Dec 24th surprises

When was the last time you were surprised ( in a good way)?   I mean, really, truly, unexpectedly, mouth open, laugh-out-loud surprised?    It doesnt happen very often does it?  In fact I cant think of the last time I was surprised like I was yesterday.  Still reeling from the shock.

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine told me that God had told her that she was to ' give me Christmas'.   She said she wanted to give me food for Christmas lunch and buy a  couple of small gifts for the boys.   I was surprised and delighted and blessed.  So I deleted turkey from the shopping list and told her one item from each boys christmas list that I hadnt yet bought.

Yesterday she turned up with a car full of stuff for us.  Not only a whole Christmas dinner complete with veg, trifle, christmas pudding and chocolate but a massive pile of presents for all of us.  Everything beautifully wrapped.  And I have no idea what is in any of the parcels which are now under the tree.   To say I was surprised would be an understatement !

Im deeply grateful to my friend for her generosity and kindness and hard work.  Amazing that someone would do that for us.  But Im even more grateful to the God who put my name on her heart to bless me this Christmas.  I have learned something over the years - that sometimes receiving is a lot harder than giving.  You have to work quite hard at having an open hand which humbly says ' thank you' with no sense of either entitlement or wounded pride.  No looking for a hidden agenda or calculating payback.  Just acceptance.

Tomorrow we shall be opening presents.  Most of us adults will have a pretty good idea of what is coming our way.  We won't be too surprised at the toiletries and gloves and sweets and tickets to events or clothes and trinkets.  They are lovely and we will appreciate the thought which goes into each one and the love with which they are given.   But the children....... they will probably ( hopefully) receive in a slightly different way.  With squeals and shouts.  With grins and delight.  And genuine surprise.    I used to love it when the boys were smaller and they would shout things like '  Mummy! How did Santa KNOW I wanted..... ? '    I love those Youtube videos of kids receiving things they have longed for - puppies, tickets to concerts  etc.  Tears of joy and screams of unadulterated excitement.   Why do we lose that as we get older.   Why do we become so staid and polite ?  😊

God is full of surprises.   He is overflowing with gifts to give.  He knows the secret desires of our hearts and He loves us beyond measure.   If He gave us His only Son, do you really think He will hold back the job, the house, the healing, the relationship, the baby, the peace, the whatever-it-is that we need and long for??    Every good and perfect gift comes from Him.  Yes, even the box of Maltesers and the Christmas socks  🎅.  Everything under the tree, the roof over our heads and the bed in which we sleep tonight - it's all a gift.   How do you receive it all?   Thankfully with an open hand, or impatiently, critically, ungratefully, jealously ?   We all have alot to learn. 

One more blog post tomorrow as we finish for another year.  Happy Christmas Eve  xx