Where We Hunt: The List

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In case you are late to the party I want to give you a complete list of all the unique and inspirational places we like to frequent. The last ten weeks have been a blast as I have shared the places our family spends time together on the weekends, looking for tiny treasures and making memories. Giving away tips and tools to help in your endeavors has caused me to really examine the places we go, what they mean to us and relive the thrill of the hunt that has lead to many an amazing find. When I look around my house I don’t see stuff, junk or dust collectors. I see memories, meaning and the word. It might not seem possible but the stuff I decorate with and search for, as well as this blog sharpens me daily. I know none of the furniture, findings or page views I collect are anything more than material possessions, they hold no eternal value. But I do love them. In an effort to not let stuff become my idol I search for a way to make things have purpose. My memory is horrible. Anyone close to me can attest to that. These things I surround myself with are visual reminders of scripture that I search out to fit them, or call to mind a way God showed himself to me through an object. Heirlooms remind me of my loved ones I aspire to be like. I need all senses possible involved to help spark my memory. I need a driving force to make me scour through scripture. I have hunted and learned more about God’s word over the last months by desiring to have something to share with you than I ever would left to my own devices. The accountability I have placed on myself to tie all things back to scripture has served me well. I hope it has you too. I am not alone in seeing God through junking. My friend Karen is a joyful, caring, tender hearted soul. She is a teacher at heart and she overflows with wisdom. I have had the pleasure of listening to her share how God showed himself to her through garage sales…please read her devotional below. It is amazing and will really make you think.

Here is the quick list for reference. When you wake up on a Saturday morning, looking for an adventure, just pick one of these spots and head out. Let me know what you find, the good times you have and how God shows himself to you!

1. The Deer Lease

2. Our Yard

3. Attics

4. Small Town USA

5. Thrift Shops and Resale Stores

6. Curbside

7. The Library

8. Garage Sales

9. Junk Yards/Auto Salvage

10 Antiques Week: Round Top/Warrenton – Don’t forget, you are invited to join me on a shopping trip April 1st!!!

One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure By Karen M.

My sister and I love having yard sales.

It all started right after my grandmother died about 30 years ago. My grandmother had some really nice things. She was a large lady and her clothes were very nice as well, so we decided to have family yard sale. It was a huge success. We had so many people you could hardly “stir the people with a stick”. We were hooked. Since then we have had a yard sale almost every two to three years.

My parents live on a country road that leads out to Lake Sam Rayburn. It also leads to small communities where most people work in town. It is very well traveled and the house is back off the road a bit so it is a very large front yard. We have plenty of space and we have been known to use anything for a table. Once we used a large flat bed trailer for a “table”. Sometimes we run the sale for just a weekend but sometimes we run them for a whole week. Sounds like our yard sales are pretty typical but we think our yard sales unique because:

• We have a following – we have people who have come to every single yard sale we have had.
• We sale almost everything for a quarter. Our philosophy is – “We have enjoyed it for a while, now we want you to enjoy it.”
• We rarely advertise.
• Our sale spreads by word of mouth.
• We have people who will come every day that the sale is running.
• As soon as we put up a table people start coming and will dig in the boxes and literally help us put the stuff out.
• Every time we have started to pack up to quit, someone stops to shop.
• At night we leave everything out in the yard.
• To our knowledge we have never had a theft.

Some of the things we have discovered:

• As soon as one person drives up here come more as if – there must be something good there.
• Things sell better from a crowded table.
• If no one is there, we get up and start “juning” around and then someone pulls up.
• Strangers will sit down with the family and start talking as if we are all BFF’s.
• If you rearrange the items every now and then they will sell.
• You can have two identical items the first goes almost immediately and the other is still there at the end of the sale.
• Some people will haggle over the price of 25 cent item.
• Sometimes it adds up to $19 but the costumer will give you $25.

We have nicknames for the types of shoppers:

• Drive bys – those that slow down in their car and look out the window, of there car but never stop.
• Lookie Lous – those that will go ahead and pull up into the yard and look from their car but never get out.
• Eye Ballers – those that get out of their car, walk around the tables making a quick look, and then leave.
• Target Shoppers – those that drive up, get out and walk straight over to something, pick it up, and buy it.
• Nit Pickers – those that those pick up items, and ask questions like “Do you have it in a bigger size?” or “ Do you have a red one too?”.
• Treasure Seekers – those walk around all the tables, dig in every box, look at every item, and show the items to their friends. They seem to be looking for a buried treasure among the items.

I think that God wants us to be like a yard sale :

We should have a following – people who look forward to seeing us because we are sharing His Love.

It should be inexpensive to be around us – God requires no payment.

We should not need to advertise ourselves – others will spread the word about God in us.

People should be happy to see us – we bring with us the Spirit of God.

We should be trust worthy – God is.

I think God works with us like we are items in a yard sale:

Just like when there is a crowd at a Church or a gathering of His people – He uses us to draw in others to Him as if to say “there must something good there”.

Just like the items on the table – To Him we look better when we are close to each other.

Just like when a stranger sits down – He wants strangers to feel welcome enough around us to be able to sit down and join us.

Just like when we rearrange the items – He rearranges us every now and then to make us better.

Just like when there are two identical items – The only thing that makes us more “attractive” is that we know the joy of being one of His children.

Just like the hagglers – He never wants us to haggle over the small things.

But just like the woman who gave $25 for a $19 purchase – He wants us to give more than what is expected because He gave everything.

I think that people have a yard sale approach to each other. 

As you read these, think about the greatest commandment is to love one another because He first loved us.

Like the drive bys – we walk by someone or a group of people, make a quick glance and then decide “naw – I’m not going to stop and speak, – I’m on my way to … I don’t have time … I don’t know them”.

Like the lookie lous – we walk into a place (Church, work, or a group of people) and make a quick glance. We make a quick choice of who we are going speak to, who we are going to sit by, and what we are going to do while we are there.

Like the eyeballers – we may even go so far as to walk around the room and look at who is there. Maybe even nod at a few folks but for the most part we have made a quick assessment of the group.

Like the target shoppers – we know immediately who we are looking for, who to sit by, or who to speak to. We see that person, we go straight to them, and by pass every one along the way. If they are not there, we ask someone “where is so and so I was so hoping they would be here” and not even acknowledge the person we are asking.

Sadly, sometimes we nit pick who is there, who is not there, and what folks are wearing, who is talking to each other, who is not speaking to whom.

I know that I am guilty of all of these. To be honest I am shopping for people.

Like the shoppers at our yard sale I am looking at the surface, the outside. God doesn’t. He sees the treasure inside, at the heart of people.

So I believe that in light of God’s love for all of His children, He wants me to be like the treasure seekers – He wants me to walk into a room or group like I am seeking a treasure because each person in that room is someone special, they are a treasure.

God isn’t shopping for people. He doesn’t see the things we see. We make choices on what we see – He makes His choices on the treasure inside.

So …   One man’s junk is God’s treasure. 

1 Samuel 16:7 “… The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”