I’m not a natural giver. It doesn’t come easy to me. But an idea came to me [that I probably heard from someone else though I can't remember who it was] to have a yard sale and give all the stuff away.
No tags. No haggling. No $1 boxes or $2 books.
Just everything for free.
I wanted to DO something for Christmas Change. I’m pretty good about writing inspirational things and yet making sure my own words never change my own life.
And I didn’t want to do that this time.
So I sent an email to my friends- “let’s give our stuff away.” And they brought boxes and boxes and filled my guest bedroom to overflowing.
Nashville has a surprisingly large population of refugees from all over the world. So we hung up signs at the refugee centers saying, “Come over on Saturday and take our stuff.” [I mean, that isn't EXACTLY what the signs said, but you get my drift.]
And here’s the result.
[Forgive me for not wearing makeup. It was 7am on a Saturday. Can you blame me?]
Merry Christmas, y’all.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, Annie.
What a blessing to me. “Live simply, so others may simply live.”
It’s interesting that when you heard stories, they spoke of sadness, heart-brake, and death. Isn’t that, on some level, all of our stories?
Thank you for DOing this, friend. It brakes my heart, the good way.
I absolutely LOVE THIS! I hope it’s ok that I shared on my blog!! THANK YOU for all the ideas you have shared this Advent Season. I have been so very encouraged to go in a direction that God has already been drawing me…THANK YOU!!
Family members don’t always look alike, but they do share the same home. This was amazing to see refugees from other parts of the world mingling in your home, and you feeling comfortable enough to make them feel at home–to call them family. A lot of people say, “I’m normally not sentimental,” but I suppose I am. Anyway, I cried a little bit because I loved this picture of living and loving others.
This was incredible. I think I’d like to use this next year as a ChristmasChange project idea!
Annie – I LOVE this…two of my favorite things…yard sales and bringing people from all over together.
We are spending our 12/25th passing out meals to the refugee families in our area, and I can’t wait!!
That was so awe inspiring! What a truly wonderful idea. And the video was such a great way to show what happened, I just love it!
As always, you’re a genius. And you look lovely, even first thing in the morning.
Absolutely brilliant. Thanks for sharing.
Annie. Wow. You and your friends are going to continue to be blessed from this.
Dave’s song is amazing as the background music.
Tears.
this is how we really want it to be I think. We complicate it so.
You are so amazing.
And , agreed, the song by Dave is perfect.
This was amazing. Wow. What an absolutely awesome idea. This was really moving…thank you so much for sharing.
Gaaa! I’m a mess! That was wonderful and beautiful and fantastic. And I’m totally going to steal this idea! Thank you, God bless and a very Merry Christmas!
Love love love this. Cried at the quote ‘live simply…’ Thanks for sharing.
Bawling. We just free-cycled our kids play room (it was sickening my stomach with how much excess we have) and it was just a thrill to hear the recipient’s thankfulness and excitement… it’s like a high and we can’t stop packing up and giving away. I can’t wrap my mind around why we can have so much and others have so little. Or nothing at all.
Steph
Wow! Such a cool idea. Good way to share the word. Our church did something like that earlier this year. We called it “Treasure Trade” with the congregation members. It started that way and then we opened up to the public. So much fun .