God's Surprise!

My Haitian momma loves to sing.
We love to sneak up close enough to hear her when she's working outside or when she's cooking.
If she doesn't know you're there, you can really be blessed by some of the most beautiful, genuine praise ever to grace your ears.
Yesterday she came right up to me, resolute in her posture, calling my name.
"Din! Din!" (that's how she says my name.)
"Wi, Momma."
"I have a song for you.  It's for you!  Where is the Haitian Songbook?" she said, all smiles.
I handed it to her and she flipped right to a specific song.
It was written in a mixture of French, and actually a quite poor translation of Creole.
She didn't care.
She sang the song to me, verse by verse, word by word.
Then she promptly handed me the book, told me not to forget, and to make sure I had it translated, because THAT song, she said, was FOR me.
Then she wheeled around on her heels and shot out the door, back outside, grabbing her broom with a bounce in her step and a little giggle under her breath.

Here is the song, translated:

If Christ were not with me, how would I be
When problems threaten my life?
With His love all around me
I'll put in my heart a true song for Him.

(Chorus)
Christ has a surprise for you, my brother.
Christ has a surprise for you, my friend.
If you leave it to Him to lead your life.
His grace will be a surprise for you!

If my tears would shed often,
If their whip would blind my eyes,
If my enemies would defy me,
My deliverance is in Your grace.

Our Lord, Help me to arrive
On the other side of the mountain, that's where I want to go.
Where peace is, and joy
That's where I will rest my soul.


The surprise of God that my Haitian momma wants me to receive, is Grace.
It's a free gift,  I can do nothing to earn it, nor do I deserve it.  I have only to receive it.
She's a smart lady.