Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Today is my brother’s birthday!

I’m going to have to say that again because I love the way it sounds. Today is my brother’s birthday!

His birthday is special to me for the obvious reason – he’s my brother; but since I didn’t meet him until he was 34 years old and I was 38, his birthday is extra special to me. Even if it’s just a phone call to wish him a great day, I love being part of his birthday. When I met Anthony, the first birthday gift I gave him was a stack of cards for every birthday I had missed.

Today is my brother’s birthday. Sorry, I just had to say it again!

When my brother’s family visits from Maryland, they want a stereotypical Texas experience. They like to fish, ride horses, shoot skeet, and eat belly-up-to-the-barbecue in Kenney, Texas. And we do it all. For weeks before they come, my husband and I plan and prepare to make their visit perfect; but sometimes, the unexpected happens.

Last summer we stayed at a beautifully-decorated ranch in Industry, Texas with luxurious furnishings and all the conveniences of the rich and famous. Everything, I thought, was perfect. What could possibly go wrong at a ranch like this?

We soon found out that very first night when something crawled across my brother’s arm while he was sleeping in his luxurious bed in the luxurious master bedroom of this luxurious ranch.

Waking up and flinging back the covers, he unfortunately and quite surprisingly discovered gobs and gobs of goo in the bed. Under the sheets. Under the blankets. All over the place where they had been sleeping. So much for luxury. Dropping down on all fours, he looked under the bed to check for the mouse who had so obviously shared the bed with them.

This is a Texas ranch. What do you think he found under the bed instead of a mouse? Yes, there was the stereotypical gun. And to his amazement – remember, he’s not a country boy – he discovered the shotgun was loaded. That he didn’t expect.  I think if he would have seen a mouse, he might have blown it to smithereens!

Mice and possums and countless other critters tend to show up when we wished they wouldn’t, especially in the country, so by the time the fat rat snake snuck in our midst, we were not as surprised - even when it curled itself around the carrots my niece was feeding the horses. And later that evening when another unwelcome guest joined our family reunion, snaking up the oak tree where my five-year-old nephew had recently been playing, we took it all in stride.

What my relatives never saw was the long water moccasin slinking around the house the next morning. My husband and I thought they could take so much!

Welcome to Texas! As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!”

Now I didn’t expect any of that. I didn’t prepare or plan for any of that.  And regardless of how hard I had worked, there was nothing I could have done to prevent any of it. And that’s the point. We’ve got to expect the unexpected in life.

The rats and snakes were unpleasant surprises; my brother was a wonderful surprise. What both have in common, however, is surprise. “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!”

The Bible, too, is filled with surprises. Men and women surprised by unexpected visits from angels, donkeys surprised by their unexpected ability to talk, armies surprised by unexpected defeat, a prophet surprised by dry bones unexpectedly walking, a persecutor surprised by the unexpected glory of God, and sisters surprised by their brother’s unexpected resurrection. And then there were shepherds surprised by an unexpected star announcing the anticipated birth of the Savior of the World, who constantly surprised those around Him with his unexpected way of living. The people in the Old and the New Testament of the Bible were constantly surprised by God.  

And God still surprises. Have you ever gone to the Bible for a little relief, but been surprised by so much more?

Psalm 119 reminds us that regardless of the unexpected surprises in our lives, God is true and trustworthy, and His Word is full of  “wonderful things” to help us and guide us each day. We’ll find commands which make us wise and give us insight and understanding. We’ll be thrilled when we least expect it and strengthened to handle the unexpected, sometimes unpleasant surprises life brings. And He’ll constantly delight us with much more than we can imagine. God still surprises. Our lives are full of unexpected surprises from God.

My brother was a wonderful surprise!

And by the way, did I tell you today was his birthday?

Happy Birthday, Anthony Robbins! I love ya like crazy!