It was a real good day.  I recently booked my first staging job.  Next Friday I will do my best to give my new friend, Teresa’s house a little makeover.  I can hardly wait!  I went this week to see her house to determine her style, colors, etc.  Today I hit garage sales and second hand stores to find pieces that will be perfect for her house and its new look.

I hit the jackpot and got some wonderful things for a fraction of the price of retail.  Beautiful, unique things that I can just hardly wait to surprise her with!

While at one of the stores, I began chatting with a young gal there.  She was friendly and just had a great, positive demeanor.  As we talked, I discovered that she is a newly single mom of three who just moved here  a month ago.  She was out looking for things for her new place as she was completely starting over.  I was in awe of her amazing attitude.  We began talking about Jesus, and it was very evident that she had a very real faith, made more perfect through the things she had endured in the past few years.  God took a broken soul and sculpted a beautiful, vibrant woman who gives Him all the glory.  We were able to share and encourage each other right there in the middle of the store.  Yesterday she was a stranger.  Today she became a friend.

The day seemed to have a theme.  Healing and restoration.  Started with a fall on my run this morning.  Pain and humiliation, that, as the day went on, began to heal and I began to be restored.  Then I went looking for “old stuff” that I can redo and revive into a new beauty with a new place and purpose, to put in rooms that I am recreating.  And finally, I ran into someone whose life is in the middle of restoration and healing, celebrating a new beginning, a fresh start.

These are my favorite kind of days.  A treasure hunt for the old that’s becoming new.  Such a picture of what Jesus does for every one of us.  I know He has done it for me this week.  I traded in my pain and He gave me back joy with change.  Not a bad deal…