The 'Midwest Show' Story...

Oh my.... where do I begin.... I don't know where to start... On Saturday, well my fire just wasn't burnin'...I have done so many shows, lately, that I think I'm just a little burned out...I had commented, to my friend Bud, I just didn't have any more to give... I received a call, around 9:30 Saturday morning, that my cool green table, the anchor for the booth, was sold... {set up at noon} I didn't have anything else ready to go, didn't have twigs cut for the Amana trees, didn't have totes packed...didn't have....didn't have.... didn't have.... I recalled a wonderful primitive 10 and a half foot table, that my friend Cindy B. had at her store "Smokehouse Square Antique Mall" in Amana, got her on the phone, she let me take it, and had it ready, and waiting, outside when I landed the truck, at her store! What a Gal! I spied some evergreens, along the highway, on the way back home, gave them a quick trim, {bare handed, my hands will never be the same!}{ in 'Gone with the Wind', they say you can always tell a lady by her hands... I guess I'm out of the running!} All last week, I was positively sure, that I didn't have one cool thing left, to sell at this Amazing Show... Shame on me... I was lacking confidence, and you know where that comes from... As I was cleaning and getting things prepared for the show, it was like reuniting with a dear, old friend... And the friend was asking, "Don't you believe in me anymore? You aren't really buying into what other people say, are you?" So as I was struggling with my own inadequacies, I was pushing as hard as I could, to get everything done, and loaded... I normally take 12 to 20 totes of smalls, to a show...I took 3.... As everyone tells you, furniture is not selling, load heavy on smalls... My load consisted or primarily 'bigs'...{ I sold 70% of what I took...} The booth was thrown together, I overslept, Sunday morning, Mark had to double back, to pick me up....Oh yea, I was running with 3 legs, and tripping over them all... But the Show was Awesome..... I saw soo many friends, I hardly had time to write tickets! It was hugs and kisses from everyone! Our booth was over run, and soooo many people absolutely loved it... Mark and I were in shock... I have never done this show, but people I didn't know, knew me, or should I say the booth... " Do you set up in Minnesota???" Yes, We do... " I knew it, I would know this look anywhere!", I love your booth at 'Gold Rush'! Again and again, we heard this... Several folks were disappointed, something they had wanted earlier, was now gone, not because they had to think about it, they couldn't get in our booth, it was full of people! Amazing... We had many, many folks say, this was the Best 'Midwest Show', they have ever attended...The Show was absolutely Stunning. It was every bit as good as 'Heart of Country', in Nashville... {and if you don't know that show...I will tell you, I do... I have done it 12 times, and that is a Huge Feather, in any Show Promoter's Cap...} { I just visited with Tom Van Deest, one of the promoters, to find out what the attendance was, he said it was over a 1000, and people flew in from all over the country, and many that drove, came from long distances... He was very appreciative of all the vendors, and agreed with the customers, this was one Amazing Show!} The phone has been ringing off the hook, with 'well wishers', wanting to know how it went. It went perfectly.... {and no one is more in shock, than me....} I stood there...in total disbelief... I even had folks telling me, all day, that 'I' looked great, and that I clean up pretty well, one of my favorite customers, Gloria, even called this morning, to tell me her husband said, my husband, John had better not let me out of his sight...I'm looking pretty good} O.K. Now I get it...There was Truly a Hand of God, in all of this... but I always thought He made the Blind Man 'See', not the other way around.... I can not tell you, what a wonderful experience the Midwest Show was... All the Promoters were wonderful, all the vendors were wonderful, all of our neighbors were great, and the customers... well, they were all Angels... I tear up, as I'm writing this...really... I put this show, in Gods hands... He knows the trials of this year... With all of my stumbling, and fumbling, He carried me...{and I'm not a little girl....} My 'blessings' came from every angle, just as the 'trials', have also come, from every direction...Where would I be, without my Faith... I admit, I wavered a lot, this past year... but still held on...When I read, today, in my 'Streams in the Desert', " Afflictions are often the dark settings, God uses to mount the jewels of His children's gifts, causing them to shine even brighter." It rang true... It's just having the Faith, to totally understand that, when we endure the Mountains, that lay ahead.... Was this the best show I have ever done...Yes and no... Monetarily, No.{ I brought very little..} Spiritually, Yes.... and how do you put a price on that... If I put a tag on it, it would read...Priceless.... Thank You, to all my friends, and many blog readers, who attended the show. Thank You for the kind words, hugs and kisses, for your purchases, and encouragement. You are all 'Priceless'... 'til next time, Barb C.