On vacation, we have an itinerary, a list of places we're going or things we're doing. I research the places we're visiting to discover what there is to do and see. And occasionally we get sidelined due to road closures or traffic.
Some say that man makes plans and God laughs. They mean it in the sense that God is malicious and wants to circumvent our plans, to make life harder for no reason. I think God laughs because He has better things in store for us. Kind of like when my grandparents laughed when they asked my younger sister, who was four-years old at the time, if she'd rather go to Yellowstone Park to see geysers and buffalo or Yellowfront (a neighborhood variety-type store) to pick out something to buy and she chose Yellowfront.
While I am not usually happy about appliances needing repairs or illness or traffic issues, I have learned to appreciate the things I can't schedule or put on a list and cross off at the end of the day. The random things that "just happen." Things like...
... finding a nest full of robin eggs.
We were geocaching in Illinois when we stumbled upon this nest of eggs on the top of a bush. Mama bird was not very happy with us looking in the bushes for the geocache (which we found in a nearby bush) but did allow us a quick peek at her nursery. It was the first time I had ever seen eggs in a nest with mama bird watching over them. Amazing!
... finding a nest full of baby birds.
This is the house that Babe Ruth grew up in in Commerce, Oklahoma. As we were walking up to the porch, I noticed an irate bird squawking at us, then she flew away. It was then I heard a faint cheeping and saw three tiny beaks peaking out of the nest. Mama bird returned with what looked like a worm and after a few moments, began feeding her babies. It was also the first time I had seen baby birds in a nest. Amazing!
... watching the light from a lighthouse at night in the fog.
Two Harbors Lighthouse along Lake Superior is a working lighthouse (the oldest one in Minnesota!) keeping ships safe from the rocky shore. I have seen a dozen or so lighthouses in the daylight. Their lights are bright and I could imagine them piercing the thick darkness. But this was the first time I saw one at night... in the fog. Amazing!
... a snowstorm in May in Arizona with an impromptu snowball fight.
It was a warmish, overcast morning in the Valley of the Sun as we left town but was snowing up on the Mogollon Rim. We arrived to a blanket of pristine white snow and just had to get out of the car and play a bit! Amazing!
I am thankful for the unexpected opportunities in my life. They are a blessing from God.
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