Surprises

In October of 2012, my grandmother Slattery passed into eternity. She had lived a beautiful and simple life dedicated to her family and the Lord. For 91 years. As a midwestern farm girl who married a boilermaker during World War II, she knew how to make the most of simplicity. She wasn’t a woman of extravagance, yet she never seemed to be without. The surprise of contentment. 

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8

Our family was blessed to make the trip and attend her funeral, spending time with extended family as we gathered to celebrate her life. The evening before her funeral four generations of Slatterys gathered in the hotel lobby to just enjoy one another despite the sad reason for our togetherness. It didn’t take long before lobby furniture was rearranged into a large, lopsided circle, pizza and drinks were in every hand, and I noticed my aunt bringing shoe boxes to the coffee table in the middle of all this hullabaloo. Aunt Patty had already lovingly gone through Grandma’s belongings and began to unveil box after box of photographs for us to sort through. The tears and laughter flowed freely for several hours while the cousins and second cousins splashed in the pool and played billiards nearby. At one point I leaned back from the coffee table and soaked it all in – the surprise of laughter in the midst of grief.

My grandmother was known around her small town for her hats. Having grown up on the farm and being a tad disobedient to her mother who consistently told her to put on a hat while working the fields, she fought skin cancer at a later age. Older and wiser now, every time she walked out the door, she had a hat on to protect her fair skin from further sun damage. And she became known for it! The next day, as Grandma’s family filed into the small church to honor her, each Slattery woman – young and old – was wearing one of her hats. Pew after pew represented Grandma’s quiet influence with a hat. Tangible evidence of one woman’s impact – even the priest made mention of it during the service. The surprise of being known.

Aunt Patty made sure that every family member had something to take home in memory of Grandma. A doily…a chair…a cup…even silverware all found new homes in ours, scattered throughout the country. One of the treasures given to me from Grandma was her sewing box. After returning home, I sat down and spent an entire hour going through the things that she stashed away in that little heart-shaped box. Among them were the typical things you would expect to find in any midwestern farm girl’s sewing kit; safety pins, needles, thread, buttons, thimbles, and a tape measure. However, there were also several things that were unexpected; an alteration receipt, multiple charms and prayer cards, an embroidered hanky, stamps, a penny, and a glow-in-the-dark rosary! For me the most precious find was at the very bottom of the box. After sifting through layers of items, I found an old charm bracelet. It had just one charm on it; a baby girl silhouette with my name engraved on one side and birthdate on the other. It took my breath away. That little charm bracelet has been tucked away in her sewing box for an unknown number of years and it made me feel incredibly loved. Loved by Grandma and loved by the Lord. That sewing box could have gone to any number of family members, but somehow it traveled all the way back to Colorado with me, just waiting for me to discover the surprise at the bottom. The surprise reminder that I am treasured.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23

As we enter the holiday season with all the hustle and bustle, I am making a point to pause, lean back, and soak in the moment. Looking for the gift in the surprise that the Lord has for me right then. Will you join me?

Surprises can be happy or sad; embraced or unwelcomed. Surprises come without warning and spark a spontaneous reaction. Whatever is deep within our hearts comes racing to the surface in response to a surprise. My prayer is that we all understand the depth of love that our Father has for us. So much so, that the unexpected moments of life bring a rush of love from our own hearts when things – people – situations – surprise us. No matter how it all unfolds, may we always know our Father’s loving voice that whispers….

You are adored.