A Providential Trip to Goodwill

This picture doesn't relate in anyway to the blog entry but it does make me laugh. She likes to wrinkle up her nose and make that face and snort out her nose. I could eat her alive when she does it!

With the big move upon us I decided about a week ago to clean out all my closets. I have clothes that I got at the Gap Outlet in Cincinnati when I was in high school... that would be about 10 years ago. Way past time to pass some of them on! Needless to say it was a very good thing and I may have gone a little overboard and probably got rid of somethings that I could have kept but I was a roll! When I came across a nice shirt that I had worn recently but not too recently I was at a standstill as to what to do with it, mainly because it had my name plastered in the collar. The dry cleaners we used in Anniston used to put your name on this huge iron-on tag and put it right above the regular tag. It kinda made me feel a little weird that my name was in the shirt and I attempted to peel it out... no luck. I actually hesitated to even take it with my name in it. I thought it would be bizarre for a stranger to wear my shirt with my name in it. Actually, I also thought what if they track me down to get me or something... I'm not sure if I was smoking crack that day or not. :) That's a pretty irrational thought but I did think it. Anyway, I had this argument with myself for a few minutes as to whether or not to take it to Goodwill. It was as if the Holy Spirit was on one shoulder saying, "Don't be ridiculous, someone could use this shirt, it's really nice, clean, and could be beneficial to someone!" And then my pride and irrationality were on the other shoulder saying, "Someone might look you up in the phone book and get you or something.. every Goodwill shopper will know that this shirt belonged to Darby Stickler, you better just toss it!"

Well... I gave in to the Holy Spirit, died to my selfish ambitions and threw the nice blouse with my name plastered in it in the pile of stuff to take. When I got back from the hospital I had an email waiting for me from my friend LA's aunt. The subject was "Funny Blouse Story". I didn't read it first because I was certain it was a forward about how a rapist will look only for women who wear button down blouses... you know easy access or something! Anyway, once I read through all my emails I went back to it... thinking what could be a "Funny Blouse Story"? The email made me smile and almost cry. Here it is...

Darby,

Faithe was a page in the House of Representatives last week, and needed a button down blouse to wear under her blue blazer. So we went to Goodwill to find one. We found this really cute one that fit her very well. When we got home I said I have to wash this because it came from Goodwill. But we had tons of things to get done. I happened to look at the label, and there was a dry cleaner's label with your name on it. So I said, we don't have to wash this because it was Darby's. We had a good giggle, and she wore it proudly the next day, and looked great. :)
So thanks for her top!

Among the many things I've been learning one of the greatest is God's sovereignty and providence. There are 150,000 people living in Tallahassee (not including the 100,000 college students) and the chances of someone I know getting that blouse is not very good. Some may say it is "just luck"... I confidently know otherwise! I don't know exactly what He wanted me to learn but I know what I did learn: to swallow my pride and irrationality if anything can benefit someone else just do it. I'm horrible about talking myself out of helping others or sharing Jesus with them and I'm learning to side with the Holy Spirit... and He'll affirm me in my decision! I hope this will encourage someone to put aside any irrational thought and do something that may seem "weird"... I'm confident Christ will affirm your decision.

Anyone else have a similar story... I want to hear...