My husband and I enjoyed the farm-rich Richland Creek Antique Fall Festival in Leesville this past weekend. It is a well-attended yearly event held on a sprawling Carolina farm that gifts guests with an enriched experience of agricultural life. Hundreds of antique tractors lined up to greet visitors with museum-like authenticity proudly heralding the preservation of their former owners' way of life. The competitive-natured horsepower display of the tractor pull was balanced by the smiling grandfather holding a kill switch walking beside his thrilled grandson steering the giant traction machine. Kids from age 2 to 7 had their own pint-sized tractor pull on the other side of the pasture. The threshing machine, antique engines, syrup cooking, sawmill, blacksmith's shop and ice cream churn gave many city kids a chance to experience the benefits of a day on the farm.

Tom Trenka, a collector of antique construction equipment, displayed an impressive earth mover that had an illustrious career from farm duty to military duty in Europe and then back to farm before retirement. Trenka is also busy restoring one of only two known 1922 Eerie steam shovels for display at the festival next year. We viewed pictures of many antique machines that went from rusty eyesores covered by overgrowth in a forgotten field to flawlessly restored shining beauties that not only draws but holds the eye of the beholder.

That reminds me of how God restores us, through Christ, to better than original condition. Restoration on the spiritual level happens instantaneously upon repentance and belief in Christ as Savior. Then the lifelong process of renovation of soul and body begins, continuously powered by the Holy Spirit residing in our new born-again spirit. "Turn me again to You and restore me, for You alone are the Lord my God. I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days." Jeremiah 31:18b-19 NLT.

Dianne Brady is co-author of the historical fiction thriller, "Why the Wind Blows." She is also a speaker and can be reached at dbrady@a4isp.com.