God Keeps Providing - in Odd Places
God never promises he will supply for our every whim, but he does tell us he will supply for all our needs. And just like last weekend, God sent me out again on Saturday in order to meet my needs (nad Baby MIA's needs) yet again.My girlfriend Megan and her sister Erin were in town, and I checked the newspaper for yardsales. Again, I found one yardsale - but I managed to get a bagfull of baby outfits for $17. These weren't just any outfits - many were brand new, and I also managed to pick up 3 more little University of Kentucky baby outfits, and 2 cute hats - one for a boy and one for a girl. This was the first time that I'd bought something gender-specific, but I figured at that price I could give it to a friend who happened to be fostering a child of a different gender. Fifteen minutes was all it took for us to find our bargains, and from there we went on to one of our favorite places - Salvation Army.
Now, Megan and Erin and I have started a kind of tradition of going to thrift stores. But we don't just go to any re-sale store. We only go to really, really cheap ones. Erin is a neat young woman - 21 years old with hair about in just about as many colors - eyebrow piercing, tattoo, and a wardrobe that defies description. Upon arrival at my house, she was wearing old jeans and an "I'm a Pepper" t-shirt. She gets most of her t-shirts from Goodwill - for around $1. I dig that about her.
At Salvation Army, we are mainly looking for ourselves, though I can't help looking at baby items. I notice nice, neat racks of cute outfits marked at $1.99 each. This was more than I had spent per outfit at the yard sale, so I was content with my purchases.
We were inspired (by God) to go to lunch at a restaurant that is even further out of our way. On the way there, we passed a brand-new Goodwill store. I commented that I needed to go there sometime and check it out, but we had lunch on the brain. On the way back, I asked Megan and Erin if it would be OK to "just check it out for a minute". Well, I'm so glad God led us there. In the back of the store were 5 enormous bins. Each bin was approximately 3.5 feet deep (high), by 4 feet wide/long. These bins were the size of bin you find at Wal-Mart full of cheap DVDs in the middle of the isle. But these 5 bins all held infant and toddler clothes - and each bin was literally overflowing. And all items from infant to 4T were 50 cents. 50 cents!!!
All three of us began excitedly digging through the various bins trying to find "gender neutral" baby outfits. We found a baby pumpkin onezie for Halloween, and Megan pulled out a NY Yankees jersey sized 24 months. I found a little baby Green Bay Packers jacket sized 24 months. So cute! On that first trip, I bought 15 items - $7.50. We would have dug more, but Megan and Erin had to get on the road back to Indiana.
Of course, after we got home and Megan and Erin were about to leave, I still had those bins on the brain, and all the clothes we didn't have a chance to go through. So, I threw the loot I'd already picked up in the washer, and I took off back to the Goodwill after they left. I plowed through more bins, and found brand new Osh Kosh rompers and overalls, and brand new little dresses for girls. I found more pajamas - even Dinosaur pajamas with feet. But the "jackpot" came when I found a little 3T denim jacket - it looked like it had a fur collar, but on closer inspection, I discovered it was reversible so it could be worn as a fur coat with a denim lining, or a denim jacket with a fur lining. Wooo hoooo! I took my loot up front - 21 items - $10.50. Once home, I inspected the fur coat. Inside was a tag indicating it was a genuine fur from Hong Kong - it was a real skin - you could tell by the lining. Oh my goodness - Baby MIA will have a fur coat. How cool is that? I hope the PETA people don't get too upset. It is so soft and cuddly!
I stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home to buy little baby hangers - (aaaawwww). I carefully hung up each little item as it came out of the dryer - everything looked so great - like I'd just bought them brand new.
When Michael came home late Saturday night from Promise Keepers, I proudly showed him the UK gear, and the NY Yankees jersey, and the Green Bay Packers jacket - he especially liked the Packers jacket. He high-fived me in the kitchen - then again when I told him each item was 50 cents. We carefully hung the bounty of clothes in the closet in the front room - I had to grin to see those itty-bitty clothes next to Michael's 2Xs.
Thank-you God for providing for Baby MIA so soon! You are an awesome God.
posted by No Longer In Crisis @ 8/15/2005 09:22:00 AM
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