Unexpected Gifts

For the first time, Rick and I got up bright and early on Black Friday in hopes of getting a Nintendo DS lite for Matt. He has it at the top of his Christmas list, but knows it's a higher priced item and doesn't really expect to receive it. Our early morning adventure paid off and we were able to get a the game system at a great price. I can't wait to see the look on Matt's face when he realizes he has the gift he wanted, but didn't expect.

This year has been a good one for our family. Yes, there has been plenty of transition, but it's been good just the same. We had an unexpected gift from God along the way that has just been precious and completely unexpected. The gift of time has lead to some perspective and allowed me to see God's provision.

Back in April, Pastor Evan asked people in our congregation in they would be willing to share a cardboard testimony about God's work in their lives. After some delay, I decided to share how I had been abandoned by my biological mother, but I was not forgotten by God. Isaiah 49:15-16 says "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." I am so thankful to the Lord for showing me those verses and letting them go from my head to my heart. God was working on something awesome that I couldn't see yet, in the middle of this.

About a month later, Abby had to do a family timeline for school. We worked on together and got it done. I started thinking about my biological mother's side of the family and realized I would like to know just a little bit about their family tree. All I was hoping to figure out was a timeline. I headed to ancestry.com and entered the information I knew. Along the way, I found my biological aunt's email address. With a good dose of trembling, I sent off an email asking for the information. Not only did I get the family tree I was hoping for, but so much more.

At the same time I was making the decision to do that cardboard testimony, my Aunt Wendy was at my biological grandmother's house and gathering up photos and notes about my biological mother, me, and my sister, that she thought should be preserved. Aunt Wendy and I have formed a friendship, I have those photos and notes she gathered that day, as well as perspective on a lot of things I thought I never would understand. I have seen God's protection, provision, and most of all his love. What an unexpected gift in an amazing form.

So what about you? In what ways has God shown up with an unexpected gift in your life?

Are You Listening To The Coach?

My family just returned from yet another soccer game. There are at least 5 games going on at one time on the various fields spanning the school property. As a spectator, it can sometimes to be difficult to distinguish which coach is shouting directions to his team, not to mention the constant blows of the whistle by the different referees. The players seem to have no trouble listening for, and recognizing their coach and responding to his leading. All this got me thinking about how, as Christians, the world can be filled with a hectic pace and lots of distractions. I want to be able to block out all that craziness, and listen to my coach, Jesus Christ. This is something I definitely need to work on. I need to spend some with Him, and let him do the leading. I want to be ready to say, "Put me in coach!"

Some Theological Pondering

I said in my last post that there are things I will probably never understand this side of heaven. (Check out the post below this one for what led to that thinking.) While I agree with that statement, it got me thinking. Once I see Jesus face to face, will I even care about all the things that puzzle me here on earth? Will I remember the struggles that led to the questions, or does Christ take that bad memory away? Will we have the opportunity to sit down and have a one-on-one chat with Jesus? How awesome would that be! Will we be so taken with being in His very presence that we will be unable to speak? I know that heaven will be absolutely glorious, beyond anything I can imagine. I just find myself pondering all these things. Thanks for reading my rambling. Anybody else ever had these kind of questions? Please tell me I'm not the only one!