OLD BARNS

With permission from Jennifer Schlick, WinterWoman.

Someone sent me this story by E-mail this morning.
Just loved it and wanted to pass it on.



A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off he was crazy.

He was a city type, you could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty.

Sure, it was a handsome building in its day. But then, there's been a lot of winters pass with their snow and ice and howling wind. The summer sun's beat down on that old barn till all the paint's gone, and the wood has turned silver gray.
Now the old building leans a good deal, looking kind of tired. Yet, that fellow called it beautiful.

That set me to thinking. I walked out to the field and just stood there, gazing at that old barn. The stranger said he planned to use the lumber to line the walls of his den in a new country home he's building down the road. He said you couldn't get paint that beautiful. Only years of standing in the weather, bearing the storms and scorching sun, only that can produce beautiful barn wood.

It came to me then. We're a lot like that, you and I. Only it's on the inside that the beauty grows with us. Sure we turn silver gray too, and lean a bit more than we did when we were young and full of sap. But the Good Lord knows what He's doing. And as the years pass, He's busy using the hard weather of our lives, the dry spells and the stormy seasons to do a job of beautifying our souls that nothing else can produce.

And to think how often folks holler because they want life easy! They took the old barn down today and hauled it away to beautify a rich man's house. And I reckon someday you and I'll be hauled off to Heaven to take on whatever chores the Good Lord has for us in our new home. And I suspect we'll be more beautiful then for the seasons we've been through here, and just maybe even add a bit of beauty to our Father's house.

May there be peace within you today.
May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be!
And I do sincerely thank God
for my wonderful friends and family,
who care about me
even though I show signs of weathering!




10 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Some people call something ugly that someone else calls beautiful... Wish we ALL could see the beauty in everything. The world would certainly be a better place.

Have a great day.
Hugs,
Betsy

Joy said...

What a beautiful story Karin. I love old barnes. They have always intrigued me.

Thanks for posting this.

Joy

Betty said...

Very inspiring story! Thanks for that. Needed to hear that!

George said...

What a beautiful, thought-provoking post. There is a great deal of beauty in this world if only we take the time to appreciate it.

Karin said...

Very much appreciate all your comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Anonymous said...

Most interesting post to be sure.

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

That is a very thought provoking post.How true that God sees us like we really are,warts and all.I want to become the woman God wants me to be as I go through difficulties.Thanks.
Blessings,Ruth

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

Karin, Interesting story! Enjoyed looking through more of your postings. It's a lovely site you have here!

Lady Dorothy said...

Oh, to weather beautifully so that I may add a bit of beauty to my Father's house!

Thank you for the great object lesson.

Angela said...

What a great story - I shall share this with the ladies at my Ladies Fellowship group next week [they are almost all over 70 and will really appreciate it]
Blessings x