I am linking up for the Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “surprise”!
Have you ever thrown a surprise party for someone or had someone surprise you with a party? My mom and my sister thought they were pretty sneaky when I turned 16, but they aren’t as sneaky as they thought they were.
I knew they were up to something. And then one day, at school, my suspicions were confirmed. In the lunch room, each class had their own tables. I got up after finishing my lunch to dispose of my lunch tray. As I was leaving the lunchroom, I saw my little sister get up from her table and walk over to my class’s table. She was inviting all of the girls to my surprise sweet 16 birthday party. I smiled to myself but didn’t let her or anyone know that I was pretty sure they were up to something.
The day of my birthday, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but I was 97 percent sure they were up to something. When we pulled up to my mom’s house, there really weren’t many cars parked around her house. So I thought to myself, maybe they decided not to throw a party. We got out of the car and my sister and I walked up to the door. I knocked and walked inside. Almost all of the girls from my class jumped out and yelled “Surprise.” Apparently they had all parked their cars in the alley and a block away so I wouldn’t be suspicious. It was a fun party to celebrate with my classmates and friends. I opened the gifts they gave me. We ate cake and ice cream. It was a joy filled day that made my 16th birthday that much sweeter!
Surprises are usually good, but sometimes surprises aren’t so great when they are surprises we don’t particularly like or want. Yet God has a way of surprising us with his amazing grace, mercy, and love. This week, God surprised me when another friend asked if he could pray for me after I said I was praying for him as part of my Lenten discipline. The next day, this friend messaged and me sharing the words “eight weeks.” He also shared that he had never had this happen before when praying and felt silly sharing it with me, but needed to share it with me. So apparently eight weeks for God to surprise me again by answering the prayers I have been continually asking for myself.
I don’t know about you, but I like the good surprises: the ones that startle us and cause us to remember the blessings we have been given in life; surprises that remind us that God is the ultimate surprise giver!
hi tara:) i think i'm at 46 today. it's the one with a bunch of bubbles. i see we had some of the same ideas in mind in our posts:) i love the story of your 16th birthday party:) sounds like it was a lot of fun.
also sounds like GOD is doing fun and interesting things in your life. blessings girl:)
Martha, thank you. My 16th birthday was a lot of fun. Blessings to you as well.
Love this! Surprise parties make you feel even more loved, don't they? And you're right – even the not good surprises remind us of God's love and hand in our lives…. Love your reflections! (at spot 50 today!)
Annie
annierim.wordpress.com
Yes they do! And thank you!
Tara, what a sweet story of your mom and sister surprising you on your 16th! And what a great surprise that your friend is praying for you. God gives us those surprising gifts to keep us encouraged – and they are more frequent than we realize!
So good to see you today, friend! Thanks for stopping by, you bless me! 🙂
Thanks Ruthie! You bless me too!
You birthday party surprise is sweet. That prayers work is not a surprise but a wonderful blessing.
Thank You!
What a fun story! I have students who have never had a birthday party–much less a surprise one :(. I want to get in the habit of surprising people with kind gestures and sweet words more often.
That is sad that some of your students have never had a party. I want to be better about surprising others too.
What a fun party for you, Tara. 🙂 The family I lived with threw me a surprise party for my 25th birthday. I suspected it when I saw my friend's husband and children drive by us when she took me out to eat. It was fun to be celebrated, wasn't it?
God has given me a number of surprises too. Not all of them have been easy to embrace, but those ones usually draw me closest to God. Great post my friend!
Jeanne, it really was so much fun. Thank You!
Tara, yes, I have had 3 different surprise parties thrown for me and each time I was that… surprised. They are lots of fun and I feel loved and cared for by those who took the time to plan it all. It's a good thing! Thanks for your words today! Have a great weekend!
Rachel, that is so true. Hope you had a great week friend!
I'm glad you had such a great party for your sixteenth, even if it didn't come as a complete surprise. I usually guess something is going on when people to surprise me too. Not so much with God though- and his surprises are the best!
Carly, Gods surprises are indeed the best!
Hi Tara. I think you already read mine! at 53.
Love good surprises. I like surprising my husband which is nearly impossible to do. I've done it twice. Maybe I'll write another post on that. 🙂
Amanda, you should write a post about trying to surprise your husband.
Wow. I am so excited to see what the 8 weeks is about, Tara.
I threw a surprise party for my then boyfriend (now husband). But his sister left the printed email in the tray and he read it. He was a total stinker that day on purpose too!
🙂 I always daydreamed of a surprise party but it never happened. My surprise for my friend's 30th worked like a charm. We got my sister on her 25th as well.
I think I enjoy the gift of surprising others. That worked its way into my post.
#76.
Love you!!
-Tammy
Tammy, me too! Too funny that your husband was a total stinker. Love you too friend!
What a sweet memory! I've thrown a couple of surprise parties in my day! So fun! Oh and oh my goodness… love this! Praying into the whole '8 weeks' thing too! So exciting!
It is! I'm excited to see what the eight weeks is about too.
God is great about surprising us. He loves us and His surprises are always blessings. I love your memory of your 16th surprise birthday party. So sweet.
Thanks Mary!
What a lovely connection, Tara, between the surprise party and the continual 'surprise' that God has in store for us!
I have the feeling that He likes to see us surprised!
Me too, friend, me too!
Oooooo! Eight weeks! Well, that's just exciting and interesting. 🙂
My husband was about as sneaky as your sister when he decided to throw me a surprise party when I turned 25, and I was equally non-sneaky when I threw him a surprise party last year when he turned 30. I think that's kind of half the fun, though. It makes us feel warm and good inside that someone cares enough about us to go out of their way to give us a special day.
And so it is with God. We may not know what's going to happen, but we know that He has only good in store!
Yes totally!
Surprises. I love it when God surprises us with His presence, His grace, His love… especially when we aren't expecting it. It's such a joy to read your words on this subject. Keep us posted on the "eight weeks." Much love to you today, friend!
Me too, Julie! I will definitely keep you posted on the eight weeks thing. Much love to you too friend!
God is the Master of surprises and the thought of that makes me giddy. How about you? I love how you connected your sweet 16 surprise party with God's continual surprises of grace, mercy and love. Blessings on your week!
Mary, it makes me giddy too! Blessings on your week too.