How Jack & Jill's Exchange Works

Lots of peeps are wanting to bring in items & clothes... So I just wanted to go over how it works and give you a heads up as to how I decide how much credit I give etc.... All I ask is you don't waste my time, if you read through all this and follow our criteria then hopefully your time won't be wasted either.

#1. Items must be CLEAN, and free of STAINS, RIPS, TEARS or excessive wear... if you DRYER burn your clothes, then I can not use them. If I start going through your items and the first 4 or 5 items have stains, then I put them back in the bag... & move on to someone elses. I literally work 10 to 12 hours everyday, so I don't have time looking thru 30+ items to find 2 or 3 good ones & I would NOT EXPECT anyone to do that for me, it's selfish.

#2. In-season Namebrand items take precedence... I don't particularly like to store out of season items but I will. I don't give as much credit for out of season items.

#3. I am pretty up to date on tags & what years items were sold in the store... a five yr old gymboree or gap item is not valued the same as last seasons... I hope that makes sense...

#4. Things that are as long as they are wide, look awkward. So if the item has shrunk considerably, I can't use it.

#5. NO MISSING buttons or snaps. NO cigarette smoke. People do not like their newborn babies or children smelling like smoke... Tide febreeze does a good job of taking that smell out, if you do happen to smoke, it may help.

When I decide on a price, I consider retail price, the amt of wear on an item (Fading, wash/wear, quality &resale value).... I try to be generous especially if your items are hangar ready and i do not have to wash them (if I seen animal hair, or pick up an odd smell I wash them!), but we do have to make some sort of profit... my building, elec, water, and workers run me nearly $2K a month...+ I do buy items NOT clothes, so after the $2800 I spend a mo., anything left over is profit. Currently I tithe about $350 of it to church, pay KLOVE radio station $30 a mo, go on mission trips, put together Christmas & Thanksgiving baskets etc. So your investment in our store almost always goes back to the community... I am blessed to do what I love & glorify God so that makes it worth it!

On clothes I ONLY give credit, on big items, these days it is mostly credit, sometimes I can give cash/credit for big items if they are in superb condition and quick sellers. It sort of depends on demand of the item. Thanks so much, peace...

focus please!

hmnn I've noticed something recently... the closer I get to going on my Nicaragua trip, the more the devil tries to distract me. I suddenly got his sinus infection and felt like poop Thursday and Friday. I've gotten irked at Aaron for no good reason and suddenly had this crazy thought to go gambling (but did not! PRAISE GOD!). Friday night I lost the key to my store, then today, I've gotten 3 phone calls from a friend I used to play BlackJack with whom I hadn't talked to in over a year(I decided the best course of action was to pray instead of answer).

It's like this mini-attack... but I think it's possibly easier to weather the storm when I understand and can see things in the realm of the big picture... I don't want to be unfruitful in my Christian walk. I don't want to be distracted chasing after those things in life that fill a temporary emptiness. I want to be like those people who chased after Jesus just to get a glimpse of him, just to touch his cloak, just to be in his presence. I want to be more like Him, and less like me.

Thank you Father God for caring for your people. Thank you for revealing truth to us, even when the world will tell us lies. Thank you for patiently teaching us, and faithfully loving us. Thank you for your daily breath, your daily graces, your new mercies. And Father when we are under attack, your word tells us that you always offer a way out. Let us see it. Let us chose it. Send your holy spirit to guide us. Thank you for doing a NEW THING in our lives. Open us up, empty us out, then fill us up with your holy spirit. Amen

Praying for those who have felt under attack this week, and sure would appreciate it, if you all would offer up a few prayers for our Mission Team, my family and me.

more cute, cute things....

Cute mudpie onesie "a" intialed onesie :) and also some cute girls 5, 6, 7 sets and outfits. We have an adorable white pique halter top with cut-outs and matching pink caprise with the cut-outs as well.... Retail is $50; our price is $12, also a new with tags Gymboree pink flamingo patchwork dress size 6 and alot more...

I know many of you love....

The super cute mudpie stuff and pink & blue stuff we've been getting in.... I also have some really cute newborn and preemie soft cotton dresses (carters, FG, RL Polo) and a precious petit ami smocked polka dot dress in 0/3mo... We have the precious mudpie bloomers that are on my facebook with the letter "E" on them and the matching pink and green binky holder with an "e" embroidered on it... really really precious! Ohhhh and a cute solid watermelon pink onesie with a lime green & white polka dot embroidered #1... it's like $5... great for a first birthday or first birthday pics... would be really cute with a tutu!

cute baby girl things :)

we just got in some cute baby girl dresses last night, including a newborn smocked dress, and some tiny newborn size boutique socks(the kind that retail for $6 and up; we are selling them for $1.50 to $2), adorable NEW baby onesie/tutu sets (GREAT for PICTURES! or BABY SHOWERS!) trumpette socks, a nice pink co-sleeper that can be used as a bassinet as well.... ohhh and the most precious mudpie polka dot shoes and tiny soft newborn shoes... Just wanted to give everyone the headsup since these are typically things that sell quickly...

Peace, and thanks for your support, we do appreciate our customers. Thank you so much for blessing us and allowing us to bless others through missions and community outreach...

What happened to Barrabas

i started thinking about the Crucifixion of Jesus this Sunday.... actually i started thinking about Barabbas. According to the gospels, it was customary for the Romans to release a Jewish prisoner during the Passover festival. The Roman governor Pontius Pilate tried to use this custom as an excuse to release Jesus. But a crowd in the courtyard demanded that a prisoner named Barabbas be freed instead, and Pilate eventually gave in to the pressure. Thus Barabbas was released, and Jesus was crucified.

And I wondered... Whatever happened to Barabbas? I mean his life was spared while Jesus was scourged, tortured and hung on a cross. I wonder if Barabbas ever realized who Jesus was? I wonder if he realized what he had been spared? Shouldn't he have lead this amazing life, once he realized what had happened? Shouldn't he have had this radical change in how he lived?

In so many ways, we are like Barrabas. We've sinned or fallen short. We deserve a punishment. We earned one. We continue to earn them. We continue to go astray. But just like Barrabas, we have freedom, because Jesus took our punishment. It is finished, there will be triumph for those who live for Christ.

So why don't WE live radical lives of POWER and FREEDOM??? I'm not sure what is wrong with me, but I'm going to change it... I'm not going to live some life bogged down in other people's ideas of who and what I should be. I'm not going to worry if my fingernail polish is chipped, or I have a wire or two hanging out my van. I'm not going to spaz out over not getting all As. I'm not going to stress if my kid wants to wear a leotard and tutu to church, I'm not even going to get in a tizzy because my child has cut his hair again. I'm only going to look to one person for approval... and that's God. I know He's working lots out in me, sometimes with me kicking and screaming and running in the opposite direction, but let's face it I NEED LOTS of WORK!!! I'm a fixer-upper... lol... I heard someone say a while back that the SAME POWER that ROSE JESUS from the GRAVE lives in YOU... WoW, that is powerful stuff... So you know what, I'm gonna remember what Jesus did for me, and I'm going to claim that power, and I'm going to live a radical life and one day,I'll die a triumphant death :) Thank you Jesus!