One Gal’s Junk…..Another Gal’s Treasure
My sis-in-law and I share a sweet memory of the estate sale company that we owned and operated. We witnessed the “junk” of many become the “treasures” for others. Perspective. A useless Tupperware lid for one, but for another it was just what they needed. Old worthless baby stroller for one, to another it was a great tool for hauling things in. An old, beat up window — junk…but another would turn it into a piece of art. It’s a matter of how we look at life……and stuff.
What a ride we had in that business. After years in the business, our season changed and we decided to “close-up-shop” on that business, but kept all our supplies and inventory in a storage unit. With my upcoming move to Texas, we decided to go ahead and sell all those supplies. Of all the inquiries from our advertising, only one couple was really interested — it was the couple that we purchased our supplies from years ago — wanting to get back into the business again!!! God’s timing was perfect….for both of us. Thanks be to God!
So yesterday, Karen and I had a garage sale of “stuff” that she and I had accumulated that needed to go. We were able to borrow the tables and shelves from the couple that purchased back their supplies from us. Perfect timing….again. Getting the sale ready and then the sale, our hearts were stirred once again by those that stopped by to shop. We had always made everyone that visited our sales feel like they were family. Yesterday was no exception. Our sweet Mom loved it because we used her home, where we had many garage sales over the years. I might add the BEST location ever for garage sales. Every age and ethnicity stopped by and we gave away as much as we sold. Oh what a feeling!
Karen, George & I were at Mom’s houe to set everything out yesterday morning at 6 am. Mom was still sleeping. Soon, she came out and was singing “I woke up this morning feeling fine. I woke up with heaven on my mind. I woke up with joy in my soul….now Lord, make everything in this sale GO GO GO!” LOL! She has also loved our sales because as outgoing as she is, she acquires lots of new friends — like in this photo with a sweet little girl who has spina bifida, but other than the shoes and walker she uses, all you could see was a little shop-till-you-drop queen. Her “normal” rose to the occasion and her little bag of treasures “made her day”. Mom and her became best buds. And then there’s Carl, a close friend of Mom, Karen & George, who has become like a son to Mom. The two of them had plenty to talk about as they watched the garage sale activity — especially the beaming faces of those who found a “treasure” amidst our junk!
Finding the treasures AND pleasures of life in some of the sweetest ways — that’s what doing our estate sales and garage sales over the years meant to us. We helped others pay forward all their items that were once treasures to them, to become treasures to others.
What about you? What treasures could be found in your junk and funk? This little girl had physical junk and funk….but she was relentless. She WAS a treasure! No stopping her. Just wonder if there’s a treasure amidst the junk you have encountered in your life. In spite of how we feel about ourselves, perhaps unusable, unlikeable, broken or unwanted. God, the Master Artist and Lover of our souls, will clean up our messes, forgive us for ignoring His voice, and turn us into a beautiful, handcrafted works of art and treasures that He can touch and use as precious vessels of encouragement, peace and joy to bless others.
You’ll never know what you’ll find in people, places and situations — just maybe today — amidst the junk…..you just might find the treasure you’ve been looking for!