Our RV Trip to Heaven......

Saturday, July 2, 2011

A few weeks before we leave on a big RV trip, I start getting butterflies; excitement mixed with a little worry.....little thoughts of all the things that could go wrong along the way.  I've also noticed that when our every day life is getting super tough; the struggles and worries; strained relationships are almost too much to bare, that that is when I enjoy going on these trips the most; and I worry less about all the things that can go wrong and more about the "escape" and "joy" ahead of me.  

It just dawned on me that this is just how we view our upcoming trip to Heaven.  If we are happy, content, enjoying life to its fullest and loving it here on this earth, we tend to not be as eager on planning that trip to Heaven.  Why would we?  Everything is going perfectly and our lives are just as we had imagined they would be.  

I can remember back many years ago, right after Chuck and I got married, I was the happiest I had ever been.  Everything was perfect; my husband was perfect; my house was perfect; my job was perfect......my life was perfect.  There were no strained relationships taking up room in my heart and my family ties were stronger than ever.  I can remember thinking, "I sure hope Christ doesn't come back just yet.......life is so good right now."  

I cringe when I think about those thoughts now.  I think about just how sad that must have made my Lord.  It was like He had given me a huge birthday present (my life at the time) and, although I loved it more than any other gift I had been given, I wasn't interested in seeing Him personally to thank Him for that gift. I was content to just call Him up on the phone (prayer) and say "Hey, thanks for the great life You gave me.....I love it!  BTW, you're not headed my way anytime soon, are you? We're kinda busy right now."  Breaks my heart to think how sad that must have made Him.  

But back to the RV trip.......the best, VERY best trips we have taken have been when we were exhausted from our everyday life and relationships...when we just wanted to "get away" from the struggles of this life and escape to new scenery and beauty....the mountains, the beach, bliss.....

So as we prepare for our last big trip, I just wanted you to know how grateful I am to God for giving us these struggles and exhaustion......to remind us there is something far better than this earthly home and life waiting for us.  Something we can look forward to.......

Don't just "face" the future....."FAITH" the future.