Sweet Surprises

"All that we behold is full of blessings."
 ~ William Wordsworth ~

 

Yesterday, mom surprised me by offering to whisk my kids off
for a night at grandma & grandpa's house! 
I always have mixed emotions about seeing them go,
but admit it's nice to get a break ~ at least once in awhile...

So, after hugging and waving goodbye and blowing kisses until everyone was out of sight (and then some), I returned inside.  The weather was gorgeous, but I just had a desire to paint.  After adjusting my light and pulling up a chair, I impulsively grabbed a brush.  With just a few long strokes ~ a blue sky was created.  At that moment I didn't know what would come next.  

Sometimes it's nice to start a painting 

without expectations and flow in the moment.

Almost without thinking, I dipped my brush in to a dark green, and haphazardly painted some trees... then thought, it's Autumn, so why not add some orange.  Next came yellow and brown, a little more orange for the sky and green for the grassy field, purple for a little creek... before I knew it, all the colors merged and... a landscape appeared.

A sweet, unexpected surprise...

Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.

  Unplanned... at least by us.

 
It's hard to let go of my plan, and leave it in God's hands,  
but that's exactly what I'm supposed to do. 
He's got a plan for everything ~ and who doesn't
love a sweet surprise here and there? 
Our days are full of them...
if we're just present to accept the gifts.

For I know the plans

I have for you, declares the Lord, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, 

to give you a future and a hope. 

~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~