Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
Congrats to my Sister, who just became a Grandmother for the First Time! I got the picture of the newborn baby boy on my flip phone this morning, using up every last pixel on that ancient device. Big Hugs headed up to Maine right now.
That fits nicely with today's little story about Thrifts, Gifts, and God's Provision. As I said, my Sister lives in Maine, over a six-hour drive away. A few months ago, she and her husband came for a visit in their camper and stayed in a State Park not far away, and we were able to spend some quality time together. While she was visiting, she noticed the little side table of odd dimensions (Table #1) .
"Oh I love that table!" she exclaimed. "It's just the right size for my TV! Where did you get that?"
I had gotten it at the Salvation Army for $8.00, so I offered it to her. But she refused to take it, and just asked if I found another one to just get it for her.
That Sunday, I was coming home from church and saw a sign for a Yard Sale. I banged a right and drove around the neighborhood till I found it. There was a table with the exact same dimensions, and even had a little drawer in the front for the remotes (because, heaven knows, they disappear all the time!). I bought it (Table #2) for $10.00, stuffed it into my car, and called my sister at the State Park. I figured I could catch her before she left for Maine. Alas! She was already halfway home, on the road somewhere in New Hampshire. She was too far along to turn around. So I found a spot in my mobile home for the little table to deliver whenever the opportunity would arise, probably at the Baby Shower which was planned for the end of August. The little table began to collect knick-knacks, cd's, and biker gear in its new spot near the kitchen door. I began to grow fond of it.
Meanwhile, everything that could go wrong with my house, did. Sis was so appalled at my predicament that she sent me some money to pay for the little table, AND quite a bit more! (Thank You Dear Sister!). Well, of course I would not even THINK about keeping the table now. I took all the knick-knacks, cd's, and biker gear off of it, and put it back into my car. At the Baby Shower, which was LOVELY, we switched the table from my car to hers and it has now found its permanent home in the North Woods of Maine.
The following week I was riding around on the bike and visited my favorite Thrift Store called "Good Deeds". They got this name because they do cleanouts, resell the stuff, and give a large portion of the proceeds to various charities. Their truck is emblazoned with the lyrics of an AC/DC song "Dirty Deeds-Done Dirt Cheap", and since it is located in an affluent area, the cleanouts produce some amazing stuff. Anyway, I walked in, and there was another little table with the same dimensions! It was a little ornate, in Chinoiserie Style, which was not exactly right for my decor, and I was on the motorcycle anyway, so I let it go (Table #3). Meanwhile the knick-knacks, cd's and biker gear were piling up with nowhere to go.
I went back, with the car this time, but the Table #3 was gone. Oh Well. Then I went back a THIRD time, and, just in that morning, was an apothecary's cabinet with the same dimensions, but it had lots of little drawers. It was funky, cool, and very Bohemian, and exactly my style. I plunked down the plastic, and asked what this month's charity was benefitting from the sale. It was a Fresh-Air Summer Camp for Terminally Ill Children. I Approve! In fact this was a favorite charity of Paul Newman, General Schwarzkopf, and Bruce Rossmeier of Harley-Davidson Fame.
And, the little drawers are just the right size for knick-knacks, cd's, and biker gear.
Now, let's look at who benefitted from this transaction:
1. The original people who donated table #1 to the Salvation Army. That was a good deed.
2. The Salvation Army, when I bought Table #1.
3. The Yard Sale People when I bought Table #2.
4. Me, upon receiving a gift from my sister during a big hardship.
5. My Sister, upon receipt of Table #2 at the extremely joyous occaision of her daughter's baby Shower.
6. Good Deeds, upon the sale of the Chinoiserie Table (even though it was not to me!)
7. Me again, upon the purchase of my new, awesome apothecary's cabinet, which is, incidentally, the same dimensions as tables 1, 2, & 3.
8. Good Deeds, upon the sale of that cabinet, and, finally:
9. The Fresh-Air Camp for Terminally Ill Children.
If anything illustrates the main themes of the Book of Proverbs, It would be the Month of August, 2021.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
