Shining at Goodwill

Today… a hymn to get you started. Go ahead, sing along. Think of it as online karaoke.

Click here.

I’ve told you how I like to go to Goodwill, and I’ve told you about my friend Flo. Well, over the course of the months of our washing dishes and making drinks together in the church kitchen every Wednesday, I found out we share our love of Goodwill.


Flo likes to call it “The Boutique”. She said it sounds more expensive or fancy or something like that.


Last week I went to the big Goodwill in the big town to see if a book was still there that I thought my grandpa might enjoy for his birthday. (I know, shop for presents at Goodwill?? But that’s how we roll in my family. Don’t worry, if we’re not related, you’ll get something new.) It had been several weeks, but the book was still there and I bought it.


Like new status, original cover price $49.99. Goodwill price - $4.50.


Then I perused the bookshelves for something to catch my eye. I get these catalogs all the time with religious books listed in them and some of them seem to call my name, but then I check the price and decide they are actually calling someone else’s name. I can’t tell you how many bad, uninspiring books I’ve checked out of the library and promptly returned, so I don’t usually go out on a limb and buy a book, site unseen based just on its description in a catalog. Unless I’m trying to qualify for free shipping or something… that’s another story.


Anyway, I found several titles on the shelves of Goodwill that I remembered seeing in those catalogs they send me. I found a couple of couples devotions books, a women’s devotion book, and something about having a Mary heart in a Martha world. And all were $2.00 or less, so I loaded up. We’ve got enough devotion to last us the rest of the year, I’m thinking.


Then I strolled over to the housewares section where they were just rolling out a cart of “new” merchandise. You wouldn’t have believed the way some of the shoppers swooped in like vultures to a new dead horse. Anyway, I steered clear, but ambled over to a shelf of glass items.


And there it was…


A big, heavy crystal cross that shined in the sun. Shined like Jesus’ light. Shined like Flo shining Jesus’ light. Except that it had a little dust on it.


I thought of her immediately in that I thought she’d like it, and that I thought she’d like that it came from “The Boutique”.


I gave it to her on Wednesday as her Easter gift, but told her I was giving it to her early so she could enjoy it all of Lent.


She told me how we really are Easter people all year round.


She told me how she liked it.


She also said it was heavy enough she could hit somebody over the head with it!


So, whether she’s whacking someone over the head with it, or just enjoying it sitting on her shelf, I hope it reminds her of my appreciation for her help every week. I hope she knows she’s just as shining as it is with all of her service to the Lord.


May Flo’s “goodwill” never be “discounted.”


“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16