"Gift-moments"

Today was a pretty normal day in my life.  Kids back to school, me back to work...that slightly sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as my post-vacation to-do-list seemed to multiply before my eyes.  I'm an almost off-the-chart "task-oriented" person.  Crossing things off my list energizes me.  So I woke up ready to go...ready to have an amazingly productive day!

But early this morning I was reminded of the message we heard yesterday at church.  So I prayed that God would show me what He is doing, and how I can participate.  As I sit here now - 10:30 at night, I am filled with a sense of wonder at how God works in spite of us.  I think He looks at me with a knowing smile tonight, because as I allowed Him to set my agenda, I found unexpected gifts in the day. 

I'm sure if I had followed my plan I would have crossed more things off my list.  But I would have missed the little moments.  The truly important moments. Those moments when you're suddenly aware that this is a 'gift-moment.'

Being "interruptible" meant I could have lunch with friends at the spur of the moment and enjoy easy conversation and fun.  A true gift. It meant I could trade ideas with a co-worker who encourages and sharpens and blesses me.  Another gift.  It meant I stayed at work late to meet with a friend.  And because we were there late, we were in the building when a young girl came in crying because she had gotten her car stuck in a snow drift in the parking lot and had spent the last 30 minutes trying to get out...to no avail.  God used that moment for His holy purposes as I was able to sit in her car and wait for her dad to come... and share Jesus love with her.

That was the best gift-moment.
And I'm incredibly humbled and grateful.