“Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.” -Henri Nouwen
These days have held many surprises. But they were not the surprises I would have expected. I guess that is the definition of a surprise. Yep, thanks.
I would have thought that these months would be filled with just therapies and reading and learning and connecting ALL ABOUT AUTISM. My mind is constantly filled with autism and I want to attack it each day. So each morning I hope that the day will be filled with therapies and autism details. And then each day is not.
I continue to be surprised by this new world of autism… because often it’s not much about autism. I am surprised that instead of allowing me to wallow in autism-land and focus solely on Keller, God is calling us out into his world to love and heal others. I am surprised that God doesn’t want me to spend every waking moment obsessing over Keller but he wants us to look out and reach out. It is surprising. And it is hard.
Something that I continue to hear from God is Him saying “Take care of my people, and I will take care of YOU.” Hard. Because I want to lock the doors, throw away the key and spend every waking moment with my sweet family. I don’t want to do ministry, I don’t want to preach, I don’t want to lead, I don’t want to reach out. But I desperately want Jesus. And so Jesus says go and love and that He will love me.
So I am pushing myself to be OPEN TO THE SURPRISES OF LIFE. To be open to the people in my life. To be open to others. Others’ needs, others’ wants, others’ lives. To be open to the SURPRISE that as I take care of others, God will take care of me.
God is ALWAYS SURPRISING us, but never how we expect. How is He surprising you?