Renovations

Grove Arcade

In 1926 a man had a great vision of such a beautiful building that would become a marketplace of many shops. They began construction and finally completed it in 1929. When WWII began the government took over the building and displaced many workers and many shops that were in the Grove Arcade. This past weekend I took a trip back to Asheville for the first time in a LONG time. I had been inside this magnificiant building only one other time. I love to study history but there is always something about being able to see it right in front of you. In many ways it was a much simpler time when people took their time to really look at things around them and place great effort and beauty into their work. Today this great building has been restored and returned to it's original purpose of having market shops all around the outside as well as the entire bottom floor of the building. The middle floor remains to be offices as it was turned into during the Second World War. They are not the major federal offices as in that time but they are offices non the less. The top floor has been renovated and turned into apartments or condos. Why do I give you this history lesson? Well personally it is just my joy of learning the history of it, but I also this weekend was especially great for me. I was first given a chance to spend some time with my sister-in-law who I don't know a lot about. Second I was able to just relax and go backwards in a good way to look at so many things in my life that have changed and grown within me since the last time I was there. Third, I was able to receive some guidance from my older brother to help me understand the importance of certain things in my life. I was able to use this to make decisions that I needed to make. It seems that as I took a look at things of the past I was able to learn and look forward to a future with Christ by my side and blessings beyond measure. Sometimes it takes a little renovation and scraping away at pieces of the past before we can get back to the simpler things in life and began again with a new and refreshed perspective.