Are your eyes on the sky today?  Mine are. 

Today is the day many have said that our world is supposed to come to an end.  I’m not sure I think it will exactly happen today, but that doesn’t mean I’m not looking up.  Especially after the events of that horrible day, one week ago.

It has taken me a while to pull any words together to even begin to try and say anything after the horrific nightmare of Sandy Hook Elementary.  I think the thing that has punched us all in the gut the hardest is the fact that these were precious, innocent, vulnerable little children who were senselessly, ruthlessly slaughtered. 

Julia said just that after watching the first newscasts with me after getting home from school.  She looked up at me with sad, confused eyes and said, “They were just innocent little children.”  Yes Julia, they were.

It has been so incredibly difficult to even begin to imagine the horrific scene played out in that little school.  ….It might not even seem real to us, because it is so incredibly nightmarish.  And yet, it is real.  And very, very evil.

The events of that day came straight from the pit of hell.  Evil, in its deepest, meanest, harshest sense raised its ugly head. 

Do you believe in hell?  I do.  And I believe there is a prince of demons who gave us a glimpse of his true essence in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.

I also believe in heaven, and in the God of the Universe, who created it all.  And I believe that God has allowed evil to run free in this world, because we are not in Heaven yet.  God, in His great love, is waiting for us to choose Him.

People have asked, “Where was God?”  I believe God was there, protecting many in ways we may never know.  I believe God was with those teachers who died trying to protect those precious babies.  I believe God was with that teacher who died cradling one precious boy in her arms.  I believe God was with the teacher who hid her children in closets, told the shooter they weren’t there, then died as he massacred her.

I believe God was there.  I believe He was standing there, with tears streaming down His face.  Perhaps He asked himself – “How much longer?  How much longer before I choose to call an end to this entire creation?”

God is not a stranger to death.  He wants all of us to be with Him in the end.  He has done everything He can to make it possible.  He watched His own dear Son suffer and die in order for that to happen. 

My dear friend tragically lost her sweetheart husband to sudden, unexpected death this past March.  In her Christmas letter yesterday, she wrote:

“God has reached out to the world with His gift of love named Jesus Christ so that the long, dark shadow death casts over us would be overcome.”

It has been overcome – Jesus Christ proved that by conquering death.  And in so doing, He paved the way for all of us.  It is the beloved fulfillment of Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you a hope and a future.”

What He has given us is His love – a gift that we have a choice to receive.  And once we receive it, we don’t ever have to worry because our eternity is secure.  “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Words and believes Him Who Sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  (John 5:24)

Someday, this will all be over.  Until then, I wait.  Today I am waiting with even greater hopeful expectation than one week ago.

Eyes on the sky.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how much I can’t wait to get to heaven.  There is so much about heaven that I know absolutely nothing about.  But there are a few things that I do imagine...

I am so looking forward to that moment when I see my Creator God face to face.  He and I are going to look at each other with a knowing smile.  Perhaps we'll have a good long laugh together because I might just say, “I see what you did there.”  

Then I think my laughter will change to tears, and I will begin to sob.

For reasons that only the Creator of my soul understands, I think I will begin to sob. 

There’s going to be something about that warm embrace from the One who knows, loves, and understands me completely.  He understands.  He understands like no one else can.  I think I will put my head on His shoulder and sob like a baby for a very, very long time. 

And that will be ok.

And He will understand.  And He will embrace me.  And He will soothe me.  And He will permanently remove my sorrows.

And as I am curled up on His lap like a little child, basking in His embrace, I won’t have to care if there are long lines of people behind me waiting their turn, because He is Omnipresent.  

...And out of the corner of my eye, I might catch a glimpse of Julia as she is calypso-dancing her heart out with her Heavenly Father - a sight I could gaze on with joy for all eternity... And I think He just might provide her with her own personal steel drum band that follows her wherever she goes...

And I want to look at Jesus Christ, my Savior, and begin mouthing the words that in His Glorious Presence just can't possibly seem to be enough:    thank you.

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou
thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou….

thank you.

And I can’t wait to look in His eyes – those beautiful, knowing Eyes of everlasting wisdom, power, love, compassion, mercy, and understanding. 

Nothing in all the universe will be like it.  

And I will notice my new body - that I have been fully healed and restored to a kind of heavenly wholeness and completeness.  Then I think the Great Holy Spirit Companion, my old familiar friend, might hold my hand and walk with me to the spot where I will get to join the throngs of millions of voices raised in praise, singing heavenly eternal anthems to Glorious Magnificent Almighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Worthy is the Lamb

Holy, Holy, Holy

Blessing and honor, glory, and power be unto Him who is Worthy

Allelujah

Where does it come from?  Is there such a thing as a talking gene?  Do you have it?

Because my daughter definitely has it.

I do not.

I am an introvert.  When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I like to do is put a nice cup of coffee in my hands and just sit.  Quietly.  In silence.  Slowly allowing my brain to begin firing all it’s tiny little synapses.  Every so quietly and slowly, my brain begins shaking off the cobwebs of sleep and becomes aware of the day.  A nice cup of coffee.  Quiet.  Still.  Silence.  Wonderful.

Our daughter is not an introvert.  She is an extrovert.  She does not wake up quietly.  As a matter of fact, when I wake her up in the mornings, the way I can tell she has been fully roused is when I can get her little mouth to start producing words.  It doesn’t take long.  It’s usually the very first part of her body that wakes up.  The rest of her body may look like it still wants to sleep, but once that little mouth has been set in motion, it’s a 100% guarantee that she is up for the day.  Look out world - she is up!  Give her another 4 minutes and her mouth is running double-time.  Talk talk talk talk talk talk talk. 

As I sit downstairs savoring the morning sunrise with my quiet cup of java, I cannot escape the words that slide under her bedroom door and down the stairs.  Lots of words.  Imaginary conversations with friends.  Singing.  LOTS of singing.  And dancing.  Suddenly the door opens and she thunders downstairs and the questions begin.  LOTS of questions.  She has the gift of pulling people into conversation.  She LOVES to talk.  Sometimes the door opens early and a cacophony of questions and accusations fly my way as she is looking for a lost item or something has broken.

My silence is lost.  I still haven’t gotten to my second cup of coffee yet - the one that begins unlocking the muscles that work my mouth.  My brain hasn’t yet begun firing up the computer program that produces speech.  It hasn't booted up yet.  I need more time.

But alas, I do not have more time.  I must push myself forward into speech with this child who is a running litany of words. 

If only I didn’t love her so much.  If only she hadn’t wrapped herself so completely around my heart that I wouldn’t be willing to set my own desires aside in order to meet her where she is.  This precious gift that she is. 

…But sometimes I just need a little silence with my cup of coffee.