So Much to Show You

Zack and I were in the kitchen quoting Star Wars the other day (yes, that is rather normal for us; yes, we are that cool [aka, geeky]), and I got very excited about all the things that we get to introduce to Evelynn. Star Wars and ice cream and picnics and pizza and late-night walks and football. So many things that make life a little bit more enjoyable.

And then I had this thought: "I wonder if that's how God feels about bringing us to Heaven." Is He just waiting for us to "grow up" so He can show us more? So He can give us even greater things to experience?

At first I was thinking about all the physical things that He could show us - like I can give Evelynn ice cream in a year or so. I really doubt that the Earth is the end of God's imagination. I really doubt that God doesn't have designs for new animals, even better Grand Canyons, more magnificent Niagra Falls.

But really, that stuff isn't what makes Paradise Paradise. God is. What makes it Paradise is that every new physical thing we see, is going to be another perfect picture of God, not the tainted view we have now. Like you could cover a wall with photos that show the same person from a thousand different angles with a thousand different expressions, the world reflects Who God is. Different angles, different aspects, different emphases, different characteristics.

It wasn't just the idea of showing Evelynn things; it was the idea of seeing her get excited about things, of seeing her enjoy the same things that Zack and I enjoy. It was the thought of seeing her start to form opinions and remark about things in her individual way.

I know that there are Christians who long for the days where they won't be fighting with themselves anymore, when they can do as they want to and glorify God with all they are all the time. I think God is waiting with just as much excitement about it. Probably more because He knows exactly what it's going to be like, while we just have ideas.

It's fun to think about going someplace you love; it's even more fun to think about being greeted with warmth and happiness and excitement. Imagine walking through the gates of the City of God and Jesus walks up, hugs you and says, "I have so much to show you!"

And, oh yeah, there's all the other people who've gone before you who want to tell you about the things they love best, too.

New Year

I was thinking about how people write down all the stuff that happened to them in the previous year, and at first I thought it was kind of silly and overdone. Be original! was my take. But then I thought about it a bit more and I thought, why not? Why not take this, such a wonderful opportunity, and use it to share what God has done this year?

So here's my list of things that were important to me in 2012.

Found out I was pregnant.
Celebrated our first anniversary.
Visited Michigan twice.
Got a new niece.
Started a new blog - "Freedom in Christ."
Made a new friend.
Had four small jobs to help with expenses.
My little sister became a teenager.
Had a baby!
My mom and sister came to visit.
Read/listened through the Bible twice.
Finished the rough draft of my novel.

There are a lot of other things that I could write, but those are the biggest things that happened. It's not really that long - I live a pretty normal life - but there's a lot that goes into some of those. There have been some hard times this year, particularly the past few months; but I'm happy that I can start a new year in a good place.

"... thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."