Oops! I forgot something

Last Monday I headed up to Tacoma to attend the Preacher's Delight Conference at Faith Baptist Church. It was my first foray away from Westgate Baptist Church so I was trying to remember all the items that I needed to bring in order to set up my display table. There was a tablecloth, and the blue box with display items, and the board, etc. I packed my clothes in a bag the night before and carefully set aside two suits and appropriate dress shirts in the closet. I was wearing my belt and packed my shoes in my bag.

Monday morning, after rising and spending some time with God I set everything that I would need in one pile (I thought). I borrowed a car, brought it home, brought it home, and quickly packed everything in the car (I thought). I had my display board, my blue box with display items, and my suitcase.

As I drove into Tacoma 2 1/2 hours later, I was looking behind me to switch lanes when I thought to myself, Where are my suits and those shirts I meant to hang up in the hook that hangs down above the passenger doors in the back? I looked on the other side and then realized that I had left my suits and shirts hanging in the closet. In my eagerness to get on the road, I had collected those items that were set in different places in the house but had neglected to pull my suits and shirts out of the closet. Later when I was packing, I swiftly packed the small pile of items that I had previously collected without thinking about those clothes that were hanging in the closet.

I took a deep breath and considered my options: I could return to Portland—the round trip would take about 5 hours and I would be late to the conference. Of course, I could always stay in Portland ... No, I had told Pastor Smith I would be at his conference. I could go shopping, but the thought of buying a new suit that I really did not need was painful to me. Also, I do not like to buy clothes without my wife's valuable opinion. I am terrible at dressing myself.

I set up my booth at the church and headed down Pacific Highway which I knew would take me by a shopping district. I saw a Sears and a Macy's—two stores I usually do not shop at. I briefly considered how much it would cost me to buy a suit at Macy's and realized that it would be cheaper to return to Portland and pick up my suits in my closet.

Then I saw a Goodwill store. When I was in college, I did a lot of shopping at Goodwill and Value Village (another second hand clothes store). I found that if I did not care too much about the fit of the clothes I could buy a decent suit or two for the price of a good pairs of pants. My mother graciously tailored several of the more outrageously ill-fitted clothes for me. It was a good way to find suits.

So I determined to spend a half hour or so in Goodwill and see if I could not find a pair of slacks, sport coat, and dress shirt. After all, I already had everything else. Fifteen minutes later I checked out having purchased everything I needed for a little more than $20. The sport coat did not fit so good but the pants and shirt could have been tailored for me! I thanked the Lord for His provision and avoided a trip back to Portland.