Chocolate Cake, Little Boys and Birthdays!

I just spent the weekend celebrating my little grandson's third birthday!  As a busy person, I can tell you, that time flies - he was just a little bitty baby in my arms a few days ago!

He loves to sing - so we sang "Happy Birthday" several times and lit and blew out the candles each time - what a precious smile on his little face!  I enjoyed every minute of my weekend, but today I am back in my antique shop trying to sort out my life (which I am slowly determining is probably pretty much perfect!).

In trying to sort out my life as an antique dealer, busy church life, Mother, daughter, wife, Grandmother, it seems to me that diversity in life is the key!  If we place too much emphasis on any one thing, it can become overbearing, stressful, and something we think is not satisfying.

I have spent the last 8 1/2 years in my antique shop giving it every ounce of my energy - it has been great - but at some point became overbearing, stressful, and something I just wanted to stop doing.

Now that I have backed off somewhat and pushed the "pause" button, I have found that the diversity I have in my life is the best that anyone could hope for.  I spend four days a week in my shop meeting and greeting and helping the general public and friends in my shop.  We talk about their dreams, their problems, their hopes, their homes and children and grandchildren, their decorating ideas, and more.  In each case I can listen and encourage and hopefully they leave here refreshed and ready to meet life's challenges.  I get a lot of fulfillment from this activity, as I develop life long friendships and in the process offer my beautiful antique and gift shop to my community, my hometown that I love.

My Sundays and Wednesday evenings at my church are most inspirational, fun and challenging.  With my participation in the music program of the church, as I give of my limited talents I get much personal reward and growth as I am continually challenged with my musical abilities.  Whether it is singing, ringing bells or playing piano - it all gives me personal satisfaction and reward for my efforts.  The personal growth I find in worship and fellowship in my church is something that cannot be found any other way.

Life as a Mother does not end when the child grows up and makes a life of their own.  They continually look to their parents for love and guidance as they go through the challenges presented in their lives.  It is continually my job to encourage and help my daughter and step-children as they face life and try to make good decisions about their future.  Never do I tell anyone what they "ought" to do - but I help them to think through all the options, make their choice, and know that I will always love and support them in their decisions.

Life as a daughter continues to change.  When I was small my parents looked after me as I described in the previous paragraph - but as time goes along we have to face the challenges of our parents aging and needing us - and perhaps even the loss of a parent.  This is a roll which changes daily for me.  When we moved back to my home town I still had both parents, and it was wonderful to again share my days with them.  Several years back I lost my Daddy, and it has become my job to sort of  look after Mother.  Not that she can't take care of herself - but I have been available to give the support and encouragement she needs to be able to move on and make decisions and make a "new normal" out of  her life.  I am so proud of her, and am always available to help her in anything that comes up for her - it has been a blessing to be here for her.

My job as a wife is very easy.  My husband loves and supports me, and is very flexible and easy to please.  He does his job well - by loving me, smiling at me, encouraging me, allowing me some freedoms to do the above jobs, and he is always there - waiting for me to come home with his arms open wide.  This is the easiest of all my jobs as clearly he gives more to me than I give in return.  He is the love of my life, and I couldn't be the person I am without him.

Now this Grandmother roll is relatively new - but oh so wonderful!  I am learning as I go!  I want my grandchildren to squeal with excitement when I arrive - and so far, so good with that.  I enjoy spending quality time with them and try to give them things and do things with them that they will remember.  I want them to feel the love that I have for them and always know that they can come to "Mammaw" for anything!

As I go off to my "limbo land" at my shop (I call it that because we have put the building up for sale in hopes to retire or downsize - but there is no promise of that) - I am not sure what the future brings.  One thing for sure that no matter how much planning and dreaming I do, that I can never know exactly what the future brings.  Meanwhile, I will take it as it comes with joy in my heart and a smile on my face.  As my husband says to me "Diversity is the key!"  Well, I already have that!

In addition to my shop at  http://www.hendersonmemories.com/I have added an etsy shop where I am able to show my creative, crafty side http://www.etsy.com/shop/hendersonmemories .  My life is changing just like everyone's does each and every day - every day is a blessing - and my plans are to enjoy this one to the fullest!  Stay tuned!

The Artist Within

I was reading my Simple Abundance book this morning as I sometimes do when looking for some inspiration for the day and the title of the article for this day is "Eye of the Beholder".  The quote at the beginning of the story is from Simone Weil "The work of art which I do not make, none other will ever make."

It got me to thinking about how unique each one of us is, and what only we have to offer in the world of art, music, writing, or just being.  If I weren't doing the things I do, no one else would be doing them just like I am.  I have something special to offer in this world, and sometimes it may seem insignificant to me; it is not - because it is a combination of the special gifts God has given only to me to use for His glory.

The article I referred to talks about painting or writing and how if you are inspired by a creative spirit within you, that you need to use that talent, because if you don't use it, no one will ever do the things you could have done.  It likened the denial of these talents to a coal burning cooking stove that gets too hot unless one of the holes is opened up.  Your fire within will burn with the desires of doing something creative until you explore the possibilities and "open one of the holes" and let it out!

I have been lucky in my life to have a supportive husband and family who allowed me to explore all my talents and follow my dreams.  When I was small I began piano lessons and, at the encouragement of my parents, continued lessons for 10 years.  I have always had a piano in my home and play every day for my own enjoyment, always dreaming of someday sharing my music with others.  I now am asked on occasion to play for our church service - it gives me such pleasure to be able to play beautiful music for others - and to be a part of our worship service.  The music I play is not all that difficult, but I do have my own unique style of playing, and am glad that I am able to play and express myself in this way.

Early in my life, I learned to crochet and do stitchery of varous types.  I have made many hand made gifts for friends and family.  It is a wonderful feeling to be able to make something of beauty and give it away.  Lately I have gotten the yarn back out and started to crochet prayer shawls, chemo caps, baby hats, neck warmers, etc.  It is amazing the things that we can create when we "open one of the holes" and satisfy the desire to be creative.

Along the way, I learned to do folk painting and have painted thousands of beautiful items which I sold and people have in their homes yet today.  I never knew I could paint until I decided to try.  Over the years I have taught others to find this talent hidden within them, and their lives have been changed because of it.

When I opened my antique/gift shop, Memories Past and Present, I had a vision of what I wanted to do - this has been such a fun, creative outlet for me.  I can be creative in the displays and helpful to those who are trying to decorate their home or purchase that special gift.  I have recently decided that it would be nice to retire, so we have put our beautiful building up for sale in the hopes that I can spend more time at home and with my family.  I have had customers and friends come in and say that there would never be another store like this one - it has a special feel to it and a unique look about it that no one else could re-create. 

The amazing thing for me to realize is that if I had not done these things in my life, no one else would have done them - and even if they did, it would not be the same.  This is important for each of us as individuals to realize - we are all unique and have talents hidden inside us that we have never explored.  Give yourself permission to follow that dream today, and develop one of the talents that may have been nagging at you to get out.  Let your light shine!  You will amaze not only others, but yourself as well.  And remember, if you don't write that poem, paint that picture, take that photograph, sing that song - it will never exist - no one else would ever be creative in the same way that you are. 

God made us all unique and special!  Look inside today and see what talent you can develop - and pursue it - I guarantee it will make you a happier person if you let your little light shine for others to see!

Freedom to Choose the Life You Want to Live

I have recently been going through a process of transformation, as I do every three to seven years - This time it has taken over eight years for me to realize that some changes need to be made.

When trying to make an important decision, I first ponder my alternatives for a while, then discuss them with a trusted friend (usually my husband), and then after weeding out a few, I make a list of pros and cons to the change I am considering. 

After feeling overwhelmed for a while in my beautiful antique/gift shop which is way big for one person to manage (over 6,000 sq. ft. filled with at least a million items!), I decided for my sanity I needed to reconsider what I value the most in my life.  I LOVE my shop and love spending time here; however, over the past eight years I have found myself with less and less time to spend at home doing things around the house, time with my husband, Mother, daughter and now grandchildren.  I am committed to the shop and to a lot of other activities and this has left me more than stressed out and anxious a lot of the time lately, to the point of losing my much needed rest.

So, it was time to take an inventory of my commitments, dreams, and interests.  After a lot of praying and asking God to give me direction, I came to the conclusion that the only way to get off the fence was to change something that would move me forward.  We own the building that my antique store is in, so step one was the decision to put the building up for sale - if it sells, we will close the store - if it does not sell, at the very least I will get a fresh start and can modify and simplify the way I am operating the business.

Boy, once those papers were signed and the sign went up out front, I felt like a bird let out of a cage.  It freed my mind up to think of possibilities for the future rather than being stuck just trying to figure out how to get through each day and accomplish even a few things on my ever increasing long list of "to do's". 

My husband told me "Have faith in yourself - you can do whatever you dream!"  So I took the step of faith and will have to take each day as it comes and adjust my plans accordingly.  Hopefully, we will sell the building and I can retire and enjoy my home, church, and family more - but even if I don't, I feel like I've given myself a new beginning and I'm looking at the world of possibilities with fresh eyes.

If you are struggling with a decision or feel "stuck" or trapped in a dead-end spot in your life, I would encourage you to go through the type of process that I have, pray for God's guidance, and take a step out in faith toward a bright future.  I'm still in the position of operating the store I love, but at the same time able to ponder the possibilities of change and that has refreshed my spirit into a new level of enthusiasm that I had almost lost.

Life is good - enjoy every day!

Memories of My Daddy on Father's Day 2012

Sitting here in the middle of my antique store, I find myself thinking of my Daddy frequently as he always loved antiques and had lots of stories to tell about when he was growing up.  He passed away in 2005 and I still miss him like it was yesterday.  But the memories he has left behind warm my heart today and always will.

As a child, he would come home and lift me up and give me kisses and hugs - I always knew how much he loved me.  Many times when he came home, he would bring me a little something.  In my early teens he would bring me 45 rpm records which I still have today packed away in my little pink plastic carrying case with the girl on the front dressed in a poodle skirt and dancing.  I would listen to the music and practice and practice - then the next day when he came home I would perform for him.  My record player was in the basement and he would go down and sit on the couch for my performance.  I would turn on the record and then go back up to the top of the stairs for my grand entrance as I sang and danced to the record for him.  It was pure joy to have him watch me, and clap and laugh and sing with me.

When I was older, married with a child, I moved away from my hometown far away to Florida.  When Mother and Daddy would come to visit, he would always bring me a little "something".  He brought me things like a horse collar with a mirror in it, an old green bottle with a porcelain lid, an old railroad lantern, and more.  I often wondered how he went about selecting his prize to bring to me but it truly didn't matter what it was - it was a gift from him.  He always loved old things and like many of us, accumulated way too many.  So he would go about his workshop or basement room in search of the perfect treasure to bring to me and it always came with a story.  I have always kept these gifts as special remembrances of him and his visits to my home.  I always knew how much he loved me.

No matter what was going on, Daddy always had insightful stories and comments to make that seemed somehow to make sense out of trials and troubles and daily challenges.  He would always take the time to lend a hand or offer words of encouragement.  Even though he is gone, I remember all his tall tales (we called them Harrison stories because they were always stretched a little to make the point), and they dwell within my heart to give me strength and the ability to move on through the obstacles of life.  I always knew how much he loved me.

In my daily contact with people in my antique store and otherwise, I hear stories of all kinds of problems and concerns, illnesses, and troubles.  I find myself with a story to tell or encouraging comments to share which I'm quite sure came mostly from my Daddy.  If I can help someone find strength within themselves, or maybe even see the humor in what is going on, I feel like I have fulfilled my purpose for the day.  So many opportunities come up to be a positive force in the world, and I like to place myself out there so I can at least try to pass on a little sunshine.  It's just my Daddy coming out in me - I always knew how much he loved me.

Being around antiques always make me think back of times past, times with my grandparents and parents that made me into the person I am today.  Antiques can be a lot like  inspiring words - they evoke pleasant memories of a time gone by and inspiration and lessons learned.  I hear so many comments in my shop from people reminescing about their parents and grandparents as they discover items they remember from their childhood.  It is good to remember the good times past and draw inspiration and strength from those memories.  Happy Father's Day, Daddy - I always knew you loved me. 

Follow Memories Past and Present on Facebook by clicking on this link and hitting the "like" button  https://www.facebook.com/#!/memoriespastandpresent

The Times - They Are A-Changing!

As I have operated my antique/gift shop over the past 8 years I have made many observations about this business.  Lately I have heard of so many disappointed customers who love to go antiquing and many of their favorite shops are closed.  The economy has taken its tole on many types of businesses - even huge corporations have gone bankrupt.

I trouble myself every day about my business and lack thereof - but when I look around me and see so many struggling, I can't take it personally.  So I have decided to keep on keeping on and get through this economic slump that the whole country is in.  I don't blame it on anybody like many people do - I really think we were flying way too high over the past few years and needed a reality check - although it has been painful.

Here's what I think about survival of businesses:  Be willing to change and go with the flow.  Be observant to customer wishes and desires.  Make sure your prices are reasonable and fair.  Be willing to consider offers on items that have been in the shop a while. Continually keep the store fresh - even if that is just to redo your displays.  Smile and be pleasant with each and every person that comes your way each day. 

I think variety is the spice of life, so I am constantly considering new things I can offer and new ways to offer what I already have.  This gives the customer something to come in for - new ideas and fresh displays and a pleasant atmosphere to shop in.

By opening my eyes and ears I have come up with some great new ideas for Memories and am researching and planning to move forward on them.  I believe this is the key to a successful business - never get lazy and sit back and think something is going to happen.  You have to MAKE things happen - work up the courage to take that first step.

My ideas have come from friends and their new interests, customer questions and comments, Pinterest (you'll want to follow us there for inspiration! http://pinterest.com/memoriespast/ ), magazine subscriptions, catalogues, internet searches, and more!  Life is good, and Memories is ever changing just like our lives - no two days are alike!  Keep your eyes and ears open for what is coming at http://www.hendersonmemories.com/ .  Join us on facebook for updates https://www.facebook.com/#!/memoriespastandpresent  We would like for you to be a part of our exciting future plans!

If you are a customer or friend of Memories and have some ideas for us of things you would like to see us do, please share them here!

The Tail has been Wagging the Dog!

I started my shop, Memories Past and Present, in a 3,000 sq. ft. three level house.  I began with a gift shop with antiques.  I wondered at the time how I would EVER fill up that huge house!  Before long, and after going to several local auctions, I quickly became an antique store with gifts!  I loved buying antiques, figuring out what I had, determining value, displaying - everything about the antiques business.

Before long I had people calling who were downsizing and wanting to get rid of a lot of their treasures at once.  I began going and making an offer on the whole selection of items, bringing them into the store, and had a ball with displays and getting such a selection of vintage items to deal with.  Then it wasn't long before I couldn't just keep buying things, so there was a request or two for consignment.  So I started accepting items on consignment instead of investing so much money in the inventory.

Needless to say, I had no problem filling up that house!  Before long a gift shop which was located in a brand new 9,000 sq. ft. beautiful building very suitable for my shop went out of business and auctioned their building.  By some miracle we were able to acquire that building.  It took about a month to move all of my inventory to that building and create a whole new look to the shop - open and spacious, elegant and beautiful, like no other antique/gift store I had ever seen.

We've been there over three years, and have over 200 consignors.  I sell on the internet, create new displays, research and price and tag - well, I just do everything!  The back room stays overflowing with items to be checked in, and the shop has gotten very full.  I can hardly manage to get any sleep worrying about all the work I have to do and all the people waiting for their items to be placed in the store.  In short, the tail has been wagging the dog for over 3 years!

There never is time to return items to their owners that have not sold or even to go around a mark things down as I should.  So, I've come to a crossroad in my plan - either make a change in the way I am doing things, or close completely - all to save my sanity.  I am still in the decision mode and am pondering my situation of trying to please too many people too much of the time, i.e., "the tail wagging the dog"!

This week I am taking a much needed break to sort everything out.  One thing I know for sure is that the dog needs to start wagging the tail and take this thing back under control if it is to continue.  Yesterday, I didn't think I could do it - today I think I can!  I'm making a plan to consider and attempt to implement which will eventually get things back under control.

Memories is the most unique and beautiful antique store in the area, and I want it to continue to be just that - but the owner/operator needs to be sane to be able to operate it!  I am making my plans for the future of Memories, which will require some hard work in the next few weeks, taking the reigns and leading it in a little different direction.  I think the outcome will be to continue to be an asset to the downtown Henderson area for years to come - at least that is the plan today!  Take a look at our beautiful store at http://www.hendersonmemories.com/   From there you can connect to our facebook page, blog and pinterest boards.  Thanks for listening!

Change Is In the Air? I Don't Think So!

Whoa!  This past week and weekend have been an eye-opener for me!  This roller coaster I am on being in the antique retail business has its ups and downs - and last week was down!  Take it from me - do not make life changing decisions while you are down!

I went all the way from thinking of locking the door and going home in the middle of the day (which I NEVER do), to closing the store and going 100% on-line sales, to thinking of selling out completely, and now today - back to my normal optimistic, happy self.  What in the world happened?

It was a series of things which I'll try to explain.  The first was an article in the newspaper about how our downtown can never be vibrant like it was in the past and that if anyone wants to see it that way, they might as well look in their rearview mirror.  Well, I'll tell you, from an antique shop owner's point of view who is trying everything to have the best antique store in the area, this was a depressing analysis.  The article went on to explain the demise of even large department stores and how everything is going to on-line sales.

Well, I have on-line sales, so I thought, maybe I just will do 100% on-line sales and not sell retail downtown anymore.  After investigating that idea, I found that the legalities of doing something like that out of your home in my hometown is something that cannot be overcome - we asked, and the answer was "no".

After being a little down about that turn of events, I thought - well, I just don't have to be in business at all!  I'm 63 - why don't I just retire?  Then my mind started to turn to what I would do with myself if I retired?  I am a very active person, and enjoy my shop which is my creative outlet, my on-line sales, facebook, and now pinterest.  What on earth would keep me interested and active - I really didn't have an answer to that. 

So this morning, after sleeping on the events of last week and this weekend, I'm all perked up and ready to go again!  I am forever an optimist (even if I do get my feet knocked out from under me every now and then) - I believe that there is opportunity in each and every day to do some good in this world, and if I stop having my retail outlet, what would my outlet be?  For now, this is settled.  I found a great quote on Pinterest that said something like this "Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it!".  How easy it is to let what someone else says or does affect our decisions, our self confidence, and even our overall mood.  It is important to be enthusiastic about what you do (even on the bad days) and believe in yourself and not let one person change that.  

I'm back on track again - and looking for my opportunities to reach out and help someone sell and/or buy beautiful treasures, listen to my customers' happy stories and worries, and maybe spread a little joy along the way.  I believe that God has a plan for me and that, at least for now, I am living it!