What’s heaven like?
I’m sure you asked this of your elders when you were a “little,” but have you asked it recently?
What do YOU think heaven is like?
I absolutely adore my mom’s answer to my inquiry when I was five years old. I’ll never forget the conversation. She was pushing me on the swing of our trusty backyard swing set. (Boy, being the youngest, that thing had seen some love by the time I came along.) By age five I was a swinging fool. I spent a large fraction of my childhood examining clouds and dreaming on that swaying piece of plastic.
The conversation went something like this…
Kim: “Mom, what’s heaven like?”
My Mom: “Well, no one knows for sure, but I think that whatever you LOVE here on earth is what you’ll be able to do forever in heaven. There are sections of heaven based on your interest. So, ya know how dad LOVES airplanes?”
Kim: YEAH!!
My Mom: “Well, when you get to heaven you’ll find dad in the airplane section.”
Kim: “Will there be a swinging section?”
My Mom: “Sure!”
Kim: “Then that’s where you’ll find me.”
This conversation came to my mind a couple weeks ago as I swung back and forth on a hammock overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In celebration of our 10 years of marriage, Jason and I spent a weekend in the Florida Keys. Lying in that hammock, I found myself getting a long overdue taste of my “heaven” here on earth. As I swayed back and forth, I identified that these “heavenly moments” are a gift we need to give ourselves on a regular basis and a necessary part of staying Adultitis-free.
Answer me this: playing along with this theory of heaven, what section would I find YOU in?
Now, how often do you get to have these heavenly moments in your day-to-day?
Sometimes I find myself creating unnecessary restrictions on how often I can create these moments of wonderfulness. Things like bills, chores, obligations (or just plain guilt over enjoying myself when others around me are going through a hard time), get in the way. We need to remember that these small tastes of joy are what recharge us and keep us plugging away towards the real deal of eternity. Isn’t it amazing to think that these moments are only a small sliver of what it will be like when we get to pass through those pearly gates?
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” –Isaiah 64:4
So, as summer officially starts this week, don’t miss out on making the time to indulge in some heavenly moments. No one will create these moments for you — it’s all up to you!
And when our time in this world is said and done, be sure to look for me in the hammock (with ocean view) section.
I’ll be the one in the red shades.
Great post. I will probably be in the Library reading or researching.
Hey Kim—–I enjoyed your post on “swinging.” I fondly remember those days with you. To answer your question—-you’ll probably find me in the section for checking out cookbooks & clipping new recipes. HA
LOVE YA, MOM
I LOVE your blog. Thank you for sharing yourself. I will be in the infinite marker/pen/drawing paper aisle of Heaven’s Hobby Lobby where everything is free and there is no roof and an abundance of squashy armchairs. I will be the one with all the sharpies and a cup of coffee.
Hi Kim,
Randy and I recently had the joy/challenge of that conversation with Olivia after my parents dog died. I wrote many of her questions down and look forward to sharing them with her some day! The best part was, after a long conversation about heaven and how wonderful it will be, she seemed to be somewhat grasping everything, but then said, “well, but Mom, I really just want to go to Disney World.” :)
If you’ve ever had a chance to listen to the music of Canadian contemporary Christian artist Carolyn Arends, you’ve known about her straight-forward and understated lyrics. (If you’ve ever heard Rich Mullins, you’ve got an idea.) Her debut album “I Can Hear You” has a song on it called “Reaching”. The song begins by talking about her younger years…
“Four years old and three feet tall/
trying to touch the stars and the cookie jar/
and both were out of reach”
and how: “the more we learn the more we know we don’t know anything.”
Don’t want to transcribe the entire song; I could never do it justice that way. You have to hear it. Just like any description of Heaven and what awaits us doesn’t have any justice done to it by words. Feelings, descriptions of the heart, maybe. But, words will never do to the real thing. The belief that I have, the belief of those who taught it to me, that there is a God whose love for us is nothing but reckless and raging, those beliefs are what carry me forward in life. To know, not just believe, but to know, that there is a place that God will lead us to if we trust Him and his path for us.
My wife and kids and I just got back from a wonderful family vacation to Kennebunkport, Maine. Much needed trip away from the race around the circle that life gets to be too often. A week there in cool foggy weather, having lobster for dinner, walking on the beach, seeing the sights, experiencing an area that I had never been to before, knowing that it was broiling hot for us back in Memphis, all led to a very heavenly time – and a very difficult departure: all of us didn’t really want to come back after the time we had. It was that good.
Those moments on that vacation, and the good times that I share with my family, and the knowledge that I will see my friends and family that have gone ahead of me again, all help me on my steps forward. Take those moments with you, like stones and seashells collected from the beach, lock those in your memory and in your heart, and know that the best is yet to come. If those best times here are that good, imagine what remains ahead, just out of reach, for now.
The best line of the entire song really sums it up for me:
“I guess I shouldn’t think it odd until we see the face of God /
The yearning deep within us tells us there’s more to come /
So, when we taste of love divine, it leaves us hungry every time /
One more taste of what awaits when Heaven’s gates are reached.”
I work with preschoolers and was once asked by a child after a pet died if animals went to heaven. I gave a response similar to your mom’s that if you like animals there will probably be animals with you in heaven. One of my boys responded, “But no girls cause I don’t like girls.” It was fun to share this story with him last month at his high school graduation reception. I’m guressing he feels differently now!
You will most definitely find me in the DOG section. (Cats are fine, but I’m allergic, so…) Recently found a book called “Will I See my Dog in Heaven” by Jack Wintz, OFM. He wonderfully uses Scripture and the Church Fathers to show that God created ALL creatures, called them ALL good, so of COURSE He wants them in Heaven! He shared a story similar to Kim’s where he lost his pet as a young child (perhaps 8) and asked his parents if his dog would go to Heaven. They took him to the parish priest and asked the same question. The priest, in his infinite wisdom, said, “If that’s what makes you very happy, I’m sure God will make sure you see your dog in Heaven.”
My 3-year-old English pointer’s name is Molly. Every night, I make sure I have “Molly time” underneath the stars and the moon to more fully appreciate the wonder that my dog shows to the world around here – and to also marvel at the stars and planets and think about the awesomeness of God. (I also say a regular prayer for the rabbits and birds she chases…)
Happy anniversary to you and Jason – 10 years is a great accomplishment. May have you have many, many more!
Hi Kim,
I really love this post. First off, the picture is amazing. I immediately thought ” I want to be there!”. Secondly, it is a great question to ask. It would be hard for me to choose one particular section. I’d have to be in the hiking mountains, relaxing at oceans, and kayaking on lakes section. ha! I’d like to be where nature is and wildlife, but some yummy food, amazing wine, and chocolate chip cookies would need to be there also :)