Hammocks    

Our earthly possessions will indeed perish in the final wreck of all things; but let the ship perish, let all we have sink in the deep, if we may come "safe to land." From these storms and billows--these dangerous seas--these tempestuous voyages--may we all be brought at last safe to heaven.  Albert Barnes

God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there.  Billy Graham

I was thinking about hammocks this morning.  Maybe the reason this thought came up is because I was wishing I was lying in one at this moment.  So as often happens I decided to look up why they were invented. 

They were originally used in Central and South America for sleeping.  To protect themselves from creepy crawly things on the ground they would suspend their bed above the ground for protection from ants, snakes and other wildlife.  The problem I could see with this is trying to stay on top of the hammock and not face down in the dirt.  If the natives of Central and South America toss and turn as much as I do, they would end up in the middle of the creepy crawly things they were trying to avoid.  You know how it goes.  You sit on one side and lift your feet onto the net and it flips you on your head over the other side. 

The Navy also used them on warships due to lack of bunk space and also when they were at sea it kept the sailors from being tossed about because when they went over big swells or waves the person in the hammock stayed fairly stable instead of being tossed about.   

One of my favorite memories of a hammock was not long after my husband and I got married.  We had spent the previous six months prior to our wedding taking care of all the details.  Between doing the flowers, selecting caterers, getting the wedding dress and fittings for tuxes, we were basically worn out by the time we got married.  We went to Mexico for our honeymoon and since we couldn’t check into our room until late afternoon we changed into shorts and decided to walk around the resort.  The first thing we spotted were hammocks hung under palm trees near the turquoise clear white sands of the beach.  You could hear the rustle of the wind in the palm trees and the waves gently lapping against the shore.  These were no ordinary hammocks.  They were big hammocks with pillows.  We piled up into one, carefully I might add, and just laid there listening to the waves roll in. 

I like to think that heaven and God will be like that hammock.  Can you imagine being cradled in God’s arms gently swaying and not having to worry about Satan interfering and throwing you face first on the ground?  One of the great things would be you wouldn’t have to worry about the creepy crawly things.  Thinking of the wind rustling through the leaves and the waves lapping onto the shore makes me long for home.  A home where there is no pain and sorrow.  Are you ready?  Heaven!  I can’t wait.       

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me of what heaven can be like.  I don’t know for sure what will be there or if they will have hammocks or even how I will live, but I do know you have prepared a place for us where there will be no pain and sorrow.  Thoughts of heaven make me home sick.  I look forward to that day with great rejoicing.     

Scripture: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:13-16