More blessed to give...

So, yesterday was the church garage sale. We haven't had one for about five years but wanted to raise some money to finish painting the church before the centenary in October. 'Let's have a garage sale,' someone said. Ron thought that was a good idea and away he went, getting it all sorted. Everyone knows how it goes. All sorts of stuff was donated, and the blokes worked hard bringing in trailer loads.
As I did some publicity I discovered that people of my age were more keen to get rid of stuff than buy it, and I didn't sort out anywhere near enough of my stuff.

But the day came and so did the buyers. So many stories of wonderful transactions and bargaining. One of our team had a ball looking up stuff on Google and discovering some items that were 'collectables' and worth a motsa. The pews from the recently closed neighbouring church went like hotcakes. Evidently they are currenlty a 'thing'. Someone asked for vinyl records so my husband nipped home and brought back all ours - some more than 50 years old, but all gone now. And so it went on.
I mostly hid in the kitchen dispensing good 'frothy' coffee, chai latte, hot chocolate and generally pretending to be a barista. But at one stage I escaped. A little girl was standing in front of the fluffy toy collection, Every Op shop and garage sale has them and they aren't much in demand. As I stopped near her, she shyly asked about one little character with big eyes. I asked her if she liked it and she said she did but that she only had $6. I picked it up, 'Here you are,' I said, 'It's free.' Later I saw her carrying it lovingly under her arm and it was then I realised it was a lot like the free gift of grace God gives us....