Painting a Fence

So many lessons can be gleaned from painting a fence.

On first glance, the picket fence around the front part of our house is white.  It is not until further inspection that you see the real filth of it.  Oh how symbolic of life.  Unlike with life, a quick paint job can cover up the filth and that is just what I set out to do.


Look how dirty the fence was.  yuk

I did the first half of the fence by myself... it was a longish process and was becoming quite monotonous especially for my nearly 6 foot frame.. up, down, up, down.  After being banned from playing on the Wii, the middle two wanted to help me.  Knowing no harm could come from them splashing paint on grass and pine needles... much to their delight and shock, I told them yes (not overly convinced it would speed up the process but thought it might cut out the fighting for a spell.)

Ashton took his job quite seriously

Pleasantly surprised is what you can call me when I look over their work and realize that I barely have to go over it.  Even more pleasantly surprised, they kept working when I was done.  Once my gallon of paint was out, I put my brush up.  Shepherd asked for just plain white (I was using Swiss Coffee which turns out is basically white), so I gave the paint to him and Ashton and let them finish the last section. 

All finished... the light hides much of the paint on his little body.

Shepherd talked the whole time how he loved painting. He said, "God made paint."  Ashton corrected him with, "no Shepherd, chosen men did."

Oh the mouth of a 4 and 6 year old... they probably don't truly understand the depth of their words- the truth of their words.


We serve a God who does the choosing.  It is all Him.  I find such comfort in knowing that my kids, my family are protected because He does the choosing.  I fully trust that my kids are covered in the blood of the Lamb because He chose to give them eternal life.... He chose to pluck them out of a life headed for hell.  I fully believe they are... as Ashton phrased... chosen men.

The painting crew.  You can not tell how paint covered we are but trust me when I say it was in hair,  on hands, bellies, shoes, and arms.  :)

We were dogsitting our nephew dog, Riggs this weekend and he had a mishap in the paint... it was MUCH worse the day before.... his ear and tail and left eye bore the brunt of it.

As we finished up, I notice that the dirt is gone.  Only bright white (or swiss coffee) shows up.  I realize the scale to which God looks at me.  I mean, if I am proud over my fence - with its sloppy paint job, I can only imagine that way He looks at me... one of His chosen.

A picture of being washed/ painted "white as snow."

Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV

 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved