I was recently reminded of a time when an old hobby could bring new blessings.  I used to collect all sorts of things when I was a kid. Barbie dolls, baseball cards, miniature anything, etc.  My mom boxed up all that stuff years ago and stuck it in the attic.  I had long since forgotten about it.  When I decided to sell my big house and move into a smaller one, (not a task for the faint of heart), I came across several boxes.  I did not take the time to go through them, instead I just added them to the "items going to the new house" stacks.  I moved into my new home in 2009.  That tells you just how important I thought these things were.  I really believe it was God's way of forcing me to save something.

Anyway, I am usually a pretty happy person.  I believe that a thankful person is a happy person.  If I get depressed or even if I'm in pain, I start thinking and listing all the things I am thankful for.  I do this until the blues or the pain lessens.  I found myself facing a financial wall I could not get around, see through, or even climb over.  I started my little "Thankful" routine.  It did not seem to help.  I finally realized I was going to lose my home so I decided to go out to my storage shed and start getting rid of stuff.  I was facing being homeless so the things I was going to take with me would have to fit into a grocery cart.  I started going through the boxes.  I found so many things that sent me down memory lane I forget the time.  I was still out in the shed at 10PM.

My neighbor came by to check on me.  They knew I never go out after dark and they saw the light on in the shed.  When they came in, I was sitting in the middle of the floor playing with a train set.  I had Barbie dolls watching and miniatures on top of the cars like passengers.  I was having the time of my life.  We all laughed.  My neighbor started looking at all my "toys".  Long story short.  I was able to sell those toys for enough to pay off my house, buy a new car, and put aside a nice emergency fund for myself.  I even sold my vinyl records.  I am thankful for my neighbor and for a mom who never threw anything out.

During this time when we are all home bound... do some spring cleaning.  Make it an adventure for the kids.  Pull out things you forgot about... relive them.  It might help smooth any financial strife right now.  God Bless.

Tags: Home Life Blessings