WOW! WHY WAS I SURPRISED?

Yesterday, Saturday, was a day of answered prayer.  It was the day that John had been preparing for.  It was the day that he would try to sell his twenty five years worth of HO train, scenery, structure,  building, and collecting.


Friday, I was so concerned that he would be parting with his beloved hobby and that he would not be compensated enough to make him feel good about letting it go.  I prayed about it asking God to bless John's day and that He, God, be in control.


We  got up bright and early and left early.  Arriving at the location of the show, other professional vendors were setting up and they had all kinds of train "stuff."  


John had rented one table.  I don't remember if it was six or eight feet long.  Other vendors had as many as seven tables.  Hummm,  "we are sure going to get lost among all the professionals."  But,  he did bring a bookshelf, which saved our lives!  


We should have filled three tables, but had only that one. We had to make the best of the situation at hand. I arranged his trains on the shelf.  Boxes of railroad cars totally filled each shelf to the bottom of the shelf above it.  John laid out the displays and boxes of supplies on the table, under the table and on stacked crates behind the table.  


We barely had a place for us.  I sat stuffed in a corner and John stood at the side of the display.  

Before the show opened at ten,  vendors passed by the booth and started to buy some of the good bargains.  That was encouraging.  Those sales to vendors placed us at twenty percent of John's goal.  


When John told me his goal, I thought "sure,  sure."  But those first sales were encouraging.  We still had 80% to go though.  I was sure we would never make it.  


Ten o'clock came and shoppers were allowed in the area.  Of course everyone must walk around a scope out everything so they can decide what purchases they will make.  They began to filter back.  


An eight dollar sale, and another for the same amount.  Then, twenty five dollars, then four.  "It's going to be a very long day."  The sales came in off and on and I would tick off each one hundred dollar increment.  


When the crowd begin to thin out about two hours before the end of the show, we were within twenty five dollars of John's goal.  Surely, we can do that!  But the room only seemed to have a handful of customers sprinkled among all the booths.  Will we do it?  


We were so close to the finish line!  We chatted with the vendors around us feeling good about being close.  But no cigar!  


Did I ever tell you that I am a firm believer in setting goals and then working to meet those goals?  BUT, you just cannot force people to your booth and buy.  


Later......a vendor came to us and said "set your price for what you have left."  Say what?  


After deliberation, John gave him a price and after a terrible low ball offer............................ the vendor and John settled on a very fair price.  John had then exceeded his goal by over 100%!  

We feel very blessed.  God does answer prayer.  Sometimes his answer is no, sometimes it is wait, and sometimes he says yes and sometimes he blesses with more than we have asked for.  Yes, we were very blessed indeed and He get's the thanks.  


Today, that room that was full of train "stuff" is much roomier.  The closet is almost empty.  Only clothes remain.  There is no train parafanelia under the bed, on bookshelves or anyplace else.  Just space.  


Now, the next challenge is to sell the tons and tons of quilting supplies, fabric and other equipment that once belonged to John's mother.  Here we have about thirty years of accumulation!  I wish there was a quilt show someplace close, but maybe on Ebay?  Ebay seems so confusing to me though.  


Is the confusion due to my dyslexia?  I can learn something much faster by seeing, reading and doing all at the same time.  Translating from the written page to action is not easy.  


Today we take pictures of products for Ebay.  Hopefully, I can muddle my way through.  Just wish I had a tutor here at my shoulder.  


That's the news today...another step to full time living.  


May God bless you today, the day that many of us worship Him, the first day of Advent.