Surprises

        I just discovered that Amazon Prime includes at least the first season of Gilligan's Island.  The one in black and white.  It's my oldest child's favorite.  Once it switched to color, she still likes it, but not as much.  So what did I do?

        I quietly turned on the TV (and muted it, so she wouldn't notice as she finished up her lunch).  I turned on Amazon video, and selected the first episode of season 1.  And waited... and waited... and grinned like an idiot the whole time.  She wanted to see, but I wouldn't let her look.  She knew something was up because I just kept grinning, and couldn't stop.

        Once the theme music came on, she smiled.  Once she saw it was in black and white, she was over-the-moon excited.

        And I was so glad I had not let her spoil the surprise.

        It made me think.  Does God do this with us?  Does He grin uncontrollably over surprises He plans for us?  Is this (at least in part), why He has left so much of Heaven a mystery?  I know theologians often say that it's because we couldn't handle more knowledge than we have.  And I'm not disputing that.  But, I wonder if He smiles to Himself over things we don't know yet, and looks forward to the day He can let us see and know these things.

        (I'm not preaching a prosperity gospel here.  I know that life is hard, and that we are strangers in a stranger land.  I know life is messy, and the world is hostile to our message and the messengers who bring it.  I'm simply looking at my Father, wondering if...

        I hope that this doesn't seem sacrilegious.  If somehow I have offended, I apologize.  Again, I'm just wondering if He looks forward to giving gifts as we do to our children...)