Today felt surprisingly balmy. We kept going outside to enjoy the pleasant weather. In between chores, football, and cooking, we walked and walked in the warm weather, making sure to crunch every acorn underfoot and catch every falling leaf in hand that we could. Later this evening, we’ll join neighbors for a bonfire.
This day? What mattered was the surprise of it—to be this gorgeous and warm outside.
I’m learning more about and more about the element of surprise from my friends Linda and Sue over at The Sublime Soiree. If you think about it, God often surprises us. It’s a wonderful part of His love for us; He works in unexpected and unforeseen ways. As I learned from Linda and Sue, I remembered that God crafts a day for us that’s full of loving surprises. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3). He shows us the wonder of His great love (Psalm 17). And He works everything for good (Romans 8). Why don’t I expect His good gifts?
I often anticipate bad things happening, but what if I awaited the surprises of God? What if I stepped outside every day as I did today? As delighted as when finding a balmy warm day in mid-November? As full of marvelous joy as when my daughter and I reached up and each caught a falling oak leaf, something we often make wishes on and laugh about?
The day falls around me, and I reach up to gather as much surprising joy as I can.