Temporary

In the words of Rachael, "Tomorrow is the big day!"  Poor thing.  She's actually excited.

I can sort of see that though.  Starting means we're getting closer to ending.  We are all looking forward to removing the catheter and we have to use it for what it was put in for before we can do that.  The Ronald McDonald House is really special and I know she's excited about that.  I just pray she feels well enough to enjoy it.  We leave around 10 AM and I am updating my blog because I'm supposed to be packing and it rates up there with my top five least favorite things to do.  Like eating peas.

I wanted to write about something here because I don't want to forget it.  I want to be able to go back and read it again and in my sharing, maybe I'll give someone else something to think about.  This morning our pastor talked about heaven.  I cannot possibly do justice to all he said but there were a few things that were new to me and had a great impact.  These are the parts I told my kids.

"Hey kids, Pastor Micah talked about heaven today and it was really awesome!"

Marc:  "Is it true that in heaven the streets will be made out of gold?"

"Funny you should mention that Marc because Pastor Micah was saying that gold is the most precious metal we have on Earth and can you believe that THAT is what they use to fill the potholes in heaven!  Imagine if the stuff we walk and drive on and hardly even notice is gold how much more beautiful the rest of the place will be."

Kids:  "Whoa."

"Yeah, and you know, God took six days to make the Earth.  You've been on top of a mountain before, think of how beautiful it is.  And the sunset!  Isn't it gorgeous?  Well, imagine if God did that in six days what He could do with eternity?  Imagine how beautiful it must be!  You know how fun Disney was and how they just thought of everything?  Well, men made that place in about 50 years and this is God we're talking about!"

"Wow!"

"Yeah, and remember the absolute most fun and amazing thing that's ever happened to you.  Well, the most boring thing in heaven will be even better than the most incredible thing here on Earth!  And kids, in heaven we won't ever be in pain or feel lonely.  And also, everything will be brand new all the time!  There won't be anything old!  And it's real!  It's a totally real place!"

Micah said it's our home and that God is preparing a place just for us.  I've never been so excited to go.

There was a reason I wanted to tell my children about this place called heaven.  Tuesday night when I was laying in bed with my kids we got to talking about God and heaven and I asked them, "How do you think you get to heaven?"  They both said something along the lines of, "I try to do good stuff like go to church and be nice to people."  I was able to share with them both that night about the awesome power of God's grace and how they can't work their way there.  That the only way to get there is through the power of the resurrection of Jesus.  I used simple language and answered their questions along the way but I was sensing understanding, particularly in Marc.  I said to him, "Marc, is this something that you want?  To give your heart to Jesus?"  He said, "Yeah.  Probably in about 10 years."  I said to him, "You know, you can say a prayer and ask God to forgive you for the bad stuff in your life and to use his power to forgive you and save you.  You can say this prayer alone or I can help you.  You don't have to wait."  I totally expected him to say he would think about it or maybe later but he was like, "Yeah!  I want to do that."  So I led him through that prayer and he was so earnest and sincere.

When we finished he was choked up but he had the hugest smile on his face.  He was completely and uncharacteristically happy.  He said, "Mommy, I feel like I can breathe for the first time in my life!"

Wow.  WOW.

I told him, "Marc, I want you to know, that prayer has changed your life and you will never have to say THAT prayer again.  God wants you to know more about Him and to talk to Him everyday but from this day forward you are a Christian."  He jumps up and says, "I'm a Christian?!  I'm a CHRISTIAN?!!"  Rachael gets up and yells, "He's a Christian?!  I WANT TO SAY THAT PRAYER TOO!!"  So we ran and got Daddy and led Rachael through that prayer and my children were jubilant.

And Marc in particular is changed.  Put it this way, when we got back from Disney I asked him if he told his classmates about his trip and he was like, "Not really."  But Wednesday after school he told me that he was telling everyone there that he is a Christian now.  He is so excited.  The only time I have seen anyone this stoked about their new salvation was when Tom first understood and believed. 

Marc is still Marc but he seems gentler.  Kinder.  He has a desire now to care for others and he wants to talk about it a lot.  For those who know him, this is really huge.  And he really REALLY wants to get baptized.

Hearing about their future home today was thrilling and I praise God for His love for my children.