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Thrift Shop:  Buy One Christian's Closet

     Use the Corningware He said. Recently our conversations made no sense to me at all.  Again, proof to me that this whole idea was divinely inspired. This part would certainly prove to be a labor of love.

Buy One Christian’s Closet

An online Christian Thrift Shop providing Quality Used Clothing & Accessories at an affordable pre-set price:

Accessories: $5-10-15-20-25

Adults: $8

Specialty: $12

Designer: $16

Shipping: Based on weight with Pirate Ship.

What’s in your closet?

     Miss Bess is all about showing a different perspective on life. When you look in your closet, what do you see? Are you pleased with all you have accumulated? Is everything neatly organized, or is it just thrown in with no particular order? 

     Do you have a “style”? Does it truly reflect who you are, both to yourself and to others? If not, it may be time to straighten up a few things and clean out your closet. 

     Perhaps it’s just me, but when I opened my closet to take a closer look, I was quite surprised at what was actually inside. Hidden away in unmarked boxes were past memories & mementos from childhood, high school, trips, and past loves. What was I keeping all that stuff for? Were the memories associated with those items even positive? 

     Here I was again, wondering how I had gotten so far off track. It was time to clean up my life.  The wisest way to start is always with a clean-out; that really helps to get the ball rolling and lets others know that you mean business.  What was I waiting for? I was only hurting myself.

Time To Unpack

     It’s time to let go of some of those items - and their associated memories. Now is the perfect time for change. It's time to figure out who you are and how you want to present yourself to others. It may be time to clean out that closet- in more ways than one.

DONATE: Lighten your load & bless others. 

     Donate all those items to your local Christian thrift shop. My goal has always been to save “unwanted items” from the landfill. Waste is unnecessary. 

The saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is true! What holds a negative memory for you may hold a totally positive memory for someone else. 

     This goes for people too. My son always says that if you aren’t being valued by those who surround you; it’s time for change. Surround yourself with people who really value you. They are out there. 

     Consider this: What you wear and how you present yourself attracts a positive or negative response from people. If you are a disheveled mess (inside and out) and you have no desire to change, you want to attract a disheveled mess, so they won’t try to change you.

     However, once you put in the time and effort to change, you don’t want a disheveled mess to bring you back to that point. You were already there, and you made the choice to break free, and you’re not going back. No way. No how. Amen. 

     Who do you want to attract? This is a great time to start a journal. Then, you can keep all your ideas in one place for handy reference and track your progress with ease.

BUY: No time. No money. 

     My goal was to provide an outfit for about $20. Then, you could add mix-and-match pieces. No dollar store clothing from China that shrinks and falls apart after the first wash. 

     This clothing may be used, but I try to hand-pick items with better names or unique styles. No rips, stains, or missing buttons. Just clothing that is no longer useful to that person. Maybe they changed sizes. 

     I was a master at this. I had clothes in all different sizes from 6-12 tucked away, just in case. Turns out, after getting healthy again, none of it fit. It was all a waste.

Why Declutter?

     Too Many Choices in your Closet, yet you still have nothing to wear? Everybody says it at one time or another. The problem is when this becomes a way of life for us. 

     We hold onto favorite pieces in sizes that we are no longer in. We think this is helpful. It is not. This is extremely unhealthy! In a strange way, it reveals the state of your brain and heart. Don’t live in the past. That only keeps you from moving forward. The past is the past for a reason, whether you understand why right now or not. Accept it and move forward.

     Do yourself a huge favor. Get some empty boxes and some packing tape. Take everything out of your closet. Pile it in on your bed so you have to deal with it before you can go to sleep. Start by hanging up what you've recently worn and what your sure fits. 

     Then start trying every piece on. If it fits, put it back on the hanger and return it to the closet. This is the hard part; If it doesn’t fit, it goes right into a cardboard box for donation. No exceptions. 

     Now, when you look in your closet, you have an honest choice of what to wear. You have taken the first step. You can feel good about that. 

     The next step is to feel good about yourself. Accept the size you are. Even if it’s only for now. This is where we can be our own worst critic. Put the stick down. Stop beating yourself.

     As you put on your clothes, feel empowered. You have removed the old and are ready to bring in the new. The new clothes and the new you. Stop hating on yourself. This repels people. Love on yourself a little.  Others notice this and are attracted to you in a positive way.

     Maybe you’ve been putting it off and your whole wardrobe needs an update. No problem. For about $100 here, you can get five tops and five bottoms to mix and match shipped to you. Step out of your comfort zone with a look that you admire but don’t want to break the bank to try. You never know. You may love it. What are you waiting for? 

     The cold, hard reality is that you may never be the size you think you want to be. Pick up your self-esteem, dust it off, accept who you are now, and be happy. 

     It really is easy, peasy. You are the only one holding yourself back here. Remember it’s all a matter of perspective. Don’t let something as silly as your weight affect your entire life and your ability to thrive.

     After you have done this, then you can make a goal and a plan for change. If you still want to. You may come to love you just as you are. Wouldn’t that be something?

No sticker Shock

     No surprises when it comes to price. It’s all the same. There is nothing worse than searching for something, finding it, and then seeing the price tag and having to put it back. That’s enough to wipe the smile off your face in record time.

     I’d love for this to grow into a brick-and-mortar store. One where representatives from local homeless shelters can come and pick up what they need for those they serve. Or perhaps the school nurse is aware of a situation where a child or entire family requires immediate assistance. 

     Sometimes people just need a hand-up, not a handout; that is embarrassing. What about the elderly in nursing homes with no family and no visitors? Who provides for them?

     It’s not about making money. It’s about providing a service… and a feeling. A feeling of being worthy of love. A feeling of not being forgotten. Just imagine if I could mail packages out to those in need with a card… or even a bible. Each piece of clothing can be prayed over, just as I want each of my books to be. From my lips to God’s ears! Amen!

     Remove the clutter. Remove the chaos. Put your things and your life in order. Keep what you need. Keep what you love. Absolutely. But love what you have. If you don’t love it or don’t wear it, then consider donating it and giving someone else a chance. Pass it forward.

     As a single parent, this was a lifeline for me when my son was younger, growing out of clothes left and right. Even now, it’s more a matter of principle. I'm not paying $100 for a T-shirt. Really? That is a waste of God’s resources and mine. There are plenty of other things I can think of to do with that money.

     Right here. Right now. This is one little old lady trying to take a stand for her Almighty God. I’m trying to remind you that He is still on the throne waiting for you, and He loves you more than I could ever express with mere words. 

     When you know that kind of love… when you don’t just hear the words, but you feel the words… when they sink in all the way down to your heart… and you feel your heart becoming all warm and full of joy… then that love mixes with the Holy Spirit… and you had better hang on if you know what’s good for you!! It’s going to be a wild ride. It explodes out of you like a bottle of soda pop that was shaken up too much. It becomes a force that can’t be contained.

     You feel mighty. The love of Jesus fuels you to dream and to do great and mighty things. Things that you would never even dare to dream of on your own might. I felt every bit of five feet tall again! Maybe bigger. How big? As big as I could imagine my God being.

     In the past, I had made my God out to be smaller than He really was because I kept adding “me” to the equation. Once I got out of my own way and started looking to Him to guide me in every step; I could barely keep up!

     For example, imagine if this got big enough that I could put out a call online. People come together; we have requests pouring in. We have 100 seniors who feel abandoned and need to receive God’s love. Send $20 to adopt a senior in need (on any day other than a holiday, it needs to be for no other reason). See, you just made a difference. You just made them and God smile. Drop a coin into the coffer for Heaven. 

     Start storing up your treasures now.  The phrase “you can’t take it with you” is true for sure. Many have tried. Many will continue to try. What they don’t realize is that you don’t need to carry that load. You CAN send it forward! The right hand isn’t supposed to know what the left hand is doing anyway. So let God keep track of your treasure for you.

     Let’s take it a step further. Could there be a way for them to get a voucher number and pick out what they receive online? Then they can anticipate the arrival of their box! Oh, heart be still! I know these are more than likely going to be used items, but still. Sometimes it really is the thought that counts… any thought at all would be appreciated. Trust me. 

     Let me take a moment to describe the experience for those of you who are unfamiliar with having a phone that doesn't ring and a mailbox that you only need to visit once a month to collect the bills. If you have never felt that alone, let me tell you, the sound of all that quiet is deafening to your very core. It is debilitating.

     You don’t have to live that way. I’m trying to tell and show you that the choice is ours to make. You may not be able to make a difference for everyone, but you can certainly make a positive impact in someone's life. Start with prayer. That’s always Rule #1.

Keep What You Love

     Excuse me for saying so, but I must be blunt at this point: YOU carried the idols in (everyone has different idols), NOW YOU need to carry them right back out. It’s time to clean house. God’s house.

     While I still have breath, the devil has taken ENOUGH from me and my family, and I want it all back. NO more. My word for 2025… “I AM = ENOUGH”… was spot on. Double meaning, triple meaning, however, you look at it. You do the math. The figures can’t lie. God, The Great I AM is enough. The devil has taken my I AM, leaving me with nothing… ENOUGH! I want Him back. 

     I want Him back right now! You can’t speak your lies over me and my family anymore, devil! I rebuke you in the name of Jesus, and YOU MUST FLEE. I am taking My God and my future back. You're just jealous because you had your chance to be with Him, and you blew it. Not me. I’m not going with you. No Sir.

     My Pastor was right when he told me to just say no to a narcissist. It really was just that simple. I gave them the power they needed to control me so I could take that power back. All I needed was separation from the problem to see.

     These times are unprecedented. I am shocked at the state this world is in. Just 50 years ago, it would have seemed impossible. “But, Covid.” 

If that wasn’t scary enough, now it’s going to be “But AI”. When will we learn? Don’t marry yourself to that idea. We are not AI; that is worldly. We are I AM; that is Godly. Separate yourselves now. This will not end well!

     This may be the most expensive paperweight my family line has ever produced. That is a possibility. Certainly, greater than even the slightest chance that one little old lady can call for revival at a time such as this and get it. But it will be my paperweight to lay at the feet of My Savior when I arrive. 

     My beloved grandmother would always tell me, ' You have not because you ask not.' Maybe WE were created for a time such as this. Somebody had to be. Why not us? We should feel honored to be considered, let alone chosen, to be placed here at a time such as this.

How Completely Freeing

     A rare prototype of a Corning Glass Works Glass Makers Oven dated 1945 just hit Ebay. I was in L-O-V-E love, love, love at first sight. At less than 8 inches, it was absolutely exquisite! I wanted that piece; I “needed” it for my collection, of course. I said I was willing to pay anything to get it. Then, I could say I had it. 

     Secretly, I was ready to start bidding at $1,000, but I felt led to put in a lower bid than originally intended. With 5 minutes left, I still couldn’t bid. I realized it was only another material possession. Time stood still; This was a defining moment for me. 

     I could stop it now. I could choose to make this a memory I’d never forget. This could be the piece I let go. It gave me a powerful sensation of growth. 

There were only 3 people in the auction. Perhaps it was listed incorrectly, or perhaps 11 pm was too late on a Sunday night. I couldn’t stand it. It was going to go for $20.50, so to raise the purchase price for the Seller, I bid $200, then $350. I had to be careful not to win. 

     I could have gone higher. But having the piece wouldn’t have meant so much to me. I have hundreds of other pieces! Now, not having it, knowing I could have had it but chose to let it go, the photograph is priceless to me.

     I had passed another test. I was back, heading in the right direction. I would cross the right finish line. My race of chasing material possessions was finally over. I had won!     

     This is how I would like to envision running my life's race. The journey was long; I had tripped and fallen many times along the way. But I kept getting up. After 40 years of trial and error, I found my way.      

     The hard reality that I could have been Left Behind due to a lifetime of biblical misunderstandings and backsliding stirred the Jesus in my heart. Feeling free at last, I was compelled to share what I had learned with others, hoping to shorten their journey.     

     It was truly a shame that I had spent 40 years sprinting as fast as I could only to get nowhere.  I was so busy, busy, busy trying to get ahead; of what or whom, I’m not sure now. All I know is that I had spent most of my life waiting for the right time to enjoy it. At almost 60 years old, I had no idea how much time I had left. It would be now or never.

     There were so many things I wanted to do that just never happened. Oh well. Accepting that I can only change my future, not my past, is freeing in its own way as well.

     Free to finish my race without having to drag all that baggage from my past around with me, I just stopped. I just stood there and took a deep breath. Breathe in for 8 counts, hold for 4 counts, and breathe out for 8 counts. 

     I took a big stretch and loosened up completely. It really didn’t matter how many people I was running with or how they finished. The only thing I needed to be concerned with was how I finished. That realization allowed me to slow down, stop comparing my life to others', and pace myself.

     Now I was calmer. I took a few more deep breaths, looked around, got my bearings, and headed off confidently, knowing I was on the expressway to heaven. Wow, the Son is Shining in the direction I’m heading. 

     Leaving gloom and doom behind, the warmth of the rays on my face warmed my heart instantly. The cool, gentle breeze had removed the scales from my eyes, and everything was so clear and bright.

     I would finish my race to the best of my ability, not caring what number I came in, just caring. I would stop and give people a hand up who had fallen along the way. I would remember to be thankful and grateful for every day ahead. I would make every day left here count.

     Now I could really appreciate the life I was living. I started listening to praise and worship music constantly.  The joy I felt while praising My Lord would be the only time I wouldn’t feel my pain. That allowed me to stop and rest, to truly appreciate the moment. 

     Soon enough, I would see the finish line. My Lord will call me home. A relief in some ways. You know who waits for you at the end. There is no fear.

But before I go, I plan on encouraging as many weary and thirsty souls as I can to finish strong. 

Your Turn…

     So, enjoy your race! You only get one. There are no do-overs. Relax. Concentrate on your form. Be the athlete that you are. Train hard. Show moral character. Practice teamwork. 

     Encourage others along the way, don’t trip them up. If they fall and skin their knee and cry out, God will hear them. He keeps all those tears. You don’t want to be responsible for that. 

     Since you know you won’t be the first to finish this race, you can pace yourself. Enjoy the scenery. Take deep breaths. Settle into a comfortable rhythm. Encourage others along the way. Give those who have fallen a hand up. Don’t run so fast you can’t talk. Run and converse together. Share your journey. Encourage and be encouraged!

     Pick up others, so they can pick up others still. Finish together in a crowd. The only thing I can think of that would be better than finishing your race strong would be to finish your race with a bunch of family and friends by your side. 

     Don’t push people aside to get ahead of them. There could be consequences. God sees everything. You may be disqualified. Just worry about yourself and let God lead the way.  Allow God to discipline others.

     LOOK into the back of that closet. Dust off your Jesus shoes. Put them back on and start walking with Jesus every single day. That is what makes life worth living. 

     Then use those shoes to punt the devil out of your life. Really put some effort into it. You may want to get a running start. What do you think all those heartaches and breaks have been training us for all these years?

     Then, put on your Jesus glasses and join those of us who plan to Make Heaven Crowded. We are Heaven-bound. “The Kingdom” is calling for REVIVAL. Pick up the phone! Tell God He can count on you to do your part. Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution.

     Save yourself from yourself. Amen.