Like Putty in Your Hands

Last Friday was one of those days when I look around my house and just want a change.

 

I go through these phases of wanting to display every art piece and memorandum we have every owned...and then a few weeks later I look around and can't see our walls; so the process of restoration begins. Only a few chosen items get to remain hanging dainty on the off-white background, while the rest get to see a new home in a matter of hours. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes your mind to a whole new level. To see more clean white walls gives your eyes a place to rest and think of nothing to allow your creative juices to flow. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all of the pictures off the walls are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of those holes are small, they are awfully noticeable on a pure white wall. They need to be filled with soft, moldable putty in order to blend in. Friday, I finally decided to patch all the holes in my wall after the "peace ceremony" of discarding. I whipped up some putty (see recipe below) and was able to fill each and every tiny scar with pureness. If I forget to putty, sure, the walls are free from clutter, but the holes are still there. It was like bandaging an open wound, except better. Clean. Pure.

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Sometimes we go through phases of wanting to do every good deed listed on the church bulletin and attending every program, ballgame, meeting, and party there is. Then we look around and can't see ourselves. We are lost in the shuffle. It is time for restoration. Choose only a few items that should remain dainty in your life, the rest should be discarded awaiting a new soul to take on the good deed or tossed out to the trash. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes you mind to a whole new level. To allow time alone with God gives your soul a place to rest and think of nothing other than Him to get your juices flowing. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all the clutter off our schdules are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of the emptiness remain small, it is awfully noticeable on a pure white soul. It needs to be filled with gentleness, moldability, and rest in order to blend in. To whip up some putty, read your Bible daily (even just a verse and mediatation will do for a starter), talk with your Friend (the God Almighty), and make a list of what needs to continue to stay out of your life (business), and what needs to fill in the holes (true good deeds...not just programs). If you forget to putty, sure, the business may be gone, but the emptiness will still be there. It is like bandaging an open would, except better. Clean. Pure.

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Recipe for literal wall putty:

3tbsp flour
1tbsp+ water
Acrylic Paint (color of wall)

1. Place flour in small bowl.
2. Make a "well" with the flour (like making tortillas).
3. Add 1tbsp of water in the hole. Don't mix.
4. Add a couple drops of acrylic paint to the water. Your paint should be 5-10 shades darker than your wall color. (Hints: red+yellow=orange, blue+red=purple, yellow+blue=green, yellow+red+blue=brown, red+white=orange, white+black=gray; most "white" walls are not pure white but have a hint of pinkish-orange in them or a light blue-grey tint.)
5. Swirl the water and the paint together. At this point, your water should be a shade or two darker than your wall color.
6. Slowly mix in the flour starting with the inside of the well. Mix until soft dough forms (like tortilla, pasta, or cinnamon roll dough). Add more water if too stiff. Add more flour if too watery. Add more paint if too light in color (hold up to wall to test).
7. Knead until all parts are incoorperated.
8. Test on inconspicuous area.
9. Fill holes with putty (it doesn't take much).
10. If wall has a "bump" from the nail pushing out the wall, simply take a hammer and lightly tap against the wall to flatten surface.
11. Let dry :)

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To not remain empty any more...look at this: how do we get saved