29 July 2007
Guest Blogger, Paul Allen
The Parable of HGTV
Hi, my name’s Paul and I like TV. I know, I talk to so many folks who say, “Oh, I don’t have time for television”, or “I just don’t find that much I enjoy watching.” But not me, if I’m not careful, I can have the television on way too many hours. I’m not actually intently watching it, I just like having it on…especially if something catches my attention.
Since confession is good for the soul—or so they say—I confess that I love the SciFi channel, HGTV, the Discovery Channel, and any good old movies…
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time with HGTV on watching certain shows. In reality, you can only watch so many shows where they fix up a house and I have to admit I really get vocal when I see the prices of homes today….especially when you think that Sandy and I purchased our first home in Clearwater, Florida for $28,000…come on, how can house prices get so high when salaries haven’t grown in accordance with the housing market….hello…
Anyway, as I’ve been watching several home shows, I was reminded of the parable of the wise man and foolish man and thought about a parable for today along the same line. So, here goes….
First, the show, FreeStyle. The website describes it well. “FreeStyle is a no-cost design show where professional re-arrangers de-clutter, reorganize and move furniture and accessories around in a room, to give homeowners a dramatic new look without spending a dime!” It’s great to watch them scour someone’s home and find items that will help make a particular room invite and comfortable to live in.
What can we learn? How many times do we try to make things better in our lives by rearranging our priorities or try making things better by changing the way we do things? In other words, we try to fix ourselves….make ourselves better….pull ourselves up by the proverbial boot straps. I’m not saying we can’t make things better, but we’re just rearranging things….freestyle…without any commitment to anything new in our lives.
The next show I think we can learn a life lesson from is Designed to Sell. The homeowner joins with a designer and spends $2000 on making their home more appealing to the prospective buyers. It’s great to see how much can be done for only 2000 bucks…evidently enough to transform a home to someplace several folks place offers on to buy it….I do wonder, however, what it would be like if they went to some of the housing markets where it takes a little longer to sell homes….might not be so exciting now, would it?
Well, back to the parable…I’m amazed at how many folks think if they appear better—lose weight, spend more money on their clothes, live in the right house or drive the right car, go to the right places—they will be better. Just like the show, a little upgrading or cosmetics will help to sell the house…hmmm…just like we want to sell ourselves…but it’s still the same house, the same us.
Even though I could go on and on with all the different shows, the third show isn’t on HGTV, but it’s familiar to most of us….Extreme Makeover. I’m a sucker for the show because I know I’m gonna be tearing up by the end of the show. They choose a family that is living in extremely unfortunately situation and they come in and make an extreme change….
Now that’s the third part of the parable that speaks to us in how we need to look at life. They come in and totally raze the old house…removing everything. And then they build a brand new home—from foundation to roof—and replace everything inside. The cool part is when they save something that reminds the folks of their past home. Isn’t that what God wants to do with our lives? He wants to come and get rid of the old us and make everything new….what’s that verse? “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
Sweet, God sees the Hidden Potential in our lives, and by Divine Design He will Buy Me through Christ and will help me to Get It Together and create New Spaces in my life….somebody stop me….for you non-TV watchers, those are all home shows of one kind or another.
Gotta go…I’m missing a rerun of Stargate Atlantis
2 Comments currently posted.
Mommydinger says:
Kate says:
ok,both of you stop, your cracking me up with all the show name refrences, which I am all too familar with.
So often I find myself working on clearing out some old stuff that I don’t need and doesn’t look good (extra vases, bad habits, etc), and I even feel good about getting rid of it! But then I find myself shopping to get more stuff to put back in my newly cleared out space (like picture frames, or new bad habits- like over spending). And really I just need to get out of the way and let the real Design Star do His work! (sorry- couldn;t resist)
Too funny. But so true and in a way, so sad!
Why is it we look to other “things” to find happiness. If I only had this, if I only looked like that. But at the end of the day, when you lay your head on your pillow, what’s your last thought for the night? Are you thanking God for what you have, or asking God for what you don’t have?
When we take our last breathe, will all that stuff matter? What kind of legacy will you leave? Will you leave a bunch of junk that no one wants, or will you have made a difference in the lives of others?
That’s my two Decorating Cents.