Today's challenge was to show surprise! Gabe is our child who is full of surprise (literally). This picture was taken at Christmas in 2006. I don't think that the GameStop gift card was for much, maybe $10. However, when you are 10 and it is to your favorite store it doesn't matter. To me the picture sums up everything that Christmas should be about--anticipation and surprise! Gabe was a surprise. I had thought we were done with the baby making days, but God had a little surprise for us! Gabe has a unique few on the world that keeps us on our toes! He is not an easy student to teach. He doesn't like to think inside the box, but loves to go places few teachers are willing to go.

Oh, how I wish as adults we could capture those feelings of surprise and anticipation. Sometimes I wonder why we don't wake up every morning going, "Wow, it is a new day I wonder what God has planned today!" Instead I think we role in and just struggle through. We worry about gas prices, food prices, and all the things we don't have, but think we need. I want to look at this picture for awhile. I want to remember the joy of surprise and life is the biggest surprise of all!

I like this quote by Felicity Kendal, "When I was little I always thought I was marked out, special, on the verge of something momentous. I used to tingle with anticipation." Today may you tingle with anticipation as you look for the joy in the unexpected!