What does heaven taste like, smell like, look like, sound like, feel like? I imagine God reveals minuscule glimpses of His Kingdom when we focus our hearts and minds on Him. When we close our eyes and breathe in freshly cut grass, taste honeysuckle, smell salty ocean air, gaze at long wispy tendrils of a weeping willow, listen to a toddler giggling, see morning dew drops glistening atop blades of grass or feel loved ones tender touch, we may be near to Him.
Today surfers ride waves that are crashing and rolling in and over my soul-perfect movements in all the worlds’ imperfectness. Movements of time to the rhythm of my life, creating stories I write and retell-frame after frame of life time….my time.
Water swells up big and proud with the approaching storm, sand colored crabs scurry to their burrows. Lord, linger with me, rest with me at the ocean’s edge, your sun caresses my skin lovingly, warming me as our connection gathers peace. My heart strings move in a jagged melody following life’s ups and downs managing to keep to a strong harmony. I want to linger here on creamy sand so much longer than my busy life allows-for this frame of time-my muscles loosen and frolic. A glimpse of heaven?
I’ve become a seeker, a collector of shells of peace and joy from you Lord. I see my neon orange plastic bucket filling up with sand, and pieces of conk shells, starfish, long transparent egg casings, beautifully worn oyster shells…I’m gathering slivers of earth, life, the life you created us for. You send us pieces of heaven all through earth’s eternity-but do we take the time to notice? To breathe in deeply the beauty of your freshness?
A few days before my sister left us to dwell with you Lord, we asked her as she was heading outside, “are you going for some fresh air?” She turned and spoke these words clearly and loudly-“I don’t think there is any fresh air anywhere anymore!” She was getting closer to you, coming home, and further away from this imperfect world where true fresh air is rare. I felt truer words could not be found. I’m heaven bound also someday, where fresh air is so abundant I will wonder how I ever breathed down here. In those last two weeks on the cusp of her telling me, “God is calling me” she knew this air was not fresh, not like it is there with you and she knew.
So, I can only imagine what heaven is like; it might totally take our earthly mortal breath away and it may be the best air I will ever encounter. So as my frames of days come closer and closer to meeting you Jesus, I thank you for the gifts you send me, the peeks at heaven you provide in subtle moments. Your grace is oceans more than I can comprehend, and I feel loved and cared for in your peace.
Continue my King, to share special moments of beauty with us that our longing for you so continues to keep us excited for the threshold of your heaven and our eternity….that we keep our focus on the true fresh air-your word.
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 2:6
“The world and it’s desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2: 15-17
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