Last week was one of those "topper" weeks. You know the kind—just when you think life can't get busier; you have a week that tops all the previous busy weeks. My oldest daughter was out of town, so once again, I stepped out of my full-time grandma mode and into full-time mom mode. I hosted the second grade party for Will and got him to two baseball games, watched and cheered for Sadie's first pep rally and two softball games, cheered again for John Luke at his spring football game, took pictures at Bella's end of the year chapel, looked at and signed all papers, passed out lots of dollars, helped with homework questions, braided hair, encouraged teeth brushing and baths, took lots of pictures, drove to and from ball practices, school, birthday parties and church and tried to keep something fairly nutritious in them. Of course, I couldn't neglect my grandma role to the other kids, so I also hosted a swimming party for Asa and Aevin, attended their ball games, and had all three over to spend the night. Whew! What a week.
When John Luke, my oldest grandchild was seven years old, I had taken him to the grocery story with me. I always love it when I have the rare opportunity to be in the car with any of my grandchildren. There's something about the car that brings out conversation. That day, John Luke surprised me when we said that he had learned three things about life. Since I've learned some things about life as well, I knew when a seven year old says something this profound, one should pay attention. "What have you learned?" I quickly asked. "Well," he said, "I've learned you have to work hard, play hard, and expect the unexpected."
Now sit back and let that part sink in. John Luke went on to explain how the hardest one was expecting the unexpected. My mind went to Abraham and Sarah and then to Hannah and then to David and Goliath. The Bible is full of God's people who were blessed by the unexpected events in their life. As a busy mom, your days are partly planned out in your calendar book or your iPhone. Your life could not function if this were not true. But, there's that other part that never gets written down, the daily surprises. Like all good moms, when my daughter left town, she had my week carefully planned out, but she couldn't know what she didn't know. Those are life's surprises.
Guess who is not surprised? God, your heavenly father. In fact, scripture lets us know that God rejoices in delivering surprises such as when He blessed Sarah with a baby boy in her old age. But, God is also there to help us through the surprises in life that are not directed by him, but are just the result of our fallen world such as job losses, sickness, and death.
John Luke, at the tender age of seven, was right. Expecting the unexpected is the hardest part of life. But, if we look at each day as a brightly colored package with the hidden contents ---no matter what is in there---a gift from God, then our days will be more about Him and less about us.
Have a blessed day of surprises,
Chrys
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