The Sign

The day after we started Surprise Me God, my father was diagnosed with terminal melona cancer. Not a good surprise. I've struggled with our project. This is a time in my life when I've thought: "Enough with the surprises God. We need to have a good chat and I'm going to tell you how it will work." I realize this is against our project plan, but I've been feeling a little cheated lately.

There was a rumor about the hospice we chose for Dad: as a patient nears the end, the deer come in from the woods and look in the windows. It was “The Sign”.

I thought this was an urban legend. The deer showed up every night, around dusk, to eat from the feeders on the property. Although Dad enjoyed this nightly ritual, I couldn’t help but think we had been duped.

Monday came, and we all sensed Dad’s time with us was nearing an end. We gathered together in Dad’s room and tried to think of anything other than what was happening. That afternoon was sunny with blue skies. Around noon, we sensed a shadow at the window. A huge buck was staring in at us. Twice he wandered over, never to eat, only to look in. He tipped his head to us, showing that he had recently shed his crown of antlers.

Those who knew Dad knew he had a thing for deer watching. Our cabin journal contains many entries detailing how many deer were spotted during a visit. He always got a kick out of seeing a huge buck wandering solo. Later that day, we located the antlers on the hospice property.

What a great gift to have this majestic animal give us the signal that it was time for Dad to leave. I'm glad that I could see this surprise. Thank you God.

Jill Schuerman