Passions

Enjoyment: Upcycling

by Tina

One of my original blog goals was, and still should be, enjoyment. Yes, it’s actually A-OK with God that we enjoy our lives. In fact we can and should have things in this life that we enjoy and are even passionate about.

Just ask King Solomon. 🤴

King Solomon was a man with great wisdom, a gift that he asked God for and received. He was a very observant and thought-filled King. He noticed that life is short and that unfair things happen: bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people …. So he made a decision. 🤔 

So I decided it was more important to enjoy life. The best that people can do here on earth is to eat, drink, and enjoy life, because these joys will help them do the hard work God gives them here on earth. 

—Ecclesiastes 8:15

When I started taking antidepressants one of the things that I was told to do was start doing the things that I used to enjoy. This isn’t easy when you’re experiencing apathy. It takes a whole lot of push when that passion isn’t there. It can also take a long time for antidepressants to start helping you regain any interest. You may find it difficult to believe that you can ever regain that enjoyment and passion once again.

While I still have some uphill challenges, I’m in a much better place than I was and I’ve set in motion projects that I’m trying to work on to reignite those passions. 

One thing I’ve always enjoyed is bettering my home by upcycling things I’ve been given or I find. When things have worn-down or have broken I enjoy finding a solution to give them a bit of a face lift and a new life. 

Our Father God is a fixer-upper as well. He takes our broken lives and broken relationship with Him and makes us a new creation through His Son Jesus Christ. 

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!  

–2 Corinthians 5:17

What do you like to do for enjoyment?

34 thoughts on “Enjoyment: Upcycling”

  1. Enjoyment is certainly a cool thing for a child of God.You have the right to enjoy your life because God has arranged everything for a happy and joyous living.Allow nothing to hold you back. Just move forward with a hope filled heart. Best wishes.God bless.🙏💐

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    1. Thank you Francis. Those are such encouraging words. May we live each day in the knowledge that we are beloved Children of God and that he has planned good for us. A hope and a future. Yes, that should encourage us to move forward with hope filled hearts. 🙏 💐🙂

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  2. Super sweet, I love how it turned out!!! And what a great message of hope and encouragement, Tina! We are a new creation in Him!!❤️ We gotta keep trusting God daily—not looking behind at our former selves nor getting far ahead, not even worrying about tomorrow.
    Great post and so relatable for me.❤️

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    1. Thanks Ali! Yes, it’s easy to look back, look too far ahead or worry about tomorrow. Guilty as charged on all counts. We do have to trust God daily. May he instill us with Confidence in Him and keep us in perfect peace. ❤

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  4. Im building a guest / writers cabin in the woods. Much of the materials are given or leftovers or garage sale. Windows, door house wrap znd wood from blow down trees in storms sawn on the saw mill. I even found old composite deck boards to complete a deck and walkway. A very fun project so far.

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  5. Hi Tina, I like your decorated frame! I have always enjoyed crafts, sewing, journaling, gardening, and photography. It is just finding the time to relax and enjoy.😊
    Great flower photos! 💗🌳🌺

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    1. Thanks Jeanne! I enjoy all of those as well! Thank you! Those are a couple of my own micro photography photos. I think one is a very close up photo of wallflowers. And the other is Alyssum. I used to love micro photograpy because you can look at the detail of everything. I don’t currently have a device that has a micro setting. 😕 The camera I used to take those 2 photos stopped working. Maybe one day I will be able to get myself a new camera.

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  7. The pine cone refurbished frame looks good. I am not very good with arts and crafts, although I wish I was. I like to try out recipes, spend some time strolling through nature, lose myself in a book or write.

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    1. It’s a lot of fun and inspiring to incorporate God’s creations into my decore. It encourages me to get out and look for more finds that I can use to bring warmth and life to my home.

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  10. The picture frame is beautiful. You are so creative. I confess I would have thrown it away. I love the idea of upcycling. And I love the message here. We are a new creation, thanks to Jesus. May we remember that when we are quick to toss ourselves in the trash (so to speak). And I also like your point about doing things you enjoy. I agree that we need to find joy and peace in our days. What a loving Father we have, who encourages us to find that joy.

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    1. Yes, Amen. He IS a loving Father who has given us so much to enjoy. Everything He has created is so full of wonder and beauty. I love to incorporate his creations into my decor. There is probably another picture frame in the works as well as a mirror frame that needs some attention. You made a wonderful point of not throwing ourselves in the trash. It’s easy to look at our own glaring flaws and forget that God has made us a new creation and overcomers in Him. We could easily say that He has upcycled us by His mercy and grace. ❤

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    1. Hi, Viv! I’m so sorry for your loss. It took me a while to get on antidepressants. Fear played a part in that because of the roller coaster ride I went through trying a different thyroid med. But antidepressants can definitely help make a difference. I so needed them. I’m glad to see your smiling face on your blog, and that you’re writing.

      Lots of love, hugs and blessing to all of you. I’m missing my favorite space girl. How is she doing?

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      1. I understand that fear oh so well. ❤ She is in college now. 🥲 Goes to the University of Lynchburg which is very close by. Took a hard hit losing her daddy. She’s still the sweet quirky girl we both love!! 🥰🥰🥰😅

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      2. I’m glad that she is close by. I bet it was such a hard hit for her losing her dad. I’m so sorry for that, but so glad she’s still the sweet quirky space girl we love. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 Prayers for her University years for both of you. Does she get breaks to come home to see you? Or do you get to drop by an visit her?

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      3. Awwww she lives at home. We are only about 3 minutes from campus so I see her often as she comes home every night and still remains a sweet little space girl upstairs in her spot. 🥰🤗🤗

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