The Place to Be

Heaven

 

 

Somewhere in time, or better yet, sometime in the future, I’m going to heaven.  No, I haven’t gotten any bad news that tells me my life is about to end, but I know it will end someday.  When that day comes, I will be ready to go.

Years ago I read the book “Heaven Is For Real” written by Todd Burpo. This week, I found out it had been made into a movie that would be out this Easter.  It made me think of heaven.  If you haven’t read this book, I suggest you do.  In the book, the author’s young son dies and spends time in heaven and then comes back.  The parents don’t know this, the medical team never tells them until questioned. At the time they admit that Colton died on the operating table, but they were able to revive him. Or so they think.  God obviously felt Colton had a story to tell.

Colton was home recovering from his emergency appendectomy.  In an off handed remark, he starts telling his parents about heaven. Having heaven described through the eyes of a four year old boy is fun and interesting.  In his brief time in heaven, he saw some of the splendor of God.   

At first when the young man told his parents about heaven, they thought it was a nice dream.  Then he begins to tell them things he could never have known.  I really think God revealed heaven to this young man for two reasons. The first was to bring comfort to a young man in physical crises. The second is to remind us about heaven.  He never tells us everything clearly. He filters His majesty for  for a glimpse of His glory. 

Another note about the book “Heaven is for Real.”  When young Colton was in heaven, the angels would sing songs to him.  When Colton asked for his favorite song, heard at most sporting events today, “We will Rock you.”  The angels would not sing the song to him.  Isn’t it nice to know that angels have good taste in music.   

John 14:2

King James Version (KJV)

² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

None of us know when eternity will knock on our door.  I doubt Colton’s parents expected to almost lose their four year old the day he died, but they almost did. We are not guaranteed any number of days on this earth, but as a follower of Christ we are guaranteed eternity in heaven.

This is a happy thought to dwell on for a while.

Heaven.

 

This INCREDIBLE Music Video 'Heaven In Me' Will Touch Your Heart! from sonypictures on GodTube.

Apostles' Creed

Do you believe it?

 

 

Somewhere in time, this last week, I heard a song that reminded me of the Apostle’s Creed. I have heard songs based on this before and the song I was listening to really wasn’t, but the thought of the song was similar.  It made me curious.  What is the Apostle’s Creed and when did it first show up. 

I did a google search and there were quite few sites with information on this.  It’s traced back to the fourth century. The original apostle’s that walked and talked with Jesus didn’t write this down, but it was taken from their writings. 

In the fourth century many people couldn’t read and even if they could, Bibles were hard to get.  The Creed was a way to get the basic tenants of faith into something that was easy to memorize and share. 

I also think it’s useful.  As Christians, many times we don’t stop to think about the basic core of our belief and I believe the Apostle’s Creed sums it up well.   

 

Apostles' Creed

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1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

5. The third day he rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy Catholic Church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

1l. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

https://www.ccel.org/creeds/apostles.creed.html

 

 

I realize number nine is the Holy Catholic Church.  In the 4^th century, that was the only Christian church.  Now we can say, the Christian Church. The Christian Church encompasses Catholic and Protestant since both believe in Jesus as our Savior.

One of my favorite verses is also a key element of our core belief.  

Romans 10:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

What is really interesting to me is the core of the Christian faith never changed.  The trappings may have, but the Apostle’s Creed, written almost eighteen hundred years ago, is still our basic foundation.

Do you believe it? 

Running down rabbit trails

Jesus Wept

 

 

Somewhere in time, last week in my blog I mentioned a song that made me cry.  This caused me to think about the reason’s I cry.  I realized as a woman, I may have more reasons to tear up than others, but let’s face it a song can do it.  I can also get teary at a movie scene or a passage in a book.  I will tear up when something happens wonderful to people I care about or when their hurting or sad.  Of course, don’t make me too mad, or I’ll cry at that also.

Going down the rabbit trail of reasons I cry took me down another rabbit trail.  I went to Bible College several years ago and I had a professor who everyone enjoyed listening to, but he was the first one I heard use the phrase, rabbit trail.  He would come prepared to give a lesson, but discussion or thoughts or something would cause him to veer off course to a different subject.  He would laugh and tell the class we forced him down a rabbit trail.  His rabbit trail lessons were the best. 

At this same college, to use sporting equipment, you had to recite a Bible verse.  Many students would try to use the shortest verse in the Bible until they made a rule you could only use it once.  The verse is John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

As you can see, my rabbit trail brought me back to my original topic and that is tears.

God is God, so we don’t often think of Him as having human emotions.  Yet, this verse tells us the Jesus wept.  The context of the verse is that Jesus arrived at Lazarus’s home as people were morning Lazarus’s death. 

I don’t think Jesus cried because Lazarus was dead.  He knew he was going to raise him again.  I don’t think he cried because people were upset with him for not coming sooner.  I don’t think he cried because he was tired, frustrated or even mad.

When he arrived, so many people were sorrowful and hurting that I believe the compassion of God felt their pain and Jesus wept. 

Even now, thinking about this, I find hope. Even when we are assaulted by the storms of life and even when tears of sadness cannot be held back, God loves us and God weeps with us.  We are not alone.   

 

Casting Crowns - Praise You In This Storm (Live) from casting-crowns on GodTube.

Hero's

My Sisters

 

 

Somewhere in time, a few years ago, I heard a song performed by a blue grass band called “The Isaacs.”  They sing Christian music and I enjoy listening to them.  This is a little surprising since I’m not a huge fan of country music.  The first time I heard their song about Hero’s it made me cry.  It made me think about one of my sisters.  The next time I heard it, it made me cry again, but this time I thought of a different sister.

I sat the other day and listened again and realized they had three of my four sisters mentioned in their song.  They are all heroes. 

The first verse is about a couple taking care of their special needs child.  I have a sister that has taken such good care of her son with autism that he is doing great.  He’s getting ready to graduate high school.  He might have made it without her help, but I’m sure her love and support has really made his life better.  I know she fought battles to allow him opportunities he might not have gotten otherwise.  My sister is my hero.

The second verse is about a childless couple that adopts.  I have a sister that wasn’t childless.  She had two children of her own, but she knew there were children in this world with no one to love and care for them.  She became a foster parent and gave a safe haven to many children.  Then one day, they placed a beautiful baby girl in her hands.  She was to keep the baby until the adoption with another set of parents went through.  God knew this little girl was already with the family she needed. When the adoption didn’t go through, my sister adopted her instead. This little girl is a young lady and has had a mother that has loved and cared for her throughout her life and she is still doing it. My sister is my hero.

The third verse is about teachers.  I had the opportunity to teach for a brief period of time, so I know a little bit about this.  I have a sister that has taught school for several years.  She doesn’t do it for money because as an intelligent hardworking person, she could do almost anything.  She teaches because she cares.  My sister is my hero.

There is no fourth verse to this song, but if there was, it would be about single parents. My sister is trying to do it all.  Work, pay the bills and provide for her children. She needs to love them, guide them and take care of them and she does all of that and more. My sister is my hero.

Sisters are the ones you always go too when you need to talk.  No matter how far away they are, they are still close in my heart. Today, I share this because I love my sisters, they are beautiful and special ladies.

 1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

 

What makes you smile?

Life in an Animated Feature

 

 

Somewhere in time, for the last few years, I have become very fond of animated features.  Growing up, we called them cartoons, but I realize some of what is out there is more complicated than a mere cartoon.  This last year, I’ve seen a few animated features that I really enjoy and they explain things about life. 

In “Arthur Christmas” we learned that Santa can make is all the way around the world because he has an army of well-trained elves and a supersonic stealth aircraft.

“Toy Story III” we learned that Barbie is a better leader than Ken.  Ken gave in to the totalitarian rule of Sunnyside Daycare, but Barbie stood up to it.

“Despicable Me”, both the first movie and the second taught me that I needed to me a minion.   I already eat like one.  They love bananas and I made banana pancakes this week. Actually, a minion says Ba-na-na – since they talk gibberish.  Talking gibberish can come in handy.  If people can’t understand what you’re saying, they can’t ever misconstrue your words.  Think about that for a moment.

In my favorite minion moment, it happens in the second movie, the minions are having an ice cream party.  The boss comes down and tells a couple of minions to follow him.  One minion opens his mouth, dumps in a jar of Marciano cherries and tops it with whipped cream before leaving.  I really love Marciano cherries, so doing this really appealed to me.  I would get sick from that much sugar, but it would be fun to give it a try.

The movie “Up” taught me that retirement is just a new adventure (one I’m looking forward to) and Dug is the dog everyone needs to have.

“Meet the Robinsons” shows us that the nerdiest orphans can grow up to be the best people.

“Veggie Tales” tells us all sorts of good things, but most importantly, is God is bigger than the boogie man.

In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m just having fun.  I could keep going, but you get the idea.  God tells us to rejoice and be glad.  If we all think about it, there are things that make us smile.  Here are a few of mine and I know you have a few of your own.

 

 

Psalm 118:24

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁴ This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Jamie Grace - Beautiful Day (Lyric Video) from jamie-grace on GodTube.