Garage sale bargains this weekend. And a twist.
Great garage sale bargains
Garage sales are beginning. It’s that time of year. My friend and I hit a few last weekend and had a lot of fun. This first pic shows three sweaters and a pair of striped palazzo pants. One dollar each. You can’t really see the black one, but it’s a cardigan in perfect condition.
Then there are these books. I mean N. T. Wright, J I Packer, Barclay, Lockerbie. In my world, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Below are two towels for my blue bathroom. I wanted a couple of new hand towels, but have you priced new ones? Yikes!!! So, these were great bargains.
And, of course, there is paper. I always buy paper at garage sales. I can doodle and draw to my heart’s content and not think of the price. $.50 for this stack, probably about 400 pieces. Yes, I painted that table with the stripes. I really should post about that project, huh?
This fabric is absolutely what I’ve been looking for to cover some pillows. I have covered so many pillows I’ve lost track of what’s underneath the latest layer. I’m trying to lighten up my house for spring and summer. It’s really easy because I decorate with black and white so I can change and add any color I want.
Just about everything in my home is repurposed in some way. I told you yesterday that my dear husband kept some news from me until he returned from his fishing trip and how grateful I was. I wouldn’t have enjoyed those garage sales had he told me. He knew I needed some fun time.
Switching thoughts
Prayer
Because of what he told me, I knew I needed to handle things differently. I needed to pray differently. These are situations and people I have prayed for, for years. This morning, I told God I would continue to pray, but then I was letting it all go. But I wondered if I could.
It’s easy to pray and think we’ve given our loved ones to God but by the end of the day, our shoulders are sagging under the weight of the burdens we took back. But yesterday was different.
We have to remember that the people we pray for have their own minds and their own wills. Some of them are stubborn and prideful and insist on going their own way. I was listening to a sermon this morning in my car and it was all about how Jesus didn’t heal everyone. That’s true. It was also about how Jesus does not break down barriers.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open the door, I will come in.” (My paraphrase of Revelation 3:20.) It’s up to each of us to open the door.
When you realize that, you realize your prayers might get those you pray for to the door, but it’s up to them to grab the handle and open the door. Of course, when it’s people we love deeply, it’s much harder to maintain a hands-off attitude. But if we try to rescue them, we rob God of his chance to work. God may need them to go through some hard times before they reach out to him, and if we interfere with that, we interfere with God’s timing.
Leave it with God
We all have to learn how to leave our burdens with God and get on with our own lives.
I think that might be one reason God prompted me to write. He knows my tendencies. Now, I focus on those that I can help through my books. It reminded me that God calls each of us to special tasks and if we focus too much on those who cause us concern, we won’t finish those tasks.
It does no good for us to fall apart. Put your own mask on first.
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Well, this is an unusual post, huh? Started with garage sales and look where we ended up.
Have a blessed day. Have some fun. Leave it with God.
