"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." ~Isaiah 1:18
We love the new decks we have installed at our home in February of 2023, but we soon discover what could be a drawback to the cream color we have chosen for them. Although this shade is lovely and contrasts perfectly with our cedar red siding, they are easily stained by leaf tannins and foot traffic if we don't tend to them on a routine basis.
Danny always steps up to this task when it's needed. However, with all we have been through this year health-wise, he cannot keep up his regular regiment. We really need help to maintain our decks' beauty. These photos reveal how badly blemished they become without constant tender-loving care.
His son, Nicco, lives close by, and he is willing to give the decks a good pressure washing and brightening afterward with a diluted bleach solution that has worked well for us. This is not a lightweight task by any stretch of the imagination. Nicco works diligently on both decks; it takes over six hours of his time and effort, but his work pays off. Look at the difference!
Restored and shining like new!
~
When we invite Jesus into our hearts, He will be faithful to wash away our sins, and restore us to newness of life. That is where the process begins, but it doesn't end there. As we embark on this new journey with Him, we must be vigilant to ask the Lord's help to resist the sins and snares the Liar will set for us along the way.
We are all works in progress in this fallen world. We are bound to slip and fall from time to time. But if we acknowledge our failings, repent, and ask for forgiveness, Jesus will once again wash away our sinful stains. I feel such relief knowing that God is relentless in His pursuit of His children, and will never stop loving us, even when we are sullied and worn.
We must, in turn, seek Him, surrender daily to His will, and give thanks in all things for all that Jesus has done for us.
He is our blessing beyond measure!
Amen!
They look great! I don't have a deck but do need the house pressure washed again. Do you think he will travel to Indiana? LOL Great truth illustrated Martha.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to venture that there is a young man in your congregation that would be more than willing to pressure wash your house, Bill. Thanks for your compliment of the analogy here. May Jesus wash us clean!
DeleteLove and blessings!
A wonderful lesson for us all. Thank you so much, Martha. The deck looks like new.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It certainly does look like new, Victor, and Jesus can do the same for us.
DeleteLove and blessings!
A power-washed deck is an apt metaphor for what happens when we believe - and why we need ongoing mintenance.
ReplyDeleteWe most certainly do need ongoing maintenance, Glynn, if we want to stay spiritually healthy, shining our lights for the Lord.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Your deck looks so restful. The description goes beautifully with the message you shared! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mrs. White. Our decks, surrounded by the woods, are certainly a restful and rejuvenating place to be. I love sitting outside and enjoying God's creation all around me.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a great comparison, Martha. Thanks for the reminder. Enjoy your new deck!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diana, we will.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a beautiful deck Martha. And I love how you wrote how Jesus washes (pressure washes) our sins away. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to think that we can become so stained by sin, Jesus needs a pressure washer to cleanse us, Regina, but that is do true for so many of us.
DeleteLove and blessings!
The deck looks wonderful. So glad that worked out for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Debby.
DeleteLove and blessings!
The clean decks look wonderful! I know how that is...we do not have our deck painted and it is in need of a good pressure washing and then a new coat of some kind of stain/preservative. That is a big job, and our kids have said they will help out, but no one seems to have the time at the right time...have to make sure no rain is in sight, etc. so it goes undone. You have encouraged me to start thinking about it again and maybe we can plan to get it done. I love your thoughts about how Jesus washes us clean. Where would we be without His cleansing power washing away our sins? So thankful for the blood of Jesus, who washes me. Amen.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Pamela, where would we be without Jesus to cleanse us from our sins? I can't begin to imagine how hopeless a feeling that would be!
DeleteI know your "kids" will get to it when the weather is right; we had to watch closely here to make sure we had several days of dryness and low humidity. Thankfully, those came rather quickly in this case.
Love and blessings!
Never thought about the lighter colour on decks. Glad you got it pressure washed!
ReplyDeleteWe are, too, Christine.
DeleteLove and blessings!
The deck looks great. I quit fighting the nature around us (I'm lazy .. lol) and we stained ours dark brown. Thankfully it looks good with our peach colored house. Now it doesn't matter what stains it. lol
ReplyDeleteLove the analogy of how Jesus washes us white as snow. Praise the Lord for His saving grace! 💙
Praise the Lord, indeed, for His grace and mercy! Before we had them replaced, our decks were the same color as the house, and we were ready for a change, hence the lighter color. Be thankful to have darker colored ones as they don't reflect the wear and tear, but yet, they have dirt you can't see. Hmmm. Is there another biblical lesson in that?
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a wonderful job Nicco did, it looks shiny and new.
ReplyDeleteI will certainly let Nicco know about your compliment here, Bill. He will be so pleased!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Nicco did a beautiful job. Pressure washing is not an easy job!! And yes, our God is a blessing and always good. Keeping Danny (and you) in my prayers!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHe certainly did, Terri, I agree. Thanks so much for keeping Danny and me in your prayers, too.
DeleteLove and blessings!
While noting the maintenance that our deck needs also, I'll be reminded of your analogy, Martha! Our spirits need continual maintenance and refreshing also.
ReplyDeleteThey most certainly do, Nancy - constant care courtesy of our loving Father.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteQue bom que os decks ficaram limpos. É uma alegria saber que Jesus nos perdoa, o sangue precioso de Cristo nos purifica de todos os pecados, um forte abraço.
Amen to the cleansing power of Jesus' blood to purify us all, Lucinalva.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Had an overwhelming day yesterday and am late to the party again, Martha, but I do love the connection you so skillfully made between your deck project and the cleansing that God accomplishes in all those who bring their dirt and stains to Jesus. One of the things that blesses my heart about your posts is the pictures you so often send along. What is fascinating to me in this edition is how pristine the deck looks after the cleaning. Those who see it now, but didn't see it before have no idea how it looked prior to the cleansing. One of the challenges we have as followers of Jesus is keeping our minds away from the way we looked before and focusing on who He made us to be now. It's great to have the "before" picture, but its primary job is to reveal the marvelous transformation that the cleansing accomplished. Thank you again, dear friend, for a blessed reminder of what Jesus has done for us, and may God bless the efforts you and Danny make not only to keep your deck looking good, but to help apply the cleansing process our country desperately needs.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind and appreciative words here, Ron. You are absolutely correct about NOT spending our time dwelling on how scruffy and ugly we looked before Jesus found us and cleaned us up, and we need to allow Him to continually spruce us up so we can truly reflect and shine His light into this darkened world.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha: Have had a troublesome couple of days. Even lost my temper in the middle of Walmart, yesterday. Please pray for me that I get my new cell phone working as I think it should. Enjoyed the comparison between power washing and Jesus taking away our sins. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteWe all have our bad days, Cecelia; no one is exempt! It's the confession and repentance that heal us and help us to live as Jesus wants us to. I do hope and pray you can get your new cell phone to work properly - that is so frustrating! If Danny wasn't such a whiz with technology, I wouldn't have a clue.
DeleteI'm so glad this post spoke to your heart today, my friend.
Love and blessings!
Amen and thank you sincerely for blessing us. We too are dealing with the changes that come once we are no longer young. And we have decided to remain happy and grateful even as we make adjustments. Without making too much of a fuss or lamentation over the adjustments. Thank you for being a friend of the spirit Aloha
ReplyDeleteYour kind words here really touched my heart, Cloudia. Thank you! We might not be young in years, but our positive and grateful attitudes can make all the difference our lives. I like to think of myself as God's child - He will always pick me up off the dirty ground and cleanse me with His love and healing.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Amazing what a good pressure wash can do.
ReplyDeleteGod is always watching over his children
Yes, Jo-Anne, God is faithful and will watch over His beloved children who trust in Him and His saving grace.
DeleteLove and blessings!
A beautiful illustration of God's forgiveness. (and your power-washed decks look really good!)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words here, Barbara.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Amen to the forgiveness of our Lord.
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings
I will second that, Jim. Amen! Amen!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, I love the color of your decks, but I can see how it's hard to keep them up and clean. Such a wonderful analogy, too. Amen to this, "When we invite Jesus into our hearts, He will be faithful to wash away our sins, and restore us to newness of life." And He continues to cleanse us. Hallelujah! Karen Friday
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Karen, for your kind and thoughtful words here. Jesus will never stop caring for us and keeping His children shining and new for Him. Let us all shine the light of His grace and peace.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Wow, I really see the difference in your deck. It looks good in both versions, but I'm sure you're loving the cleaned version the most! We need to pressure wash our deck again too, but yes, it is quite a physical task and I'm certainly not one to attempt it myself. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Lisa! Sometimes, it is difficult for us to admit that we can't do the things we used to easily do as we age, but one thing is absolutely certain - we can't "clean up our act" without the help of Jesus. Let us give Him thanks and praise.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Amen to all you have written here Martha , and I like the way you have used the painting of the deck to symbolize the cleansing of our Lord Jesus. God bless.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad this post spoke to your heart, Brenda. Thank you!
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Muito bom de ler ! Bju
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ro!
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Praising God for the gift of Nicco in your lives. How blessed to have him living close enough that he can be there when needed. God is so good. What a gift!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy a hot cup of coffee and a lovely book on your newly re-furbished deck space. Happy weekend to you guys.
Happy Weekend to you, too, Linda! And thanks for your kind words about Nicco. He certainly has been a lifesaver for both of us with all we've been through so far this year, and we are so grateful for his gifts.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, your analogy powerfully captures the essence of God's transformative love. Just as Nicco restored your deck, Jesus cleanses and renews our souls. Thank you for this beautiful reminder of redemption. Blessings to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Veronica, for your kind words here. God's love is a transformative one, and I am so thankful that He is patient with His wayward children, cleaning us up again and again so that we can shine for Jesus.
DeleteLove and blessings!
such a good illustration and reminder that it is a job that has to be done over and over again. God's grace is continuous. Nicco is such a blessing for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Jean, for your kind words here. Like you, I'm so grateful that God's mercies are new every morning; we may slip, but Jesus won't let us fall into those mud puddles of sin.
DeleteYes, Nicco is a blessing!
Love and blessings!
That Nico is some sweet guy there Ms. Martha. THANK YOU sir, on behalf of another tired, broken down old guy. Ever want to visit Texas, I've got a pressure washer, sir. :-) And some of the best steaks you'll ever eat.
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