Some days call for the unexpected, a surprise.

When my girls were younger I’d slip a little something under their pillows.

It was so much fun listening to their giggles and squeals of delight.

But no matter how old we get, life is meant to have its uplifts.

Although some bright moments are planned

There’s just something to be said for the unplanned,

The boondoggle,

the looking in your lunchbox and finding a candy-bar moment.

Yes, no matter how old I get, it’s those spontaneous gifts that fill my life with so much song.

This week we experienced it again.

On Monday I happened to mention as I went out the door to my office

“I just ordered something special for you today.”

“What is it?”

“From where?”

“Just give me a clue?”

But my lips were sealed. A surprise is meant to be just that. Smile.

So every day the sun would come up

and with it the question. What was coming in the mail?

Until  today.

Yes, today it came in the mail. A simple brown box holding so much fun.

Rip open the top and there inside were two books.

One specially chosen fiction for my youngest

and the other a book by my oldest daughter’s favorite author.

Just because, I said.

And deep within my heart I whispered thanks for the opportunity to give an uplift

In the midst of the daily homework and studies

To just say ‘I love you.’

Yes, life isn’t long enough to shower the lives of my loved ones enough

but I keep trying.

Do you?

Don’t wait for Christmas or a birthday.

No, it’s always a ‘just because ‘ day.

And once more our Lord writes with big letters His Love across our sky

and hugs us a little closer.

On every side He graces our lives with His surprising touches of love.

The  trees becoming all orange, red and yellow.

The flitting of a butterfly beside the last rose of summer. A turtle knocking at our back glass door.

The sound of a lonely bird outside my office window.

Grace upon grace.

Just because I love you!