Memories

We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within speaking distance to those who belong there. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.  D.L. Moody

This weekend I had the opportunity to see my cousin Sheila and what a joy that was for me.  We have been close for many years and the older we get the closer we become.  As I sat with her visiting I thought of the many memories that I carry of our times growing up. When we were young, every year my sister and I would travel to Austin and stay for several weeks.  The three of us were like the three stooges.  We were the same three that my Grandpa taught how to fish and we were also the three that were with him when he pulled the gear shift out of the steering column of his truck and had to drive home in second gear. 

Our visit this weekend brought back many memories of our time together as kids.  We had plenty of hair brained ideas and we put many of them to good use.  There was the time we decided we should try a new moisturizing treatment on our hair.  You know how eggs are good for your hair; well we read that mayonnaise was better and if you heated it the moisturizing would be magnified so we put mayonnaise on our hair and wrapped plastic wrap around our heads.  We took our inner tubes (flotation devices) out to the creek and floated in the sun for a while.  I will say that it took a while to get it out of our hair and I don’t remember my hair looking any better, but what a memory.

 

Then there was the time we braided our hair in corn rows.  We all had long hair so we took turns braiding each other’s hair.  When we finally took the braids out we made the mistake of brushing our hair and I kid you not, my hair stood a good two feet from my head.  You’ve heard of Texas Big Hair.  I have pictures so I am not exaggerating but I promise you won’t see these on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.  I do have some standards.

I think back on those long ago summer days and laugh.  We weren’t afraid of anything. We floated in the creek not worried about snakes or other critters.  We fished and my Grandpa even baptized the three of us in the creek. 

Thinking back on those long ago days it reminds me of what I think Heaven will be like.  What we will have there will be so much better than what we have here.  He has prepared a place for us where there will be no sorrow and no pain.  I look forward to that day, but until then I will remember the memories I carry with me of those long ago summer days when we didn’t worry about the mortgage, car payment, utility bills or any number of other pointless things.

           

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I look forward to heaven with great longing.  When I get busy with things of this earth, it helps me to remember that You have prepared a better place for those who believe in You.  Thank you for helping me to recall the many happy memories of those long ago days.

 

Scripture: Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”  Revelations 21:1-7