open my eyes to what isn't always obvious. Afterall, there really ARE angels all around!