The Unexpected

It's no secret that I love surprises! I know many people do not, but to me, surprises mean unexpected blessing and joy!

My husband would be the first to admit that he is rarely able to surprise me in the true sense of the word, because unlike me, he gets so excited about it he simply has to tell! Oh, how I love his heart! Even if he is able to remain tight-lipped about a pending plan, I happen upon the evidence prematurely. I'm not nosey...really. :) I like to think it's my uncanny sleuthing abilities that come out whether I want them to or not.

My heart skips a beat when I spy unexpected notes and packages in our mailbox. I've lost count of the number of times I've been brought to tears as I retrieve the mail. Unexpected encouragement and reminders of friendship when I least expect them have a way of strengthening and bolstering my heart.

I love surprises. :)

So it was with great joy that I received an unexpected email...an unexpected surprise...a couple months ago. It was from a friend of mine in Ohio...a friend I'd not seen in almost 12 years! Though the particular email said much more, the key words that jumped out at me included * visit * April * excited. *

I was delighted! After all these years, when I least expected it, God once again said, "Surprise! Just see how I'm going to bless you now!" Isn't that just like Him? I love the way that He, as a loving Father, blesses and heaps unexpected blessings on His children; the way that He affirms and pours courage into our hearts.

So while this weekend had been in the planning for a couple months, it was a sweet blessing I certainly hadn't anticipated. I'm so thankful for the pleasure of sharing and reconnecting with a beautiful friend.

Thank You, Father, for Your loving, timely, customized surprises!