Giving Up Something I Love For Something I Love More

Eden and I stopped at Goodwill last week.  I’ve made a commitment to not thrift much anymore, but summer is coming and Eden and I wanted to find her some new shirts and shorts.  I try to shop retail, I really do, but the great kid’s clothing we find at Goodwill keeps me coming back.  Her shirts are $1.99 and we find the greatest stuff.  She’s out grown Frozen, Barbie, Hello Kitty (boo hoo) and other character shirts.  

She knows what she wants and Goodwill has the variety she’s looking for.  Dresses are $3.99 and because of #projectused, we just shop all those dresses any chance we get.  

Eden’s growing so fast, it seems like the minute we bring it home she’s already outgrown it. I  donate her outgrown clothes to her little cousin Emma.

While browsing through the thrift store, I saw this – a giant, tall, very unusual dresser that I just loved.  

Oh, I could strip the top and re-stain it a dark espresso.  I could paint each drawer a different shade of gray, maybe add some arrow knobs. But, I had to stop myself.  The thing is I don't do furniture restoration anymore.  Some days I'm fine with it, and other times I'm like, "Just walk away from the dresser and everyone will be fine."

It’s tough giving up something you love, but when you give it up for something you love even more, it’s all good.  My first reason for giving up furniture is this little guy.  I just couldn’t juggle it anymore.  When he was a non-walker, it was all good, but once he started reaching for my paintbrush and paint can, the shop had to ship out. I love my special time with him. 

Out on a bike ride.

Second, it was so I could focus more on my writing career and my writing has taken off.  I have several projects in the works including two soon-to-be published books.  

Here are the possible book covers.

Both works-in-progress

If I hadn’t given up furniture, I would still be hoping someday I found enough time to work on my writing ideas.

I recently read that Miss Mustard Seed, Marian is shutting down her shop (her blog post about that is here).  She's been a huge inspiration to me and one of the leading furniture restorers in the nation.  Her stuff is in all the home decor and antique magazines and she's literally started a national trend.  She’s stopping her furniture restoration business because her husband is finishing up his master’s degree and is looking for a job as a full-time pastor.  They are putting their home up for sale and she’s selling most of her furniture.  I know what she’s going through.  She’s giving up something she loves because something better is presenting itself.  When I was in the thick of it, I didn’t think anything could be better then restoring furniture.  Seriously, it is the greatest job.  If I needed to, I would go back to it in a heart beat (and if you’re thinking of getting into it, do it!), but Marian’s life is pulling her into another adventure and she trusts God’s in charge.  I know she’ll do great and she’s really looking forward to decorating another house and trying new things.  Let’s hope she puts lots of pictures up on her blog.

I did find one thing at Goodwill I could bring home:  here’s a glass metal industrial bookshelf (I paid $20 for it) because, hey, I needed a bookshelf.  

I haven’t jazzed it all up yet. My books are all packed up in the garage and I’ve become lazy to unpacking everything from our “almost” move.