Patchwork Beauty, A Canoe Redeemed

It used to be a while back in our area, there was one week each year that you could put out at the curb for pick up any large unwanted items that the regular weekly garbage collection could not accept.
During one of those weeks we got a call from a friend letting us know there was an old broken fiberglass canoe down the road from his place that someone had put out for the large item garbage collection and "would we like it"?
The answer was yes and I learned how to repair fiberglass that year. My friend Matt showed me. He also let me use his garage to paint it in. The canoe had aluminum gunnel's which were broken and in need of replacing so we went and bought a piece of cedar and Matt made it into gunnel's, bow and stern seats and a center bar. (Later, for carrying and for tying the canoe to the roof of the car, I added handles at the bow and stern made from a broken shovel handle.)
So there you have it, as you can see from the picture, in all it's patched and now somewhat weathered splendor; "a canoe redeemed".
I brought it into the front yard the other day from it's spot tucked away under the spruce trees along side our house where it has sat since it's final outing last year, so that I could clean it up and get it ready for it's first outing of this season. (We've had it about six years now). As I worked away on it cleaning off a thick accumulation of spruce needles, chasing away spiders and other critter's that had claimed it as home, and finally applying a fresh coat of oil to the wood, it occurred to me that I used to be a lot like this canoe before it was restored.
Like this canoe I've ended up in places and situations where I should never have been. Places and situations that had left me spiritually damaged, broken and taking on water unable to float the way I had been designed to, unable to avoid the rapids, the rocks, and the waterfalls as I navigated life. To put it plainly I realized that I was broken. There were things in my life that I new were wrong, I realized that in my own strength I couldn't stop sinning, I couldn't save myself.
It was about this time that my wife and I took the Alpha course through a local church that we had begun attending. Alpha is a one evening a week for ten weeks introduction to Christianity. At Alpha they gave us a little booklet called "Why Jesus". I read through the Why Jesus booklet and in the back of it found a prayer that went something like this:

Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life.

(Take a few moments to ask His forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience.)

Please forgive me.

I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank You that You died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
Thank you that You offer me forgiveness and the gift of Your Spirit.
I now receive that gift.
Please come into my life by Your Holy Spirit to be with me forever.
Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

I sincerely prayed the prayer and chose to turn from sin (though I new in my own strength I couldn't do it.) I accepted His sacrifice for me and I've truly been changed. Just like the canoe I've been spared a trip to the garbage dump I've been repaired and made new. I've been redeemed! I still mess up a lot, I still wrestle with sin but thanks to Jesus, I don't hit nearly so many of the obstacles that I used to hit as I navigate life.
If you are at that point in your life like I was, and recognize your need for a Saviour, please pray this prayer. You'll be eternally glad you did!

Brian