****K is for Keeper

My wife, Kathy, has a gift for finding things. Whatever it is you think you might want or need, she can find it – cheap. Throughout our fifty-two years of marriage, I have been amazed at her ability to supply the stuff we need on a shoestring budget.

When our children were young, in lean times, they were always well dressed in top quality, designer clothing. And now that we have eight grandchildren, she continues to find treasures in yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops where she finds great, slightly used stuff at a fraction of the original cost. It is not unusual for her to find expensive, designer clothing for about $1-2 per piece. The kids had plenty to wear and as soon as they outgrew their garments, she passed them down to other children who needed them.  Sometimes she profited by reselling them on eBay or in her boutique.

One of our favorite stories is the account of how God supplied our needs when work was scarce, and we had depleted nearly all our resources. She had only $15 left and payday was over a week away. That morning she knew that she needed milk and groceries for our children. She took the money, loaded the girls into the car and headed for the market. But on the way, she was distracted by a garage sale where she spotted an antique porcelain Roseville vase. She bought it for $15.00.  As she was paying for her purchase, the owner told her that she had another larger, footed vase, by the same maker, for $35.00.

Kathy took the vase directly to a friend who owned an antique store where she sold it for $35.00. Then she raced back to the garage sale and purchased the larger vase.  Her friend bought it for $250.  

Then it was grocery shopping time. By that afternoon, our cupboards were well-stocked, and she had money to spare.

I could write many more pages of stories like this, but I want to tell just one more.

One day, a few years ago, she called me from a yard sale and told me I needed to get there right away. The owner had an old Benjamin pellet gun on display.  She doesn’t know the difference between an air rifle and an automatic assault rifle, but she knew that I might be interested in that long, heavy thing that goes “BANG.” As she was looking at it and asking about it, the owner asked her if I might be interested in other rifles. He told her that his new wife was not tolerant of his gun collection. He invited Kathy inside to show her several others that he had to sell.

I got there as quick as I could and bought the pellet gun and several other shotguns and rifles for just $500.

One of the most interesting in the collection, was a Springfield Armory model 1898 Krag military bolt action, 30-40 caliber assault rifle.

I don't know any other men whose wives find guns for them at yard sales.  Most of my friends were envious.

My wife is described on the pages of Scripture.  “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She will not hinder him but help him all her life.

“She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship; she brings her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings, she plants a vineyard.

“She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

“She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

“She has no fear of winter for her household because all of them have warm clothes. She quilts her own bedspreads. She dresses like royalty in gowns of finest cloth.

“Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council meeting with the other civic leaders.

“She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions. She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.

“Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”  Proverbs 31:10-28

Yup!  That's my wife.  K is for Kathy and she is a Keeper.

K is also for my Krag assault rifle and I'm keeping it too.

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