I’ve turned nearly every family activity into a surprise, to keep my sanity. If I don’t the endless sea of questions will prove too difficult to navigate for me and the family voyage will be lost at sea. It’s parenting at it’s finest …It’s survival 🙂

So, last week, on a 80 degree day, I told my husband I wanted to take the children to a local spray ground.

My husband was on daddy duty getting the children into their swimwearwhile I finished up making breakfast. Afterwards, I explained the plans to the children, telling them when we were finished with a few errands we would have a fun surprise.

Immediately my promise was received with joy. “I know what the surprise is! We’re going swimming, Seth said with a grin.

“Close, but nope,” I said with a smile.

In the meantime, Livi danced around the living room singing “We’re going fwimmin’. We’re goin’ fwimmin.'”‘ It didn’t matter if she waited 5 minutes or 5 hours, she believed what I said and never doubted.

My strong-willed, world changer, critical thinker? Not so much.

Seth thought for a bit. For him, wearing swimming trunks meant getting into a pool. If wasn’t going to be swimming in a pool, then he shouldn’t be wearing trunks.  And after about 40 minutes of waiting, he had had enough!

“Mom, if we’re not going swimming, I’m going to just take off my trunks,” he said with tears in his eyes.

As he headed towards the stairs, I called him over to where I was standing.

Looking into his eyes I said, “Seth, do you trust me?”
“What does that mean, Mama?”
“Honey, don’t I always have good surprises for you?”
“Yes! You do!”
“Sweetheart, this time is no different. Keep your swim trunks on and trust me.”
“Ok, Mama. I will.”

As a few more minutes passed and we finished breakfast. I could hear my son begin to ask my husband about the surprise. He stopped in mid-sentence and said, “Never mind, Dad! I trust Mama. She always has good surprises.”

In the car, he says, “Mama, I know where we’re going!”
“You do?,” I asked smiling.
“Yes! We’re going somewhere wet!”
“You guessed it buddy!”

When we finally arrived at the spray ground, the look on his face was priceless. He couldn’t have imagined a place where water shoots up from the ground! “Mama,” he said as he ran into the water, “this is better than the pool!”

Friends, the wait may seem long. It may be difficult to imagine a place beyond your experience or beyond your imagination. Admit the discouragement. Go back to the Father. Tell him your about your fear and hurt…

BUT–Don’t be so discouraged that you take off your swim suit—if you do, you won’t be ready for the surprise!

Beloved, keep your swimsuit on…you’re gonna get wet! And it’s going to be better than the swimming pool