you used to be somebody, now you're someone else.

i have a good story to tell.

there was a lot of stuff on the agenda for friday. lots to get through - lots to accomplish. i see now i had some anxiety about it all. work, lunch date with friends and hosting a cocktail party in the evening for more friends. i've been working through my lunches all week - because that's just how it is right now. we're severely under-staffed at the moment, and well...yeah. i left work early - rightly so.

i rolled into town from the train after the lunch date at half three. i booted it to the second-hand furniture shop praying it was still open. i was desperate for more seating and an actual coffee table for the party. it's difficult when you work full-time, during working hours - which is why a lot of my flat is furnished care of ikea - they're open until ten at night. tangent. 

i quickly scanned the warehouse, made my selections and brought it all to the cashier. by this time it's after four o'clock - they're closed. not a problem - they tally the total and i take out my debit card - they tell me...cash only. problem. 

i'm silently screaming, are you kidding me? really? why am i not surprised, england.

showing my disappointment i explained the purchases were necessary for the evening events and that...

then...something happened that not only floored me, but silenced me. 

i trust you will bring the fifty pounds payment in cash to us tomorrow morning.

finding it hard to not only believe him, but take him seriously - i test him. 

you don't have to do this - will you take my ipod as collateral? - are you sure? - please take my ipod - i will feel much better if you took my ipod.

no, he says.

he then carried a few items with me to my car - took my name and mobile number and bid me goodbye. 

driving away - already thinking of the next item on the list to tackle, i stop, trying to understand what just happened and thank, jesus for this god-moment.

here's some shots from the evening, which was a complete success!

oh, but we're not done yet.

this morning i found a bakery off the high street, filled a box with some pastries, took out fifty pounds in cash and went back to the second-hand shop to pay up and say a much appreciative thank you.

the end.

so, what have we learned? basically...i have a hard time believing that anyone would want to do something nice for me. i still need to learn, recognise and accept grace even when i haven't done anything to deserve it. grace cannot be earned.