Surprise!

Hello from Wayside, WI, where the balmy temps have the southerners 

doing a Tigger Dance and savoring our time in the great outdoors.

So I was making small talk with my Uncle Bill as we stood in line for dinner last night, day two of our three-day reunion. Having heard he'd be leading our Sunday worship service, I asked him what the topic of his sermon was going to be. His answer? Surprise.  Slightly frustrated by his need for secrecy {because what's the big deal really?} I said, "Fine, I'll wait until tomorrow to find out then."

This morning as he greeted us with a handshake, I told him slyly that I was ready to be surprised! He just chuckled to himself, probably imagining my surprise when I opened my bulletin to see that the title of his sermon was just that: Surprise!

So today's question is: What surprises you?

Do you prefer to give surprises ... or get them?

Or both? Or neither?

After our morning reflections, we took a cemetery walk.

The surprise about that for me was how quickly tears came.

Listening to the bagpipe playing Amazing Grace.

Looking at the small tombs of children who died too soon,

in infancy,

in childhood,

as teenagers,

as young adults.

I could hardly breathe at the thought of burying

one child, much less the four siblings whose tombs we saw.

And the tombs of soldiers who served to secure our 

freedom and hope.

And the tombs of our grandparents ... and their parents.

And then seeing my Aunt Norma's grave again,

like it was for the first time.

And pondering how perfect its stone's inscription for her is:

Feed My Lambs.

She spent 50 years of her life feeding little lambs.

Her lambs.

Her heavenly Father's lambs.

If you've never been on a cemetery walk, I highly recommend it.

You just might be surprised at how good it feels

to honor those who have gone before us

and who made us the people we are today, 

those whose lasting legacies we are left behind to live.