Surprise!!!

Last night, Saturday night, Julie, Faith, Joshua and two good friends Alan and Heather went out to celebrate my impending 50th birthday (March 5th by the way!!). We went to a great restaurant and each had our own personal pizza. The conversation and the cuisine were superb.

We piled into the minivan to go home. Pulled into the garage. Alan and I were wedged into the backseat and we finally made our way out. I came into the darkened house. Made a right hand turn to go hang up my coat and then "SURPRISE!!!!!!!"

Twenty five people stood in the living room, laughing and yelling Happy Birthday!!! Wow!! Was I surprised!! Julie let out a loud cheer of "I did it!!! I surprised David!!" Indeed she did. I haven't had a surprise birthday party since I was 17. Thirty three years is a long time to wait for a surprise...

The party was full of laughing, sharing, eating, drinking and for dessert Julie had made "the best Carrot Cake ever". Indeed it was. It was good for breakfast this morning too...

To top the evening off, after everyone had left, Julie had asked a number of people to send in letters and cards from afar and write a favorite memory or story of their friendship with me. Julie and I stayed up until midnight as tears of laughter and tears of overwhelming emotion filled my heart as I read each letter and card. (A special thank you to all who wrote... my heart was touched beyond imagination!)

Julie... you done good girl! What a night! I was totally surprised...

My iWitness...

It's the first Easter Sunday morning, the women are going to the tomb where Jesus is buried. They arrive. The stone is rolled away! Surprise!!! "He's not dead, He is risen! He is risen indeed!" declares the Angel.

They go tell the disciples and Peter and John run to the empty tomb... Surprise!! Tomb empty! Promise fulfilled! Death conquered! Life overcoming death!! Surprise!!

Later in the day, the disciples are huddled together in great fear behind locked doors. With no knock, with no trumpet fanfare, with no announcement Jesus arrives and stands within their midst - Surprise!!!

So it is to this day... Jesus loves to SURPRISE us!!

Did you see the sunrise this morning? The orange and red light coming up over the horizon... Surprise!!!!

Did you see the birds lilting on the tree branches? Surprise!!!!

Like last night there may be some of us who find ourselves walking into a darkened situation and to our greatest delight and wonderment Jesus is already there proclaiming with a big smile on His face... "SURPRISE!!!!!"

I know that for some of us it may seem like it has been 33 years since we have been surpirsed by Jesus. Let me just say this, keep the eyes of your heart open today and tomorrow and the next... I have a great feeling that you are in for a big "SURPRISE!!!!"

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

"On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
(John 20.19)