Shop Like You Mean It

You'd think I'd steer clear of flea markets and thrift stores after the many years' worth of junk treasures that have paraded past me at Victory Home Thrift Store. But. 

Can't resist a poke around a flea market now and then...

I mean, look, LOOK at this adorable birdhouse. 

I love the colors.

And this piggy! Almost as wacky as Pinocchio, 

who looks like he's...er...nope, that's not a potty.

 But this is!

And while we're on the subject...

On the way home from the flea/farmers' market, 

I like to stop at the neighborhood garden center for a quick look-see.

I've begun working at our thrift store in the mornings, sorting through the 8-foot high mounds of donations and setting up displays of all the wonderful stuff. 
I can hardly walk by the time I'm done, thanks to a bum ankle, but, boy, I do have fun. 
It just doesn't get old!

The sale of these lovely donations supports Victory Home, and after a very, very tight winter, Victory Home needs all the help it can get.

We pay rent and utilities on four homes, the thrift store and two warehouses. We employ four staff members and pay stipends to over a half dozen others. We spend over $200 a day on gasoline, for Pete's sake!

Fifteen men and four women are staying with us right now. We teach them about transformation (because who wants to reform an old, beat-up, sin-loving heart when we can have a completely new one) and we teach them a new way to live.

Here's one principle:

(Regarding temptation) 

When you want to stay, flee. 

And when you want to flee, stay. 

This lesson has often helped me! (Except, drat, when I'm standing in front of the fridge.)

And these girls (who are demonstrating a portable dry heat sauna, circa...1980's...and it sold in a day - what??) have just completed their six months and have chosen to stay on for a while longer. I'm so glad. I just love 'em!

So I work, work, work for their sake, and if you'd like to get involved, too, we can use volunteers to:

• help at the store, sorting cool stuff, assisting customers, hanging lovely clothes...
• provide or help with a meal (groups welcome)
• collect needed things, such as hygiene items or food
• help with transportation needs

And this is a big one: you can SHOP!! Yep, shopping will benefit Victory Home. Do it early and often. And so shall I. You may not want a-30 year old portable dry heat sauna, but you may want a cast-iron horse bank, or a foot-high garden fairy, or an old copy of Black Beauty, or a glow-in-the-dark moon, or a porcelain canister with a little chalk board patch for you to write on, or cute little Iron Man pajamas, or a pair of elbow-length black velvet gloves...