Voices from Heaven

I don’t know what to make of those “afterlife” stories you hear about. You know, the ones where someone who has been in a terrible accident is on the table in the ER, sees themselves lying there and then passes through a great light. They always make a decision to come back to earth to live. I don’t know how much choice we really have when we pass on. When I think of our freedom in Christ, however, and the fact that we are in relationship with a living God, I can imagine that God, in His sovereignty, might choose to give us a choice. I just don’t know.

In recent years, I have felt compelled to pray for the Lord’s return. I feel it is imminent. So did the early Christians of 2000 years ago and that makes me smile. Maybe we are supposed to live with that hopefulness and purposefulness knowing that what we see is just a mere reflection, a mere shadow of what is to come. I’ve been meaning to read Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven. I still don’t have it. Currently, I am reading a number of books all related to living now. I just can’t wrap my head around Heaven yet God’s voice whispers that it’s worth considering. Thinking about Heaven more might even change the way I live today. Ya think?

There’s a song I’ve been listening to lately by Big Daddy Weave. It’s called "From Here". This is the chorus:

From here, the race has been run and love’s already won
I see clearly the end and the start
From here, I’m cheering you on
So live out each breath with all that you’ve got
And know until I hold you close
I’ll be holding you dear in my heart
From here

I don’t know where my grandma is. I don’t know where my aunt and uncle are spending eternity either. I was the first in my family to get a college degree. It’s possible I’ll be the first in my family to go to Heaven, too. It’s another one of those things I just don’t know. Yet, the song encourages me to think about my future. And it encourages me to see more clearly today. While I live in the shadows, I have my own personal coach, cheering me on until my race is won; I have Jesus.

Political Moment

I'm having a political moment. Will you read my blog anyway?

Check out this story. It got me thinking.

I'm sure this issue will die, but like so many issues, it will resurface. Again and again. How do I know? History.

My boys are Boy Scouts. Part of their oath is to keep themselves Morally Straight. Do you know how to explain this principle to your children? Do you even try?

What about truth and truthfulness?

What about ends justifying means?

What about freedom? responsibility? prejudice?

How do you explain these things to your children when we live in a world that lies and deceives? Have you read the magazine covers at the check out stand?

How do you explain a government that thinks we are now out of money when last year when we were in the hole trillions of dollars we were somehow not out of money and had the means to bail out everybody. Did you know they are considering a TOE? A federal tax on everything.

How do you explain freedom and responsibility when you have to pay a fine for not wearing your seatbelt, but if you get pregnant you can have an abortion for practically free.

How do you explain prejudice to kids who can't talk about Jesus in their classroom but have a chapter on Mohammed in their textbooks?

How do you live the Golden Rule?

I'm off my soap box now. Thanks for listening. I needed to have a political moment. I needed to vent. Now, I need to go eat some chocolate.

Making Friends in Oakhurst

I’ve been aghast at the number of new discoveries in Oakhurst. It’s always something. Many friends. Some good. Some not so good. Can you see these friends? Do you know who they are?



They are all over our house this year and I am thankful for them. Do you know why? Because I planted Zephrinine. Almost as soon as I put her in the soil, she began thanking me profusely with blooms to match my lovely hydrangea. Clair Matins has not yet arrived, but when she does, she’ll need friends like these, too. Have you figured out who these little friends are and why I am so happy they live here in Oakhurst?

I must admit, that while I was taking these few snapshots some of my not so good friends showed up. I HATE them. So far this year, I have had too many swollen, itchy, irritating parts to count. So swollen my eye was puffy for 3 days. (That was from a bite on my nose.) So swollen on another few days that I couldn’t wear my wedding ring. That little nip occurred when Zephrinine and I were first getting to know each other. Joe talked to the knows-something-about-everything boy scout troop Doctor Dad who said I have an overreactive immune system. (Whatever!)

I may have to enjoy all this wildlife looking out the window of my air conditioned house or get Joe to move me somewhere where bugs don’t bite me. (Yeah. Right.) The other option is deet poisoning. Dag nab it. I have to stop blogging now to go find the benadryl cream. I’m sure there is another one of those spiritual journey parallels about all this good and evil stuff, but I’m too distracted to care. Someday there will be roses and bugs living in harmony without mosquitoes. It will be Heaven. This life is just a shadow of what is to come. (Colossians 2:17)