Exterior Lighting Upgrades

One day I will do a post about our exterior painting journey.  Until then, let's talk exterior lighting for a bit.  So back in the day, we had these beauties as exterior lights...

Ugly, old and half broken. I really couldn't stand them.  When we first moved in to our house we somehow got a memo about a big clearance secret sale going on at our local Lights Unlimited.  We weren't quite ready for lighting upgrades but knew that they would be in our near future, so we decided to take a peek at what the big clearance secret yard sale was all about.  It was one of those early morning sales where everything was hanging out in the parking lot in the back of the building so it was like a secret meeting of bargain hunters.  Anyway, at the sale we found our bathroom light for $10 and then spied out too exterior lights on sale for $5 a pop.  Originally these babies were $148 a piece - so I would say that was a pretty sweet deal.  The lights were not identical but, they had the same finish and similar shapes so we said why not?  After getting all of our exterior painting finished we were ready to install them - I was super excited because I love them (a vast improvement from the feeling I previously held about our old lights).

So here is our side door's new light...

And, our front door's new light...

$10 for a couple of pretty, new outdoor lights - yes and thank you.  Replacing lighting is really a pretty easy upgrade and sometimes an inexpensive one if you get invited to secret clearance sales.  

So I'm just thinking about the saving grace of Jesus this morning.  As people we are in desperate need of a savior, our lives are kind of like these lights.  We are sinners, old and broken, tired and in need of something new.  God's word tells us that when we accept Jesus as Lord we are a new creation, our old self is gone and we are made brand new.  That doesn't mean we are old and broken and have some bandaids slapped on and then are sent out to face the world but our old self has gone away - 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.  We are made new, whole, ready to shine light into a dark world, full of joy, full of God's love, mercies and grace.  It's all because of the work of Christ that we can be made new - He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit Titus 3:5. Here's the next part, don't be a secret sale, hiding behind in the back parking lot - be the new creations Jesus has made you to be and help others discover his mercies and truth - And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" Mark 16:15, there is nothing more precious or more important in this world- For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21.  It's because of Jesus Christ we have been made new and through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can share this truth with others, there is just nothing greater.

Thanks for joining today, Have a wonderful week!