Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Parable of the Bag Sale

I work at a thrift shop in San Luis Obispo and I absolutely love it!  Stick around a thrift shop long enough and you'll meet intriguing, colorful people and be inspired in a thousand different ways.

Once in a while our shop has a $5 bag sale.  These are something else!  Shoppers show up right at open, some with personal bag in tow, and hit the floors stuffing their bag(s) with as much stuff as they can fit in. They get everything that fits for only $5 bucks! We love it because customers are blessed and it helps clear out the store to restock.

Win, win.

Today, however, I realized an interesting tension churning within me.  Wait if they take it all what will be left?  Now I love to decorate. Like I mentioned, seeing a new item on the floor can birth inspiration for a whole slew of things---table display, new window, home or gift?  So when the walls become sparse and items we've spent a lot of time pricing, merchandising, rearranging sells a little pitter patter of sadness comes up. It's then that I realize I've become attached to how things look and are situated at the shop. Is that silly?

In this moment of scarcity the Holy Spirit nudged, "Sometimes I take things away from you as well to create new space. It's not a bad thing, but good. Preparing the way for blessing."

I thought about it for a bit.  The empty walls, the stuffed bags walking out the door, and the irrational truth that things were being taken....but I was missing the other part, things were being taken but they would be replaced with new things.

Precious things.

Special things to create beauty.

New inspiration and fun.

Doesn't that happen so often in our lives, we see in part what is going on but we need the tender voice of the Lord to remind us of the other part? The truer part.

I ran back to ask my boss a question and there were the "little elves" working away to find new treasures and special finds to bring out.

Taking away....to bring back tenfold.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a nice idea for a thrift store to do! One day I hope to come and do some shopping in your store.
Love,
Mum

Anonymous said...

You're wonderful! Thanks for all you do for others, Susie. Your help to Lisa was great this weekend! If I could fit you in a thrift bag, I'd take you every time
there's one of those special sales day. RCS

Susie (Shaw) Fitler said...

dad, you're the best. that really encouraged me today ( :

Lindsay said...

Love the parents and love you! Love what the Lord is showing you:) xo Could the painting have fit in a bag, ha ha!