Thursday, October 27, 2011

Heavenly Thoughts

     Pondering heaven last night with some brothers and sisters, there are so many questions.  One that really stuck with me as I walked away from our conversation was not about the place, heaven, at all.  The biggest question I have is what will “we” be like?  The people, the souls that will exist there.  The bible mentions a new body, and is very vague as to what that means, but that’s not really where my focus is.  I wonder about my thinking, my being, me.

     I was thinking about this life here on earth and the trials and tribulations, the good times, the every day.  It’s getting us ready for something, if we are staying the course.  As Paul says, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  We are transforming if we keep pushing toward our goal to be more Christ-like, right?  So we need not worry about heaven having this or that FOR us.  Ultimately I believe all of our selfish whims will be gone.  We won’t want or need anything.
     Sometimes I have felt in the past that I might not enjoy heaven because sitting around singing praises all day didn’t sound very fun.  I know now that I have just barely touched on what true joy is here on earth.  I think I know joy, but not the joy that God has for me.  I can only get a fraction of that here.  A wedding day to the love of my life, the first time I held my babies, a handpicked flower and word of devotion from the ones I love most…these are hints of the joy that will constantly fill my heart in heaven. 
     He didn’t fully explain heaven to us, I believe, because He can’t.  We wouldn’t get it.  We aren’t going to be the same.  A timeless, thingless world with no worries about losing any of our precious commodities is something that we can’t fathom.  It will change our focus completely.  It motivates me to keep my focus and to try harder to become my finished self.  I can’t wait to face the unknown, I trust Him that it will be more than I could ever want. 
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 
Galatians 6:9

Monday, October 24, 2011

The Broken Fence

     Isn’t it sad how we can live so close and be so far away sometimes?  The answer is an open heart, a willingness to give, tear down the fences and most importantly let go of pride and really listen.  I must ask the Lord to reveal to me my part in what is wrong and to be obedient to change the wrong in what I do.  Only then is it love, when I give of myself expecting nothing in return.


Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Turning 40!

This morning while having my coffee and thinking about how to make this a fun day, it is a monumental event of course, you only turn 40 once.  We have to do school, having missed for vacation, there is really no more playtime left.  Then I have to clean up some around here because we have bible study here tonight, and it’s a pigsty.  Then I guess I have to cook the family some dinner.  So, since I can't have a total "ME" day.  I decided to count my blessings today literally.  My inspiration comes from the book “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp.  This way I’ll be sure to see the many blessings of an otherwise ordinary day. 
1)    A wake-up kiss and happy birthday wish from my favorite person.
2)       A willing daughter to make me breakfast before the sun came up.
      3)      A son who found the time to give me a flower.
       4)      Vanilla creamer in my coffee.
       5)      Crisp fall morning and frisky dogs.
       6)      Happy Birthdays on FaceBook
       7)      My sisters and their love toward me. (All 30 or so, of them).
       8)      Starting school late, because we can.
       9)      My daughter praising the Lord because her math was easy.
       10)      My son willingly being my shopping buddy this afternoon, even though he wasn’t getting anything.
      11)   A new plaque that says “Greet each day with thanks” to put on my mantle.
      12)   A clean house with cozy lamp light and candles.
      13)   Bible study with loved ones and The Truth Project.
      14)   Cousins giggling.
      15)   Chinese take-out the day before some healthy eating starts.

What better gift than to realize what you already have.

Friday, October 14, 2011

A Mountaintop Experience

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:6-8


    Finally I got to put my arms around and touch the hands of my sisters.  For four years we have laughed, cried, prayed, rejoiced and loved one another.  It was an experience not of this world and one I will never forget.  I continue to relive it, I even dreamed we were still together last night.  Everyone was so excited as the ladies arrived.  They would stop whatever they were doing and run out to greet them before they could even get out of the car.  Some even chased the cars as they were leaving on the last day.  I won't mention any names.  It was truly as close as earth can come to heaven.

Back when this began, I was struggling with my weight again and chose to start a program.  I knew that the program alone wasn’t what I really needed.  I didn’t know what I needed, so I prayed.  I asked the Father to give me whatever it was that would help me to lose the weight, then I waited.  Within two days He answered my prayer.  He led me to a discussion group on the program’s website, a Christian Support Group.  Now here we are, around 30 of us, such good friends.  They all mean the world to me.




What better place for us to unite than the mountains!  High in the Smokies, we spent the weekend laughing, talking, lots of eating, worshipping, some crying.  I felt Jesus in this place and when it was time for me to go, a bittersweet feeling overcame me.  God was truly with us and I know that He worked just as hard as the committee to orchestrate our time together.  His presence was so powerful.  I sure didn’t want to come down from that mountaintop!