If you saw my Facebook page last week promoting a garage sale you might have thought, “oh she’s one of those people who live for having garage sales!” But don’t be fooled. I’m not that girl.
First, they’re a lot of work. Second, I don’t love haggling with people over 50 cents. Third, they’re a lot of work. Fourth, I’d rather give stuff away to people who need it. Fifth, they’re a lot of work.
But, last Saturday I had a rummage sale. For real.
Why? Let me tell you.
I’m co-leading a trip of 14 people to Haiti this June. Many of the team members needed help fundraising, so we decided a rummage sale would be a good way to involve everyone and raise the money. When I say we, I mean mostly me, and then my husband who allowed me to offer such a preposterous fundraising idea for the team even though he dislikes rummage sales more than me.
In the months before, we collected donations, and my already-full-garage began to brim over with artwork, bags, boxes, bikes and other general “treasures.” Irritation #1… junk everywhere.
The weeks previous, I had several friends who had recently had fundraiser sales vehemently try to talk me out of our sale because they’re so much work and yielded very little money for them. Irritation #2…We probably won’t make much money for all the work!
The week of the sale, I was swamped trying to meet a huge deadline. And the mayhem of coordinating “treasure pick-up” from multiple sources, not to mention the team member’s schedules, was a bit more than I bargained for. And crazy weather turned our 2-day sale into a 1-day sale. Irritations #3, 4, 5.
Days ( hours?!) before the sale, more than once I asked my husband, “Are you sure we should do this? So and so didn’t make very much money, and it’s so much work! We can still get out of it!”
He assured me (a miracle of its own considering his stance on sales in general) it would be worth it! He sweetly and patiently, (and maybe irritatingly?) reminded me if we didn’t make any money, the garage sale would still serve its purpose of team bonding for our trip go-ers – his primary goal of the sale to begin with.
We were still sorting, moving and pricing “treasures” all the way up to the moment the sale began, and honestly, I was exhausted and worn out before it even started!
As I drove over that morning, trying to gear up for the day, I heard a song I’ve heard many times before but the words hit me like a 2 x 4.
(Fix my Eyes, by For King and Country)In that moment, I was completely convicted about my BAD attitude (even if it didn’t show outwardly, it was in my heart) and I cried tears of repentance and forgiveness. No more whining. Let’s do this! I prayed for God to bless our sale and my Team abundantly.
And I was reminded of why I said yes … to Haiti, the garage sale, this team, this work.
It’s not about a garage sale. It’s about so much more.
And I realized God can do mighty things when we do what we know is “right” – even when we don’t want to do it.
All that, at a stoplight.
And despite my initial bad attitude (ok, for several months!) inward resentment, and unwillingness,
GOD SHOWED UP HUGE:
- We bonded as a team, and learned to work together in challenging circumstances
- We were blessed with an amazing location, needed supplies and space!
- We were able to share about our trip and raise awareness for our charity and cause
- We had great weather on Saturday – in between 2 days of rain
- We only had to be open one day instead of 2 (less work!)
- We raised $1700! “Abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine” far exceeding even my biggest prayer
- We cleaned up, donated leftovers to one place – just blocks away and were totally finished by 3:00 p.m.
- We saw the blessing and favor of God in every step of the day.
- Team members who had already raised their funds donated their extra funds to those still in need.
Thank God, He’s bigger than my no, my I don’t want to, my it’s too much work! And for that me and my whole team are filled with gratitude. If he can do this in a garage sale, I can hardly wait to see what he will do for our team in HAITI! (Stay tuned, our team leaves June 1, 2015)
[reminder]When has God turned your unwillingness into something amazing when you just showed up?[/reminder]