My Dream of Heaven

Initially, I wasn't going to blog about this, but then Suz wrote about Mark.... and Laurie wrote about Wendy..... and Karen wrote about Katie..... and Sheye wrote about Ava..... and Kay wrote about Bubba.... and on and on.... (so many of my blogger friends have lost loved ones.....)

And I felt a press to share my dream.

So here it is.
Earlier this week, I dreamed that I died, and went to Heaven.
But first, before I share my dream, let me say that words are going to fail, miserably, to convey the beauty and the peace and the extreme BLISS I felt. And I can't help but wonder: was my dream really a dream? Or was it a vision?

Anyway, Tuesday night was a normal night for us. Stayed up, watched the late news with hubster, watched a little Leno, then fell asleep in our bed. Normally I don't remember my dreams... in fact, it's pretty rare that I remember a dream, and if I do, it's just a very vague "plot line".

However, in THIS particular dream (which I remember clearly), I died. I don't know what I died from, all I know is that I "ceased being alive". And then, after I died, I found myself in a tunnel.... but it wasn't a tunnel like we know them (in the human realm)... it wasn't narrow, it wasn't claustrophobic, and it DEFINITELY wasn't dark.

The tunnel was unbelievably LIGHT.... shimmering gold tones. Coppery tones, yellow-gold tones, white-gold tones, colors that I've never seen before and that don't even EXIST in our human experience. And they were all shimmering and vibrating together and they were beautiful. And not only were they bright, but they infused warmth out towards me. And it was incredibly PEACEFUL and I felt so filled with BLISS.... happier than I have ever felt in my entire life. In fact, the word joyous is the closest that I can come to describing it, but even that word is not accurate. And as I proceeded down this tunnel, the feelings and the warmth and the light became more intense, but not in a negative way... more intense in a very wonderful, loving way and all encompassing way. And I really wanted to continue down the tunnel.

And.... that was it. I woke up. The dream was not long, but it was VERY intense.
And I immediately thanked God for that dream because I knew, without ANY doubt, that it was a gift from him....

I hope it will be a gift to those of you who have lost loved ones. Because I believe, without any doubt, that God's love is something more magnificent and more all consuming that we can even imagine.

Peace & Love, my friends.

"Game On" or "Game Over"?

Statistics show that the human death rate is 100%!
Every person who is born on this planet will, at some point, die. There is no Eli Manning coming in with "hail Mary" pass that will put the game into overtime. Nope. When your time is up, it's up.

Actually, this is going to be an UPLIFTING post... I promise! So keep reading!

In my small group we have been reading/studying/discussing a fabulous book called One Month To Live: 30 Days to a No-Regrets Life. Last night we finished the book. The last two chapters were very powerful. I would recommend this book without hestitation to anyone, be they a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist, an atheist (but really... are there REALLY any true atheists out there? and if so.... they need to go visit Michele's amazing photoblog and then check back with me...).

Anyway, back to my POINT. :-)

The point is, embracing our mortality can liberate us to live as fully and intentionally as possible "in the now"! (See Ecclesiastes 7:4)

Remember that God is very clear that you are on this planet for a reason (Jeremiah 29:11), and He has a distinct purpose and plan for your life. Another very clear point.... one day you will stop breathing, but you will NOT stop living. Your soul will live forever in eternity! (Wow!)

I would encourage you today to think about the two things that will stand the test of time. It's not the cute new sandals that you bought, or your beautiful home, or your convertible. No, those will all eventually turn to dust (or rust). The only TWO things that will stand the test of time, are the Word of God and people. Period. That's it.

So it might make sense to re-focus our time, efforts and energy away from temporal things and towards your relationships. Both with your Creator (however you happen to understand him) and with the people around you.

A parting thought, and a parting passage of scripture:

* No matter how long we live, it will be like only a few seconds in the grand scope of eternity.

*"It is a wonderful thing to be alive! If a person lives to be very old, let him rejoice in every day of life, but let him also remember that eternity is far longer, and that everything down here is futile in comparison." Ecclesiastes 11:7 - 8

Life's Strange Sadness

My 78 year old father is in the hospital - he had heart surgery today at St Joseph's, in Atlanta.
He did very well, especially considering his age, and considering his assorted health complications.

But anytime he has gone into the hospital (which is quite a bit the past several months), I stop, pray, then sort of hold my breath.

And, of course, he's my Daddy. Who I happen to love very much. And who I full well realize will not be around forever.

I hate the fact that parents grow old. I hate the fact that I will never (at least not in this life) know my parents in their prime, when I am in my prime. Wouldn't life be grand if parents would only age to a certain level and then you could know them on more of a 'peer' basis? And aging would just..... stop....?

I look forward to the eternal life that the Bible promises believers, where we will each be given a new and perfect body; one that does not succumb to disease, death or aging.... one that is not crippled by physical ailments, or flawed by mental illness. What a wonderful, amazing new world it will be.

I greatly look forward to seeing each of my grandparents, who I only have foggy memories of. In fact, I can't wait to get to really know them.

And I won't even get started about how excited I am about being in the presence of Jesus, because then this blog will go on ALL NIGHT, and I'm already starting to cry a bit as I write this.
But, suffice it to say, despite life's sadness, there's the promise of much, much beauty and joy that lies for us on the other side. Beauty, happiness, and completion for our souls, I guess is the best way to put it. And that completion will SO make whatever trials we endured while here on earth seem so very insignificant.

What Might Heaven Be Like?

In my small group the other night we touched on the topic of heaven, and what it might be like.
The Bible doesn't really delve much into that topic, other than to refer to it as "paradise", "a mansion with many rooms", "streets paved with gold", etc., but I was curious to get the group members' opinions as to what they thought heaven might be like.

It proved to be an interesting discussion.

I tend to think that heaven is going to be something that is so completely beyond our current comprehension and what we can grasp with our 5 senses and our (relatively feeble) human mind, that it would simply defy our understanding.

After all, look at the magnificent and profoundly intricate creation God has given us in the natural realm that currently surrounds us. And Earth isn't even our "permanent" home.... so why would we expect heaven to be any less wondrous? To the contrary, I think the most magnificent and magestic things Nature has to offer are simply a taste of what awaits us on the other side of Life's Great Curtain.

It makes sense, right? I mean, think about it: who would take the time to furnish a Holiday Inn (where you stay, temporarily) with all sorts of Really Nice Stuff and then have your residence (where you live) decorated with shabby second-hand items? That's silly. You would, of course, save the very best things for your home. Especially for your Forever Home.

Anyway, I think it's fun to mull over what it might be like. I'm looking forward to a very long life here, and then a wonderful forever existence in heaven. Just the thought of being in the presence of almighty God is a heady, amazing thought. It puts a smile on my face and a fire in my heart.