Father's Day Surprise

     I was hoodwinked. With a false statement and good planning, my husband surprised me. And On Father’s Day to boot!

     “What would you like to do for Father’s Day?” A nap was the answer I anticipated. Already, I planned to take Sweet Pea to the pool so to vacate the house. But his answer surprised me.

     “Let’s go biking,” he suggested, “But get into your swimsuits. We’ll jump in the pool afterwards.” It sounded like a good plan. Hot and sweaty after a long bike ride, a cool dip in the pool would be refreshing. Excited for a family outing, Sweet Pea and I hurried to change while my husband loaded the minivan.

     “We’ll need to fill up the gas tank,” he said as we climbed in the vehicle, “and maybe I’ll stop to grab some coffee.”
     His last comment surprised me. Gas was understandable but where would he put the coffee when we biked? In answer to my question, he assured me the coffee would be consumed well before we arrived. But as our short journey to the bike trail commenced, he dropped another casual comment.

     “I’m going to take the scenic route,” he announced, “I feel like a Sunday drive.”
     “Okay,” was my response. It made sense to me. It was a beautiful day outside. And with hot beverage in hand and munchkins to snack, a leisurely drive was understandable.

     As he drove, my daughter chattered in the back seat. I, on the other hand, kept my tongue in check. Though impatient to begin bike riding, it was Father’s Day, and I did not want to ruin it by complaining. But on and on the minutes ticked by. Still, we had not arrived at our destination.

     “What route are you taking to the trail?” I asked in carefully modulated tones, “I don’t remember it taking this long.” My inability to see due to blindness prevented me from ascertaining this information myself.

     My husband just smiled. “The scenic route,” he answered, “We should get there soon.”
     “Are we almost there?” asked my little girl. I heard the smile in her voice. It surprised me to hear her excitement. As the minutes ticked by, I purposefully kept my tone light and conversation positive. I will not ruin this day with my tongue, I thought determinately.

     “We’re three turns away from arriving,” my husband announced. I breathed a sigh of relief. This scenic route had certainly turned into more than I had wagered. But the thought of riding bikes outside in nature made the Sunday drive worth every minute. Plus, another need beckoned.

     “I need to use the bathroom.” I hated using rustic outside facilities. You never knew if spiders or mosquitos might be your companions. But rather risk a run in with bugs than experience a potty accident, I opted for the stinky toilets.
     “We’re here!” my husband declared, pulling into a parking spot. Sweet Pea cheered. I smiled. Finally, I could relieve myself. And finally, I could enjoy being out in nature. Yet as Sweet Pea and I walked to the bathroom, a quiet conversation ensued between her and my husband.

     “What was that about?” I asked Sweet Pea as we entered the facilities.
     “Oh nothing,” Sweet Pea said. Then, she hurried off to find a stall. Expecting the bathroom to be smelly and full of cobwebs, I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of my surroundings. But as Sweet Pea and I exited the bathrooms, she skipped and bounced.

     “Are you ready to bike ride?” she asked with a lilt in her voice. My husband grabbed my hand and began walking.
     “You might want to change into your flops,” he said. Confusion flared. Bike riding in flops? I wondered, is that safe? But as I opened my mouth to comment, we stepped off the cement onto something soft…sand.
     My brain spun. Sand? Where were we? Realization sunk deep.

     “At The beach?!” I cried, surprise filling my every pore. I looked at my husband stunned. A man who enjoyed the ocean but despised the sand and heat, he avoided the beach at almost all costs.

     “But you don’t like the beach!” I protested, still in shock. My mind could not wrap around this sudden alteration in destination. Plus, I could not fathom that my husband would take us to the very place he avoided.

     “I wanted to bless my family,” came his simple yet earnest explanation. “I wanted to put my own preference aside to do what my family enjoys.”

     In the stand I stood, staring at my husband. This act of sacrificial love overwhelmed me. On a day where he had his choice of activity, he willingly sacrificed himself for us. Like our Heavenly Father who out of His great love for mankind, sacrificed His one and only Son, my husband likewise lived out this same love.

    “Thank you,” I said, hugging him, “Thank you.”
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     In a season of trial, this gift my husband gave was more precious than gold. To be in the sun out in God’s beautiful creation together with the sound of waves in our ears and the water crashing against our skin, was just what our family needed…a golden day of joy and fun. Oh how the three of us jumped and frolicked in the waves. We laughed as the waves toss us too and fro. With the sun on our cheeks and sunshine in our hearts, our family let the water wash away our cares. Freed from worries and warmed by the sun with hearts overflowing, we were filled with an unprecedented peace. A gift of joy from this Father’s Day surprise.