Unexpected gifts, part 1

I have had this blog topic in mind for a few weeks. It has so many story lines for me and I’m certain you too.

Today, my sweet “Cinny Girl” (aka Cinnamon Stick) earned her wings and she most definitely is the perfect “headliner” for the series.

Cinny Girl came at just the right time, nearly sixteen and half years ago. She has been everything a best friend should be… a guard dog, a companion, a ferocious champion, (even on your worst days) and always willing to join a good celebration (especially if there was food involved)!

Unexpected gifts to me are those that somehow end up in your life, and you didn’t know they were coming and/or certainly didn’t start your year with them in mind. Better yet, and more importantly, you didn’t know that you needed them.

For me, 2018 has been like a roller coaster, and not the one you find in the kid’s section. More like the wooden and rickety looking kind, where your head bounces back and forth between the bars and takes you upside down a few times just for the sake of giving you confidence that the bars in fact do keep you safely seated. In the midst of the “ride” there have been so many gifts, some obvious at first, and some that became more so later. It has always blown me away to see how God orchestrates every last detail of your life, from the people you meet and when, to the lessons that change you and move you forward, coming out of experiences you encounter. To me, that is one of the coolest parts about life… The puzzle becomes more clear and every piece is used to create a beautiful story.

I’m going to stick with this idea for at least another blog, and perhaps two more. I’d love any insights you’d like to share, or even an “unexpected gift” that has been a great part of your story. Unexpected gifts are powerful reminders that God knows what we need, despite what we have planned for ourselves or our families. And today, the unexpected gift is that we have a new guardian angel overlooking our family. I’ll take that gift all day long!