And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in                     Christ, after you have suffered a little while,                            will himself restore you and make you strong. (1 Peter 5:10)

I love restoration and remodeling shows and let me start by saying, the two words are not interchangeable. Restoration seeks to take an item back to its original function and finish. Remodeling may or may not remove or cover the old. Remodelers have been known to do such heathenistic things as painting antique fireplace mantels or butchering cabinets to make them fit a space, but then they have to add new wood to make it stable and paint to have a uniform look. There are some old homes and pieces of furniture that cannot be restored, I accept that. However, I have also seen wood that has been smothered in paint, restored, so all hope is not lost. I must admit, fresh drywall is preferred over rotted wood. 

Restoration takes a different skillset than remodeling. My grandfather's dresser is currently awaiting restoration which will include sanding and maybe some chemical stripping to get to the raw wood. Wooden drawer glides have already been replaced. Wear and tear deemed the original rails unrestorable. A chip in a drawer will have to be repaired with new product. I am looking forward to the project, getting close to a piece of furniture my father used. 

When a piece of wood is left out in the sun, it gets weathered and worn. When a person is in The Son they get renewed and revitalized. The Carpenter Himself restores them. Given a choice, I'd take a table made by a local carpenter over an IKEA box with some assembly required anytime. Restoration by The Carpenter is better than self-improvement every time.