(For the full scope of this story, first check out my previous post, “Last Day”.)

A couple months ago, my older brother and one of my nephews stopped by our house for a few hours. They had been visiting my parents in PA, and were making their way back home to NC. They brought a bunch of stuff with them, including a large bag my Mom had sent containing special items she had saved for me (and my kids) from my Grandma’s house.

I sifted through the bag and looked at a couple items, but got so overwhelmed with grief I set it aside. It has sat in my room ever since. I walked by it multiple times a day for weeks, but was never ready to look through it. All this time, it was a comfort for me to have it sitting there next to my bed.

Until today.

As a family we were purging a bunch of stuff and organizing things in our attic. Maybe because our bedroom was finally organized, it felt like the right time to look through the bag.

I closed our bedroom door, lifted the bag onto our bed, and started unwrapping one special gift at a time. The smell of my Grandma’s house flowed over me as I opened each item. I have asked God to bring that scent back to me for the rest of my life- whenever He decides to fill my senses with it. Just like today.

The bag was full of meaningful, precious items my Mom had picked out for me to keep. A few things I had requested, and had expected. Other things were a total surprise. But in the back of my mind, I had wondered about something for the last several months.

Months ago, before Grandma had passed away, I had asked my Mom if I could have Grandma’s Iowa Starbucks mug one day. She said there was already a sticker with one of my cousin’s name on it. Mom said she would ask my cousin about it. I hadn’t heard what was decided, and certainly wasn’t going to ask. It was “just” a mug after all, and was one reason I had bought my own while I was out there last time.

Today as I rooted through the bag, I had this hope in the back of my heart that maybe the mug would be in there. Everything was wrapped in tissue paper, so as I grabbed each item there was this anticipation as I unfolded each piece. What would be inside? Finally, I reached the bottom of the bag, and grabbed the last item.

There’s one thing I have learned about God to be True. (Well yes, there are countless things about God that are True…) He delights in the things that delight and surprise me. There are no little delights or little surprises to Him. He sees me, and absolutely knows the deepest longings of my heart, even when I haven’t expressed them out loud.

Even when it’s “just” an Iowa Starbucks mug from my Grandma.