i should know by now not to be surprised...

so many times 'random' things have happened over the course of my lifetime.  sometimes they are little things.  sometimes they are big things.  but RANDOM is the thread that holds my unstitched life together.

in order to share my most recent 'random blessing' i have to back track a little.  i'll keep the background short and sweet.

fall of 2009 -- bobby was laid off from his job at a large church in texas

winter of 2009 -- we begin holding 'house church' in our home every week with church project...we explore what it is that each of us can bring to the table to change the world around us

january 2010 -- haiti earthquake shakes the world

************

the images were devastating.  hard to comprehend.  sure, life was challenging as we tried to regroup after a job loss.  but in the grand scheme of things WE HAD EVERYTHING AND MORE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED.

i wanted desperately to DO SOMETHING.  i needed desperately to DO SOMETHING.  i had no finances to DO ANYTHING.

but one night while i tried to sleep, i heard the whisper...not audible...i'm not THAT crazy LOL.  but i heard the whisper in my heart.  YOUR COACH PURSE.  SELL IT.

and that's exactly what i did.  NOW, if you know me at ALL then you know that my coach purse was purchased at a ridiculously clearanced price...and you also would suspect that my coach purse was not your run of the mill conservative classic coach purse.  NO WAY.  mine was leopard print.  because that's how i roll.

check out the cheetah chairs in this photo of one of our house church meetings.  I LOVE ANIMAL PRINT. it makes me happy.

anyhow, my crazy leopard print, bargain priced (hmmmm...do you think the print had anything to do with the mark downs?  lol)...went for MORE than i paid for it on ebay.  and i was able to make a donation to haiti...

creative giving, right?  

and you know what?  NO REGRETS.  not a single one.  i haven't missed that bag.  i enjoyed it while i had it.  but i knew that it made a difference.

FAST FORWARD to friday.  

my last day at hallmark before i start my new job tomorrow morning.  (gasp.  I.START.MY.NEW.JOB.TOMORROW.MORNING!!!!!).

i had the pleasure of working with THEEEEE sweetest british girl at hallmark.  i adored her.  one of the most genuine and caring people i have ever met (and you know me...i'll talk to ANYONE and have met a gazillion people in the last week alone LOL).

anyhow, she loves animal print.  and hello kitty.  they are both her signature.

i came into work on friday morning and she had the day off.  but i noticed that on the employee table she had left her bag.  i called her at home...dreading having to wake her...but knowing she might be looking for it.

she left it there for me.  she purchased a new purse and thought i might like to have it.

not only was it the bag...but it was the wristlet...and the wallet...

all...

you guessed it...

coach animal print.

SERIOUSLY????????  

i love this crazy random life.  i love the surprise sunshine blessings during a really cloudy dismal season.

my new bag (and accessories) made their debut this morning at church.  as always, i shall hold them loosely.

but i hold them with a smile...

give and it shall be given back to you...

sometimes in ways that are far different from how you originally gave.  but sometimes so very similar.

i.am.blessed.

xoxo.