Memorial Box Monday- the festival

I'm in full blown craft show season with at least one show every weekend, sometimes two shows for the next three months with the exception of holidays. My second show was this past Saturday at a local elementary school Fall Festival. My friends are on the PTA and helped arrange for me to be part of the vendor fair. It was going to be small, only for three hours, but the booth cost was low and I was open so I signed up.

I average about $300 a full show (5-6 hours) with my all time high being just over $500. I was gearing up Friday and was checking orders in my message box on a parenting forum I belong to. I decided to post in the prayer request section asking for prayers for financial blessings for my show. Right away many online friends responded that they would pray for me.

Several hours later, after dinner of my favorite pizza from a restaurant we have purchased from for years, I began to itch and had a rash on my torso. I took some benadryl and went to bed planning on getting the rest of my stuff in order in the morning. We had to arrive between 10:30 and 11 to set up. Plenty of time to pack the car in the morning.

The girlies woke me up and told me I had polka dots all over my forehead. The rash was all over my body and scalp and forehead. I immediately called the doctor. My regular office was closed, but another office was open for a few hours and accepting walk ins. Only catch- it was about 25 minutes away and the road it was on was going to be closed at 9am for a local parade. I knew I was under attack. The enemy didn't want me at that festival! I threw on some clothes and prayed as I drove across town and made it about 2 minutes before the road was bocked off. The police car was there and the officer was standing with the cones in his hands, ready to close off the intersection that would have prevented me from getting to the doctor.

Once in the office I was quickly seen. The doctor told me I was having an allergic reaction, likely to something I ate, but it could be environmental as well. We'd likely never know. I could last hours or days, get better, or get substantially worse. A lot of unknowns, but my breathing was fine and my throat was not swollen. He gave me a prescription and told me to take it in conjunction with an over the counter antihistamine and said I could do the festival, I'd just look funny.

I wondered how I'd leave, but the parade had passed the doctor's office and that part of the road was open again. I drove to the pharmacy praying that I could get home quickly and make it to the festival on time. The attack continued. At the pharmacy they were confused. They had not seen a prescription for that particular mg in over 20 years. He needed to call the doctor. Only the office wasn't answering. It took 30 minutes for the issues to get resolved (the Dr. had noted the wrong dose). By that time, I was supposed to have been leaving for the festival.

Once home, I threw on some nicer clothes and a cute hat to hide my forehead. We packed the cars and all headed off. Once there the wind picked up and I was not able to set up my usual display. Everything kept blowing over. This was just all too much! We made my display pretty sparse- no table cloths and everything flat which meant that I couldn't set up 1/3 of my items. I was finally set up when I noticed Paul talking to someone... my regular doctor! He and his wife (who I had done a Bible study with a few years ago) were representing their church to advertise their upcoming festival at the booth right next to me! I talked to him about my reaction and he concurred. How strange though that I have never had any allergic reactions before and ate nothing new.

Once the show started I was super busy. I wasn't even able to keep a tally sheet or receipt book like I usually do. The three hours flew by. The girlies had a great time running around with friends they knew who attend the school. It was a beautiful day (save for the wind!). When I got home I was expecting that I might have done $300-$400. As I started to sort the cash I was amazed. I had made just over $800 in three hours. My best show ever! The enemy really didn't want me at that festival, but my faithful God saw me through every road block and blessed me with tremendous sales.



My best seller were magnetic bottle cap necklaces. In my memorial box I'll put one of the caps I made with the school name and mascot.



I'm still fighting this allergic reaction. I've had a lot of new orders pour in from my website and forums and all day today my hands have been twice their normal size, painfully swollen so I can't sew. It's painful to even type this. The rash is all over my face, but thankfully much better than it was early Sunday morning when I woke up. Would you please pray that I recover quickly.

Updated Monday afternoon: I'm 95% rash free!!

Praising Him!!


Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.