Thursday, January 29, 2009

When God Does A Floor Move

shabby chic couch : google image

I worked in retail for years. The best part of my job was the creative outlet it provided. I am creative and need an outlet. I must create. It's my thing. I always loved shipment day. To open those boxes and see all of the new sweater sets and spring merchandise was just more than this girl could handle. Shortly thereafter I would get a vision. I loved turning the store upside down, changing the store set as well as creating new pause points and t-stands. Not to mention switching out the front feature table and creating a major floor move. Now keep in mind that the company only sent directives for a new store set once a month. But I think my amazing, real life friend Kellie can give you a very loud "Amen" here that we were creating floor moves once a week or more. We also had something called "Sunday Night Store Set", the only night of the week the store closed early so we could freshen things up a bit! We were witnesses to how things would just fly out of the store and off the shelves as soon as we did something new. We could take shirts that were not selling and move them to the front of the store and style them in a new way and would sell out completely. We could move around suits and dresses and crisp white cotton shirts, put jeans and t-shirts with pearl necklaces on t-stands and move cashmere sweaters to another table and it felt like we had a new store. Our sales would sky rocket and things that weren't previously selling were suddenly selling like hot cakes! In this case-change was a good thing. It was to increase sales and to keep the store from looking stale and boring. I was never afraid to put the sleeveless dresses out front in the middle of February or to display a pink sweater set in December. I just loved to have everything fresh , new and looking really beautiful. 

So today, this ex- retail girl still uses those same skills. Only I use them in my home. Yes. I still create "Sunday Night Store Set" only it's in my home. Remember me telling you that I need an outlet? Yes. Almost every Sunday night I change the furniture around in my home. You can take it to bank. If you come by for a visit- the table where we last had coffee together could very well be in the nursery by now. It depends on how many weeks have gone by. Oh yes, just in case you were wondering- my husband has put up with this for years. Mr. Pearls and Grace is in agreement and will cheerfully and sometimes not so cheerfully shimmy a table up several flight of stairs to help with my need to create or give a few visual directives. The man is a saint. I have even moved furniture around by myself while I was pregnant. Even 7, 8 and 9 months pregnant- every pregnancy. I love it. I change out the area by the front door sometimes even twice a week. And I love to have seasonally appropriate decor on that table! I move mirrors and lamps and tables and dressers and couches and any and everything. I do not follow any rules and do not care what other people think- so my creativity is always in full swing. However, when we have visitors, sometimes the very first thing they say is "Where is the table that was in the kitchen?" "What happened to the ottoman ?"  They know that I create and that I am constantly changing things, but they are still looking for what used to be. Others come in and say  "Ooooh, nice floor move!"  I just love it. I am shocked at the folks that say their furniture has been in the same spot for years! Come on. Let's move some things around......

But what about God? Did you know that God creates floor moves? He does. And when He does we can find ourselves looking for the thing that used to be and He is trying to give us something brand new. It is human nature to dislike change. We get comfortable. We like routines. We do not like surprises- especially when it comes to a cut in our finances. We want the familiar. We cling to it and wear it proudly. We can expect that pay check to come every week or every month. But what if it stops coming? What if suddenly we find ourselves unemployed. Without a pay check. Without insurance. Without any help from anyone. What if God allowed this to happen in our lives? What if you received a transfer and had to sell your home- in this market? What if you were transferred overseas? Where is God in life changes like this? As I continue to grow and mature in the Lord there is one thing I have noticed about Him. God loves a good floor move. He loves to bring about change. He loves to allow certain things in our lives. Not to harm us. Not to cause suffering. But to help us or sometimes to force us to grow, develop and change. He brings about these floor moves and turns our world upside down so that we could possibly see Him in a new way. So that we could see God in a different area in our lives. He wants us to know Him in every way. That has been extremely hard for me to learn. I had a view of God that if He loved me- then why would He allow this or that to happen? If you love me then why would you allow this level of suffering? If you love me then why would my husband lose his job? If you love me why did I have another miscarriage? If you love me then why was I betrayed by family members? If you love me God why is this relationship so broken? It has been a hard lesson for me. But as I have spent more time with Him and have come to know Him in knew ways, it is never more clear to me than now, that above all else, He has the master plan. He holds the big book of visual directives.

On more than one occasion- read many, I have offered my creative abilities up to God in this department. I have made multiple suggestions to my personal Chief Imagination Officer and most often- he completely ignores my ideas. His ways are not our ways after all.  He always knows what is best for us, regardless of what the situation is. Regardless of whether or not it seems fair. Regardless of whether it hurts like nothing we have ever experienced before. His word says that He will use every single thing for our good and for His glory. I am sure that each one of us could sit down and write out a list of "Why God?" questions. I think if He could write us back He may simply write these two words. Floor Move.

What does that mean? Quite simply it means that sometimes the only way He can get us out of the dark ages and into the light is by moving things around in our life.  The only way some of us will ever come to know Him is if He uproots our entire life and shakes everything we call comfort and familiar and favorite. It means that there will be times that He doesn't answer when we expect Him to or how we expect Him to. I know for me personally, the past two years have brought about more change and more uncertainty than I could handle. It was more than I could bear- or so I thought. It was during those times of desperation that I have grown closer to Him and relied completely and totally upon Him in new ways. There was no help or support from others-He was it for our family. Those "floor moves" in my life brought me to my knees- in brokenness and sorrow- which in turn allowed Him to set my feet on solid ground. His ground.  What a blessing it has been to endure two years of personal floor moves and come out better off for it. I am forever grateful.

So today, if things begin to move in your life. If things begin to change, or if everything just begins to fall apart at the seams- know that the Master has you in the palm of His hand and He is just getting you ready for the spring floor move.....

"You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, you are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away; Fear not, for I AM with you; Be not dismayed, for I AM your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand." - Isaiah 41: 9-10

14 comments:

Sandra said...

Your posts always comfort me! Thank you so much. I love this one!!

GrannySmithGreen said...

Well there you go--you've done it again! God has so richly blessed you with the gift of writing. You explain His love for us in such a wonderful "real life" way. Thank you so much, Pearls & Grace, for all that you do for so many of us! GET READY, I think you can expect a floor move at any time now!

Lisa said...

On a superficial note, I have to chime in and say I'm right there with you. I always say these rooms in this house are ours and we'll do as we please. Not only do I change around furniture, I change out whole rooms- what was an office became a playroom, then a sitting room, then a dining room, and now is a sitting/reading room. (Also, my house is small, so shifting requires some major overhaul.)

And not so superficially- you have no idea how much this post spoke to me today. I'm a planner. I like to be in control. And right now I needed to be reminded to look up from my lists and notebooks and open my heart to what the Lord really has in mind for me.

Thank you.

LovesPINKandPEARLS said...

what a great post! i too am a room mover...

nest of posies said...

AMEN!!! Sister!!!
I remember those days so well. How everything would be a complete mess, stacks to fold, hangers to put up, fixtures to move.
AND THEN...after much work, everything would look beautiful, fly off the racks just as you said. Nothing like a floor move/store set to give a crisp new outlook or a vision to get one all stirred up!!! I can just picture Mr. P&G moving things around. Love his heart.
On a personal note, you know this post made me smile & laugh to all of our memories. And of course, the picture of the white sofa as your header. So you. But you are so right in all the other ways as well.
Miss you so!
Love you.

Kimberly said...

You say best what God is doing in me right now. Good to not I'm not the only who needs some changing...
I know you will appreciate that I FINALLY found my earrings-yea!

Kimberly said...

Thanks for writing what God has put on your heart. It is very appreciated. I can identify with the floor moves, spiritually speaking.Within the last four months we have been faced with a lay off and my third miscarriage. It has been hard but there has been blessing as God as assured us through His word and presence that He will never leave us.

Regarding the literal floor moves, I wish I was gifted at that. I leave things the same for too long. My Mom,however, is just like you.She enters a room and has immediate inspiration to change everything.She's great at it. :)

Jeanna said...

Thank you for this blog entry! This became my morning devotional today! We just moved to a new city in November due to my spouse's job change & as a result I became a SAHM once again after leaving my part-time job in my old city behind...w/2 boys in elem. school all day, I've had lots of time to ponder & wonder, "Why, God?" And, "Where are You taking us?". Your blog entry has comforted me much...I am so NOT in control!

DianeTaylor said...

I am a fairly new reader to your blog - and I must say, your faith in God and your trust in him spoke to me. My husband and I are going thru some trying times right now (multiple deaths and a boat fire) and after reading your stories in this blog, I found myself GIVING all my worries, fears and hopes to God. I was truly dorwning in my sorrow and fear of the unknown. What a relief! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders! I want to rejoice and shout his name from the rooftops! I felt the need to thank you, I truly feel that your words spoke to me and made me stop and let God arrange my life according to his plan, not mine or my husbands.

God Bless you, Pearls and Grace! I wish I could come to your event, I will be thinking of you and praying for you.

Your friend in God:

Diane Taylor (Baltimore, MD)

tickledpink said...

I just found your blog through "Beaufort Lookout" who had a post about your live event. First of all, I have also been in retail for several years and LOVED new floor sets! I always looked forward when the book would come in, but others hated when the store would change completely different. What's funny is that I don't like change in my life, and what a floor change I have had in the past three years of my life. I could totally identify with this post one hundred percent. Thank you for sharing!
If you would like to read my blog since it's private please email me: absolutelylovepink@yahoo.com

Mrs. McB said...

I remember my retail days and the store changes were always my favorite. I loved pairing outfits together and having them sell.

Jill said...

Wow~ you are so gifted with words. I love this post; it's so true. I've thought about God's "floor move" in my life that way but it has happened. Thank you for encouraging me and reminding me that God has good things ahead.

Kasey said...

hello, im new to your blog..i believe you are a follower of mine.
what a lovely blog you have and a beautiful...BEAUTIFUL family.
xo

Tiffany said...

OH, girl...I just REALLY don't even know what to say about this one.
Good stuff!!! LOVE it!