Unexpected Blessings

This morning I set out at 5:30 in the morning to catch the sunrise at the beach, hoping to have an experience like the one I had on Christmas morning. The only problem was that it was cloudy and there was no clear rising of the sun. Even so, I enjoyed the way the sky lightened and the clouds were tinted with the soft light of the sun which could not be seen.

An hour later, rain began to fall in gentle waves. I contemplated leaving, but decided to stick it out as the rain wasn't coming down that hard and the heavier clouds appeared to be moving out of the way. Had I left, I would've missed out on seeing a glorious double rainbow, meeting a new friend, and watching a monk seal playing in the surf.

This morning was not what I was hoping it would be. There was no beautiful sunrise on an umblemished horizon, no golden coloring on the ocean as the sun rose above it, not even the absolute solitude I had in mind when I left the house this morning.

No, it was not what I had expected, it was better than what I was expecting.

God gives us amazing opportunities every day, whether or not we see them as the opportunities they are is up to us. I could have been bummed that my morning had not turned out the way I wanted it to. The thing is, though, that God had something better planned. I am glad that I allowed Him to show me what that was.