Divine Surprise

Have you ever been surprised by God?

I mean the kind that spin you around,

knees to the ground,

humbling to the core kind of God surprises?

~Aaron has been traveling for over 2 weeks now. We have been in the process of selling our home in Massachusetts for a little over a month. We have had over 20 showings...that's the majority of the month...cleaning, staging, showing, hoping. Then, the kids and I flew to Oregon for the weekend...time to house hunt...again. Heart on a yo-yo...we fall into the arms of family and begin the search. It all hurts still, you know. Pine Street is occupied. Evergreen School is full. Back to square one. We are different. Each one of our hearts struggle over reconciling lessons learned in the east...rich lessons of faith, hope, and love...to who are when we move back. It's strange and unsettling. So you start to panic. You grasp for home. Your wings are spent. What you thought you knew & wanted unravels before your eyes. You're left undone. That's when He comes in...like a whisper. Gentleman that He is, no forcefulness. Just a little nudge, and...Surprise! You know why He did. Because of all those years ago...when your little girl heart said, "Not my will but Thine be done." And that will is Good. And plenty. And right. There are no details to the gift, not even any instruction...so you surrender the gift to the Giver and He gives beauty for the burnt up faithless heart that you bring. What a wonderful God. And...

In place of 6 secluded acres...He may give 1 lovely acre. Instead of quiet country road...a highway. In place of all those homes you've let go...The Farmhouse of your dreams. It may be neither "country school house" or "house-school"...but bus stops and big school and exposure and kids coming around who are not at all like mine, all the time. And that's the surprise...His surprise of love...

His will, WILL be done..this is the gift all along....

His enduring love and divine plan that overrides all my fruitless attempts at steering His ship.

Thank You Father.

(photo above: Elizabeth reminding me of God's surprising detail in the little things)