Thankful

I appreciate the sentiment behind being thankful. There is so much to be grateful for. I think this is a common grace feeling that the Lord has granted us; both non-believers and believers have feelings of gratitude. Why do we feel gratitude? At the root of it, I examine my gratitude and I think there are many times where I am grateful because I really am thinking about how much worse I could have it. There are also many times that I'm grateful because of something I've done myself and I attribute it to the Lord because it's the right thing to do. Yeah, that's sort of the world's idea of being thankful.

I hope, I hope, I desperately hope...that I have more and more moments of true gratitude. True gratitude: giving thanks to God for saving me in the face of my total and complete depravity. True gratitude: realizing I have been adopted and am a daughter of the king and living confidently and humbly with this knowledge. True gratitude: knowing I deserve hell but seeing the narrow path before me and walking it because He led the way to know God with his death.

Heaven is not a place on earth

Belinda Carlisle sang a song in the 80s called "Heaven is a place on earth." I used to love that song. I was a fan of the cheesy pop in the 80s. But, I see things differently here, now, tomorrow, as a believer in Jesus. Also, I think I like better music now.

I think about what might be in Heaven. Here are some of the things I wonder if I'll ever know:

• That I might get to see a bit more, not as an omniscient person, but more about what's around me. I think about what my mom and dad were like in their twenties. Or even my grandparents. What was it like in India? What was it like having seven brothers and sisters?
• That I might get fresher memories. Holding my babies, nursing them, changing their diapers. I miss that sometimes. I miss being a girl scout leader. I miss telling the girls what to wear, giving them baths, playing Easy Bake Oven with them, even, which I didn't do enough. I sometimes even miss things like watching the Disney movies, watching Sesame Street "sing yourself silly." I don't miss Barney.
• That I might have restored continuous relationships with believers that I miss. My bridesmaid friends. My church family that has moved away. My ex-inlaws. Even my ex-husband, who I hope I can look at with eyes that extend forgiveness without trying.
• That my physical body would be perfected.
• That I'd know Jesus, in the flesh.

I could throw in something like who really killed JFK, but that seems a bit much.