A GOOD SALE

I love a good garage sale. Emphasis on good. It started with an online clothing resale business I ran several years back. I had a sweet gig going too. I would buy namebrand gently used children's clothing in bulk by negotiating a price for garage sale leftovers. I sold online at a site that operated for 7 years before finally going belly up. It was alot of work for me; tracking down the right sales and securing a deal (and a price) for the buyout, ordering shipping supplies, laundering, pressing, packaging, weighing and shipping items. BUT...I did this from the comfort of my own home after my children were tucked in for the night. It gave us fun money that even paid for a trip to Disney World. Oh, how I miss that SAHM biz.

Now hear me when I say I'm not bringin' home Flossie Mae's knick-knacks or her 1974 flower arrangements. I also try to pass on the "crunchy craft" plaster/chalk eagle lamps and crocheted throw pillows (though I'll be happy to pick one up for you if you're redecorating). I also don't want anyone's used medical equipment (gross) or free boxes of broken McDonaldland toys. But I have come to realize that there are some good sales out there. And raising four kids on a single income, I've also learned to squeeze a nickel. Hard. Honestly, you would too if you relied on just one income, your husband's job was eliminated, he transferred to one of the most expensive cities in the country and was downgraded to part time for 14 months, and had to pay rent there until your family was reunited.

So yes, I've learned to reslice the financial pie and garage sales have proven a wonderful way to do that; for stocking our family game cabinet and finding chapter books for avid reader Olivia, just to give a few examples. And since I "Orkin"ed the clutterbug in me quite some time ago, I don't have that "disorder" to contend with when scoping out a sale (I'm a Flylady groupie after all).

So today we're coming home from our first soccer game when we spot the mother of all garage sales, a community sale. For those who regularly fork it all out to retail, a community sale is an entire neighborhood of garage sales. Delightful (especially with four kids in tow because it means I can get the stroller out just once and not have to work car seats until my fingers bleed). Now, here's what I've been working up to. I see the community sale sign (signs are a cash cow biz all their own here in Indy)...so I see the humongo display sign with metallic decorations, read it out loud and Olivia responds so suddenly in the backseat that I spilled my water bottle down my crotch (yes, seriously).
"Ah. AHHHHHHHHH! A community sale. Is it reaaally, Mom? I loooooooove community sales. Are we going?"
A quick "yes" by moi was immediately interrupted with overwhelming and uncontained excitement;
"Let's pray about this RIGHT NOW!
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this bee-YOU-tee-ful day that we have to go to garage sales.
And thank you for showing us where the community sale was so we could go to it and find stuff.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen."

I was in the front seat stifling a major laugh that actually caused my eyes to blur. Which is so not a good thing when you're trying to maneuver the streets of a community sale where a couple hundred other moms are crossing the street in front of you with double strollers and such.

An hour and a half later, I only had a few cute clothing items to show for all our stomping around through the "trash to treasure" of others. Liv was tired of walking on soccer cleats. Cierah only wanted to play with the baby. Reece was busy closing deals on 25 cent bubblegum dispensers without my approval and asking the tough questions too, like, "Why do you want fifty cents for this? It says it right on dis tag. How come?"

I do want to teach our children a biblical view of money and a biblical view of priorities, where God, spouse and family come first. I want them to know it's okay for a woman to be competent and driven, educated and assertive in her career, but at the same time it's also okay to step away from the workforce if one desires (yes, even after spending "all that money" on college), to enjoy a condensed season of family. I want to model to them how that can be possible in case they want to make it work someday with their own families. But I may have a bit of work to do in the delivery of that message 'cause right now Liv apparently thinks I'm only home for the sales.