I like to have influence. I like to have control. I remember the first time in the BATMAN ride at Six Flags, my friend Kristy told me how she gets on...telling herself she is in control. "I am moving my left foot now. My right foot will now step into the compartment.." and so on. If there is ever anything I can do for my friends I am more than happy to!
I love to give gifts, being of service or material. One of my favorite things to do is surprise my friends letting them know how I value them, and above all, God values them. This element of surprise may show up in a myriad of ways. I remember filling my friend's room with balloons as a few of us hid under them waiting to surprise. There was always Operation Texas snow in high school. Random trips across the country to spend birthdays together, or even planning a surprise party a month before the actual birthday!
But I think one of the greatest things is seeing people find the surprise in the Cracker Jack box. By that, I mean finding a beauty in what was right in front of their faces. The greatest gift I've ever been blessed to see a friend unwrap is not one found under the tree on Christmas morning, but in the manger. It's the journey that progresses through unwrapping the layers of our relationship with Christ so we grow nearer to the core. As much as I tend to like control, lately, I like not being in control. I like to know there is a sovereign LORD who has promised to complete the work He has begun in the lives of some of my friends and family. I like seeing clues as He draws them near and protects. Though I have nothing to do with giving the gift, I sure have enjoyed seeing the faces of individuals as they receive the gift! I like seeing them filled with joy!
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