It was my day off and I had a number of things on my to do list.  I concluded that they wouldn’t all get done today . . . but that’s okay.  I had enjoyed the sleep in, the lazy morning, and then the anticipated phone call from a local shoe store to say that my red suede shoes had arrived.

So off I set for the shoe store!  I had contemplated earlier in the morning of my need for a card holder.  You see I’ve changed from using a regular wallet to using a fabric zip pouch a friend gave me while I was in Uganda.  But this means all my cards sit at home on the bench unless I need to take one with me.  But invariably what happens is while I’m out, I discover I need my license for identity, or I realise I left my visa card at home, or whatever the case may be.  So I came to the conclusion that I either need to go back to using a wallet, or buy a card holder.  I know all I need to do is go to a bag shop and they’ll definitely have them.   But there is no bag shop at the shopping strip I was going to today, so that will have to wait. . .

My red suede shoes are fabulous!  My local store had only had size 38 and size 40.  I’m usually a 39 or a 40.  The 38 might be fine once they stretch a little, but the 40 were definitely that much too big.   So I decided to pay for the size 39, which would have to be transferred from Sorrento, and were non-refundable if I decided they weren’t right afterall.  So I took a chance!  And it’s a chance I’m glad I took!  Don’t you just love it when that happens!  I just love them! They are bright, bold, radical and not like anything else I’ve ever bought before, although I’ve often wanted to.

While crossing the road, to go for what was now an early afternoon brunch, I saw an Op Shop a few doors up . . . so I decided “Why not!” I’ll take a look.  Stepping in the door, greeting the woman behind the counter, and staring at me from within the glass counter was a small red wallet.  On checking it out, it was indeed a card holder, in perfect condition, and for just $4 . . . . BARGAIN!  You gotta love that when it happens!  And in red!  Seemingly that’s my favourite colour at the moment.  I found nothing else in the store that interested me enough to purchase, but I left satisfied, knowing that it was for the card holder that I was meant to enter that store for.

After brunch, I ventured off for an appointment.  But as I was an hour early, I decided to explore the area.  I passed through another Op Shop, but found nothing.  Then I ventured up some other street to see what was along there.  Really, I was just wandering to ‘kill’ time.  I came across a small clothing boutique with a rack of sale items outside.  It looked like a very expensive shop . . . and the prices on the ’sale items’ on the rack, would confirm that to be true.  Given I still had time to ‘kill’ I decided to go inside and JUST look.  They had the most beautiful, unique, but expensive jewellery . . . though still nice to admire!  Then because I didn’t want to be one to walk in and then 5 minutes later walk out, I decided to browse through the clothes.  There they were!  A pair of black cargo jeans . . . the only pair in my size . . . BUT the price!  Can I really pay that much for a pair of jeans?  Hmm . . . NOOOO!  Well !!!. . . Actually ! . . . Why not?  Maybe I can.  If I like them enough?

So the shop assistant put them in the change room while I continued to browse.  Thankfully I didn’t find anything else I liked.  So into the change room I went, and tried them on.  I barely had one leg in them, when I was thinking “Man, if these fit properly, these are a definite goer!”  The fabric itself was just so comfortable, and that was with only one leg in!  OMGsh!

Well . . . what can I say?  They are the perfect fit.  Like they were made for me.  I love it when that happens!  Obviously they came home with me.  So glad I wandered into that shop on a whim and found such a lush pair of jeans.

Then minutes before my appointment I received an sms from a number I didn’t have in my contacts.  You see last week, while out shopping I passed by a shop a friend used to work at a couple of years ago, on the chance that she might still work there.  I had passed by it many times, but never seen her there.  On my last trip to Africa, I was mugged for my phone and later discovered that my contacts were not all backed up on google . . . and as a result hers was one that was lost.

So passing by her workplace, I was surprised to finally see her there.  As it turns out . . . she, even less tech savvy than I . . . had lost many of her contacts when she had transferred over to a new phone. . . thus, we had no contact for over 2 years.  So this was a delight, as I quickly left her with my number, so she could serve a customer who had just entered the store.  So here is yet another unexpected surprise for the day . . .

The perfect fit of the red suede shoes, the unexpected find of a card holder, a lush pair of jeans on a random wandering to ‘kill’ time, and a message to ‘catch up’ from a long lost friend.  It really was a spectacular day for the ‘unexpected’ . . .

I feel like so often we miss such awesome little moments in our day.  We get so busy, or caught up in the ‘doing’ and the busyness of our day, that we don’t take a minute to slow down, recognise and appreciate  such unexpected moments of blessing.  While none of them were particularly life changing, (although the reconnection with a friend is definitely a heart-warming moment), they were moments and experiences in a day that impacted that day, and made it what it was.  And that made for a great day!

So be encouraged . . . to slow down, recognise and appreciate the ‘unexpected’ moments of blessing in your day.  If nothing more, it makes for a great day!

Bonus quote that came with the jeans:

Whatever you are, be a good one.

Be a good one at capturing the ‘unexpected’ moments of blessing in your day.