Surprise

Surprises are a natural part of life, life, and exploring.  When visitors discover Singapore, my advice is always the same.  “Open yourself up to the possibilities and take a bite of the unknown.  The resulting sensations – tastes, textures, and smells create an instant memory that can nurture or haunt for a long time!  Turn a corner and walk down a small lane into the unknown.  You never know what you might discover.  I have found incredible record collections, unusual spices, and a hidden fountain pen store or two.  What you find will be different; ah, the possibilities are endless.”
As I tag along with individuals willing to explore the unknown, I find myself learning about things I never imagined.  Recent finds include remote wi-fi cameras (very cheap), unusual camera filters with uses I still do not understand, and the most bizarre collection of laptop batteries imaginable.  Add to this the “I have not experienced” fruit collection; seedless guavas, unusual bananas, and more varieties of mangoes than I knew could possibly exist.  Then there are the cooking stores; knives, pots, and tools just begin to stretch the imagination.  I ended up spending hours exploring; sometimes in amazement and then on other occasions wondering how anyone could or would possibly use the item at hand.
Surprises are lurking where one rarely expects.  Most of the time, I find myself trying to avoid or contain surprises.  I want life to be predictable.  I need to be able to plan, anticipate, and manage.  Things should go smoothly and without hardship or pain. 
God has and continues to warn each generation that this is not our calling.  We are invited into the unknown.  At times, things are going to get very rough; words like “now I'm about to show him what he's in for-the hard suffering that goes with this job,” (Acts 9.16) are the norm not the exception.  We also hold the invitation into the world of possibilities.  Anything is possible!  We can be a part of it, today.  Whatever unfolds, embrace life's surprises; each is an insight gem.