The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Design (01/19/04)
TITLE: Garage Sale Design
By toronto49 Aird
01/25/04
 LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
 SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
 SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND
The scrawled sign on the cardboard box announced that the garage sale was just down the road at 128 Wainright Street. This particular Saturday morning’s excursion around town to browse at these intriguing collections of past treasures would be different. It had been six months since my garage sale shopping partner and I had enjoyed these special times. We looked forward to these outings, but more so of the times of companionship they afforded. Sometimes our laughter at some of the extreme items we saw would leave us trying to outdo the other in creating jokes at the expense of the object. Other times we would reminisce when long forgotten items would trigger spontaneous, intimate journeys down memory lane. Those travels would remind us of memorable times past. Yes, today’s adventure was different. My garage sale partner and marital partner of 40 years had suddenly been seized with a heart attack. Now I was encouraged to resume my life and to pursue the things that we...I once enjoyed.

Parking the car I paused for a moment, took in a deep breath, and motivated myself by saying, “I can do this, I can do this.” The next thing I new I was walking deliberately up the driveway towards the assembled items. Some were in cardboard boxes, used clothing was hung from rope serving as clothing racks, and other items were neatly laid out on makeshift tables. Browsing around the assorted items something quickly caught my eye and without thinking I blurted out loud, “Look, dear.” Quickly, realizing that my words were spoken out of habit to no one there, my heart sunk into despair as my words plummeted to the cold garage floor. Turning elsewhere I spied an elephant planter. Truly, a white elephant in every sense of the word and the thought came to me that I was midst of a trove of items that once were designed for some purpose, some usefulness, and now they had outgrown their ability to serve. I was in the midst of an elephant’s graveyard. A place where those mammoth beasts instinctively returned when they knew their life was about to end. My wife, my partner, my companion, my friend had left me. Now I was here amongst the other discarded useless items that served no purpose.

Sensing myself sinking into despair, I began to recite my mantra, “I can do this, I can do this, Oh, God, help me to do this.” Feeling myself losing the battle, I quickly turned on my heels and began to walk away when suddenly my eyes caught a beautifully embroidered wall hanging. Four words, from the 18th chapter of Jeremiah, were written in blue interwoven with strands of red thread. They stood out on the flowered pattern and begged my attention. The obvious painstaking work was wonderfully crafted as it captured the powerful phrase from this weeping prophet.

That garage sale, designed to unload items that the owner no longer wanted, proved to be the start of a new and powerful affirmation for me. At that garage sale I discarded words that reflected my inability to rise above difficult times and I anchored myself in the promise of God that redesigned I into We through His promise that “He made it again.”