Two weeks ago, I was standing in the foyer of the First Baptist Church of Waxahachie, Texas waiting for my Sweetie.
It was almost time for our monthly concert with the Singing Men of North Central Texas.
While I was standing there, my phone rang and I actually answered it because the person calling is on the short list (the VERY short list) of people for whom I will answer my phone almost every time.
It was my mom.
Mom: “Where are you?”
Me: “Waxahachie.”
Mom: “Where in Waxahachie?”
Me: “First Baptist Church.”
Mom: “Well, we’re at a First Baptist Church but there are no cars in the parking lot and it’s almost time for the concert to start. We were going to just show up and surprise you, but I think we’re at the wrong church.”
I’m not sure what First Baptist Church they had driven to, but it doesn’t matter. I gave them directions and then waited for Mom and her chauffeur (my niece, Fanci) to arrive.
It was a great surprise and a really special treat to have Mom there because she doesn’t get to many of our concerts. Even at 60, I’m still her little boy who wants to make her proud.
Mom’s 87th birthday is this week. Coincidentally, her twin sister is also celebrating her 87th birthday.
In another couple of weeks she’ll have her 61st Mothers Day.
If I’m honest (and I try most of the time) there have been times that I couldn’t imagine her making it to these milestones.
When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she prayed that the Lord would let her live long enough that her baby granddaughter would have some memory of her.
That baby granddaughter (my little girl) will be 34 the first week in May.
Mom’s full of surprises.
One day last fall, Mom and I were talking on the phone and I told her about a ministry cruise Mrs. Sweetie and I are going on to Norway. She told me about her uncle from Norway that died when she was a child.
A few days later I got a text from my sister saying that Mom was interested in going with us to Norway.
My mom? On a ship? In the ocean?
My mom who never learned to swim and would never get in the pool with us when we were kids?
My mom who—to the best of my knowledge—has never been on a flight that lasted more than a couple of hours?
She’s full of surprises.
So we all chipped in and gave her this amazing trip as a gift from her kids and grandkids.
I should also mention that her baby granddaughter will be on the trip, along with her husband (whose great-grandmother immigrated from Norway) and her two daughters who are old enough that they will have a treasured memory of going to Norway with their great-grandmother.
That’s what I’m most excited about.
Maybe it’s God who’s full of surprises.
Be amazing today, my friend.
