SURPRISE!!

New tires…yuck! I’m thankful we have a reliable vehicle for transportation, and grateful we could purchase the needed tires…..but tires are EXPENSIVE! And, they’re not pretty….I will not hurry home to get comfortable and sit enjoying my newly acquired tires. I can’t cook with them, invite visitors to come over and play cards around them, nor do they match the items in my house. But we NEED them! A ride through town has recently become like a turbulent ride on an airplane – without the pretzels!

Next, I found that in order to get these new acquisitions, I needed to be way across town early in the morning, and be shuttled back to work by an unknown person. (To say I am not a morning person is like saying a raindrop can fill an ocean.) But, that’s what needed to be done, and so we scheduled the appointment, I put on my best happy face, and headed across town.

Before I got out of the car, I made sure that my radio was left on the Christian station I listen to, and at an ‘acceptable’ level, hoping that God could use it to touch the person or persons who had to drive our car during the service appointment. I filled out the necessary paperwork, and requested the shuttle ride back across town. As I climbed in the shuttle vehicle, the first thing I noticed was that the radio was on the very same Christian station as I had just left on in our car! I mentioned it to the driver, which led to a most enjoyable conversation about God, our churches, and the paths of our lives.  It seemed like the trip across town lasted only a very short time, and I was actually a bit sorry to see it end. 

I was immediately struck by God’s little surprise. What I thought was going to be a rather negative start to the day turned out instead to be pleasant and refreshing! God often shows up that way, so why don’t I look for it more often and actually expect it? Just a small investigation led me to MANY articles about people being surprised by God, and further affirmation of how much He delights in His people, wants the very best for them, and wants to spend time with them. The pages of scripture are filled with such surprises. THANKFULLY, God tells us that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. His plans are far above ours. The most amazing surprise of all is that the never-changing, omnipotent God loves us with an eternal love. I want to see more surprises from Him…and I vow to be looking and expecting them more!

Getting new tires didn’t transform me into a morning person, and the price still pinches, but now I appreciate my tires a little more, and smile to think God gave me FOUR reminders of Him that I’ll see and use daily! The service car for our vehicle turned out to give ME a little tune-up, too! J