Upcycled…

I like to think of myself as up cycled.  Not recycled, not reused, not reinvented, but up cycled.  Better now than before.  Not merely reused in a new way, but actually living and contributing at greater level than original.

Street art in NYC is second to none.  It is amazing that someone spends  time, effort and even money to take something destined for the trash, destined to never contribute again, seen as worthless, useless, insignificant and turns it into beauty.

An old bike, rusted, broken down, not worth the repairs suddenly becomes unique, beautiful, intriguing, worth stopping for, worth documenting with a picture, worth writing about, even inspirational!!

Some of you may be saying, it can’t do anything, and while that is true, it’s the being that makes it beautiful, not the doing. 

Any bike can have value in the doing, but not every bike can have value in the being.  This bike is valuable not by its own merit of transportation, (two wheels, a seat and handlebars useful for movement), but its’ worth is from the creator, its’ value is in the being not the doing.  And its’ being is not of itself, but from the one who redeemed it from the trash, from the one who up cycled it!

 This is true for the ones who trust and believe in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.  Those people have been up cycled.  Their worth is not in the doing (although we are called to have deeds along with faith); their true worth is in Christ.  It’s not what they do that brings value, it’s to whom they belong, or who they are that brings true value. 

I once was a broken mess, self centered, striving, popular…but now I am up cycled.  His and His alone, confident in who He has called me to be, to do, and to whom I belong. 

No longer a regular bicycle, but now beautiful. 

Today my daddy has been gone 2 years.  And one week and 2 years ago (as he was on his literal death bed) he accepted Jesus as his LORD and Saviour.  He lived one week in an up cycled state.  In that last week he could do nothing, (complete opposite of who he had been all his life-wow what a doer) he was bed ridden, but there was beauty.  Value and beauty in the being.   His creator had up cycled him in the last days of his life here on earth.

I am certain many of you have similar stories (in fact over the past 28+ years I have heard some amazing stories of up cycling) and I would love for you to share those wherever and whenever possible.

There are still many ordinary bicycles out there, perhaps you can share the truth and the world will explode with beauty! 

Let the up cycling begin!!