WHAT DEFINES YOU?
Who loves thrift shopping? Yes. I am raising both hands.
Ask me this question at fifteen. I would have rolled my eyes.
As a young girl, I remember loading into the minivan with my gorgeous blonde 80’s queen mother driving and my lovely pink lipstick wearing grandmama riding shotgun. I will never forget staring at the back of their heads, seeing them laugh and talk. One loud funny blonde and one smiling soft spoken lady with a tissue in her hand. Oh what I would give to sit in the backseat of that mini van now with my three sisters, and these two gems laughing as we followed endless neon yardsale signs. I would give just about anything.
My mama would exclaim happily, “We are going yardsaling!” Maybe you know someone who gets excited as they say this phrase as well. Maybe it is you. I never thought I would admit it, but I am that someone these days. All I knew at seven years old was that we were going shopping at peoples houses. Many times we would come out of a garage sale with a “new” purse, shoes or a dress which thrilled me to pieces. I am sure these thrifty finds made my mother proud of the treasure she had found for me.
The thrift store also held a special place in mama’s heart then too. It still does. I remember my sisters and I laughing as we ducked our way through and under the long racks of clothing to get from aisle to aisle. I also recall my mother getting on to me for acting silly and playing in the clothes. I completely understand why my mother “stole my fun” as a child. The number one reason being she loved me and just wanted to keep me safe. It is amazing how becoming a mother myself has ignited so much wisdom and even more respect for my mother now.
After becoming a teen, my opinion of and love for anything thrifty began to sail out of the window along with my childlike wonder. Other than our trips to Belk for sale rack deals, I was mortified when we had a trip to the thrift store planned. Who would see me go in there? What would they think of me if they knew my Abercrombie and Fitch shirt was from the thrift store? What if we went to a yardsale at one of my classmates homes? How could I ever wear their old clothing to school? Why couldn’t my mother just take me to American Eagle and get me what I wanted like all of my peers?
It is amazing how things come full circle in life. Sometimes I wonder why I thought I had it all figured out at fifteen, when I had no idea what really mattered. Britney Spears was describing me at that age when she sang “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman.” The in between sucks on so many levels. It saddens me just thinking of the mindset so many adolescents carry over the love of materialistic items. It is not their fault that we live in a generation where we are fed more advertising than fast food and one upping people online everyday is praised and coveted. Where financial status and careers define self worth.
THINGS, NAME BRANDS, STUFF, CAREERS sadly define and temporarily fulfill some of us for a lifetime.
Attaining the wisdom my mother held all of those years is freeing to me as a twenty seven year old mother of two. Now I do a jig when I find a cute outfit or home décor while thrift shopping. Ladies, of course there is nothing wrong at all with wanting to look beautiful and feel confident. I believe I am so much more productive and useful for my family when I am confident in my appearance. It is such a bonus finding my boys adorable stuff to wear as well, while thrifting. I know they are going to look amazingly handsome for five bucks, causing me to break out into yet another jig session [probably to “Nancy Mulligan” by Ed Sheeran] while throwing around all the money that was saved. [Try and picture that...lol]
My prayer to you and myself is that your stuff, career, clothing, cars, home, financial status, names you were called, voices from the enemy DO NOT DEFINE WHO YOU ARE. That you do not let them in the name of the LORD. As necessary as these things are in our lives daily, you will never feel whole while filling your heart with top notch items and your mind with hurtful thoughts. Fill your mind with the word of God, with the strength He provides. Fill your heart with healthy self love and respect. Instead of over filling your closet, fill a random stranger’s heart with the love of Jesus using the money you did not blow. Instead of feeding your greed, feed back all of the credit card companies you are in debt to and cut those cards up. See others for who they are as well, behind all of the bling and the status. I am very sure there are a multitude of these people needing sincere hugs, ears to listen, and hearts to show they care.
As my lovely friend Ashleigh said in our last Flourish Mama Flourish meeting for moms, “The empty hole you feel inside your soul is ‘God shaped’ & only He can fill it to make you feel complete.”
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
Proverbs 3:13-18
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...
Titus 2:11-12
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.
Psalm 135: 15-17
[Pictured is me modeling..yes modeling..haha...clothes from my last thrift store trip. The shoes were a gift from my beautiful sister in law Rachel :)]
[Feel free to share below with me some of your awesome thrifting finds if you have any!]
