When a Surprise Gift Box Scored a Joy Goal

Last Updated: June, 26, 2026

Last week, a surprise box showed up at my front door.

I hadn’t made an order from the usual everyone-knows-it resource, so it truly was a surprise.

The outside was decorated personally, and inside was an explosion of red, white, and blue.

A somebody-had-fun-putting-this-together box.

Of course, seeing the style and return address made me think, “But of course, that’s so David.”

This was clearly a celebration of the many blessings of being an American. It happily screamed gratitude.

I was smiling.

Not only because of what was inside the box, but because I could feel the joy behind it.

That is one of my favorite things to notice.

The spirit behind the giving.

Some gifts say, “I saw this and thought of you.”

This one did.

Some gifts say, “I wanted to make your day brighter.”

This one did.

And some gifts arrive with the unmistakable feeling that the giver had just as much fun preparing the surprise as the receiver has opening it.

This one did.

Thank you, my friend, for sharing in the journey to Scatter Joyfulness.

And because it is also a big soccer season, my mind wandered from red, white, and blue to a field, a ball, a goal, and then one playful phrase:

Our Hearts are God’s Goal.

A soccer goal gives the whole field a direction.

Everyone knows where they are aiming.

Players run toward it, pass toward it, and keep finding their way back to it.

Side Note: I’m reminded of all the seasons my then kiddos and now granddaughter scurried with purpose all over soccer fields.

And in that playful turn of phrase, I found the heart of this card.

What if love is the goal?

What if kindness is the goal?

What if encouraging one another is part of the way we keep moving toward God’s heart?

That is where this design began.

A soccer field.

A red, white, and blue ball.

A bright goal net.

And one glowing heart, right where the aim belongs.

This card started as a thank you, but it became something more.

A small celebration of the people who make ordinary days feel surprising.

The ones who notice.

The ones who prepare.

The ones who send the box, write the note, offer the cheer, and remind us that joy doesn’t have to be complicated to be real.

Sometimes it shows up at the front door, dressed up in red, white and blue.

And sometimes it becomes a card.

This story inspired the God’s Goal soccer thank you card, now available in the shop while the limited edition lasts.

Where will you Scatter Joyfulness today?