I think life is one giant game of give and take, on every single level, from the smallest things to the biggest. We (the entire Fields clan) spent the entire day yard sale-ing. Not buying but selling. We were helping Derek's mom sort through and sell all of her parent's belongings, who both passed away in the spring. The Lord gave the family 90 plus years of wonderful love with Nanny and Papa, and then the Lord took them back to His house.
It's amazing what folks buy and what they don't. Some things that you would think would sell so fast, don't even get a second look, while other stuff that you'd think is absolutly useless, gets snatched up fast. And then there is the whole concept of taking the lives of two people now reduced to 'things', pawning them off to the highest bidder (or the lowest bidder or the only bidder depending on the thing.) It feels weird but its just part of life. All the things that one collects in their lifetime will end up somewhere else or someone elses in the end. There is nothing like spending the day going through the 'things' of two deceased people to help drive home the fact that in the end, I mean the VERY end, the things that mattered most to those left behind were not 'things at all. There were so many items that held a different memory from each grandchild, child and friend. And while those objects are now on someone else's knick-knack self, the memories still remain in tact 'back at home.' The Lord gives us our memories, while the customer takes away the things.
And then there were the items Derek and I sold or tried to sell. I made a few hundred bucks for stuff I'd boxed up and carried to the yard sale. Meanwhile, I lost my sunglasses ($10), Derek's favorite sunglasses got broke ($10), and the big kicker, the boys spilled BBQ sauce on our white carpet during supper time. So, we made some money and its basically already spent, and if not, needs to be spent getting a carpet cleaner! While it's nice to get a few bucks of some things that were clogging up the basement, I can't help but wonder if it was worth the effort. I think in the end, I mean the VERY end, if it keeps my kids from having to go through one less bin of 'things' that belonged to me, it is definitly worth it!
Tonight I thank God for everything that He has given me and I'll thank Him more for everything he has taken away. In the end, I mean the VERY end, with God on my side, I know I'll do a whole lot better than 'break even.'
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