Everlasting Place
  • Home
  • One way
    • Proof
  • Sadie Sparrow
    • Sadie Sparrow Excerpt
    • Author Chat
    • Articles
    • Book Reviews
  • Memoir
    • Memoir Excerpts
    • Reviews, interviews & endorsements
  • Blogs
    • Eternal eyes: a blog about forever
    • Golden years: a blog about the elderly
  • Old folks
    • Planting tips for Christians
  • Messages from Chris Carrillo
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Contact

A heavenly fantasy

11/7/2018

5 Comments

 
Picture
I think every Christian must enjoy imagining what heaven will be like. But there’s one special fantasy I encountered more than a decade ago – a fantasy that makes me smile every time it crosses my mind. It appears on pages 161-162 of Heaven Without Her: 

These clear indications of the Bible’s divine origins had brought me within shouting distance of absolute faith. I can’t explain why they made such a difference, except to say that perhaps the untruths I’d been taught had been a major barrier to belief for me. (Not to mention wanting nothing to do with that God who was so determined to ruin my good time.)

But now, this barrier was crumbling, giving me a glimpse of something that might be heaven.

My mother certainly believed in a heavenly future for herself. She made it clear daily in her speech and attitudes. And she even put it in writing.

I didn’t know about the writing part of it until 2005, when I finally summoned up enough courage to read her journal. It was one of those Meade Composition books with rounded corners and pages lined in pale blue. Only about a third of the pages were filled in, but the book was stuffed with loose sheets; like any compulsive writer, she wrote whenever the spirit moved her on whatever paper was handy. No doubt for every page that had made it into this book, there were dozens that had been lost along the way to a conscientious cleaning staff.           

Her feelings about death were beginning to make sense.

“I do not understand," she’d written in a clear hand, obviously when she’d still been in fairly decent health, "why people feel that, because I do not fear death, it is a sign of despondency. To me it looks like the greatest adventure of them all."

There was that word again: adventure.

“I am tired of lugging this decaying body around. I can no longer plan a trip to Africa or China or Russia. But perhaps I may one day walk down strange and lovely streets with someone I love and stop at 10 a.m. for a glass of beer."

My heart stopped.

She’d been recalling one crisp October morning in the late ‘70s when she and I were walking the cobblestone streets of the old city in Salzburg, Austria. We were happy and healthy and ready for a day of exploring the wonders of this beautiful town, having just finished a delicious breakfast at our cheap-but-clean hotel near the train station. Although she wasn’t a great fan of drinking herself, she did appreciate a good European beer now and then. And that happy morning, as a nearby clock struck 10, she suggested we stop for a beer. It was a good memory for both of us; but it bowled me over that it had made it into her fantasies of heaven.

“Anybody, almost, can go to Europe," she wrote. "But I would like to venture into the great unknown. Is that so ridiculous? Will I see those whom I have ‘loved and lost awhile’ once more? 

“I believe so.” 

I believe so, too. And the reunion is going to be heavenly, indeed. 
5 Comments
BettieG link
11/7/2018 06:42:59 pm

Oh this was one of my favorite parts of your story--such a perfectly planned gift from God for you! Now I have tears in my eyes tonight. Waiting for that adventure myself!

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
11/7/2018 07:16:37 pm

Mine too, Bettie. And what an adventure it will be, for all of us! Maranatha!

Reply
top essay paper writers link
11/18/2018 09:45:18 pm

Just like you, I am also asking myself how what heaven looks alike? It's everyone's dream destination of course and we would love to be there at the end of our terms here on Earth. But you need to ask yourself if you're worthy of the entrance there? Because some people, because of their actions and decisions in life, aren't really worthy for it. While we are living, what we need to do is to choose how to be a good person so we deserve the love and hug from God in heaven!

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
11/19/2018 06:33:23 am

I am so glad you posted, Top Essay Paper Writers, because you are apparently missing the good news of the gospel. We cannot earn our way to heaven by being a good person; trying to do so is what's called self-righteousness. But it's not about what we do, but what Jesus did 2000 years ago. To be clothed in His perfect righteousness, we need to repent of our sin and trust in Him to have paid for it in full on the cross. Please visit this page: https://www.everlastingplace.com/one-way.html Then, if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me here: https://www.everlastingplace.com/contact.html . Hope to see you in heaven!

Reply
Reagan Barton link
12/3/2023 05:29:03 pm

Thank you for wrriting this

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including Heaven Without Her. 

    Archives

    May 2025
    November 2024
    August 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    December 2023
    September 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Care to subscribe?

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos from tracie7779, Luci Correia, Maxwell Hamilton, giardinaggio, Doug1021, Angel Xavier Viera, Damian Gadal, Reboots, leoncillo sabino, mRio, HikingArtist.com, guymoll, csath07, Guudmorning!, fred_v, homegets.com, ishaip, jinxmcc, freeparking :-|, CallMeWhatEver, BryonLippincott, simpleinsomnia, csread, nicephore, Doug Beckers, mandydale, berniedup, tontantravel, h.koppdelaney, Jill Clardy, anieto2k, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, QuidoX, Ryo | [ addme. ], ShebleyCL, TinyTall, proggy-yahoo, Infiniteyes, Genista, kippster, Speculum Mundi, HerPhotographer, Tauralbus, megallypuff, harshxpatel, Waiting For The Word, CoreBurn, Gordon Chirgwin, {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}, John McLinden, Patrick Feller, jikatu, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, byzantiumbooks, bizmac, H o l l y., Peter Blanchard, sheriffmitchell, Tony Webster, hectorir, City of Overland Park, luis_cunha, Sam Howzit, bertknot, QuotesEverlasting, iturde, ejmc, VARNISHdesign, Cimm, Good Book Reader, Renaud Camus, banjipark, romana klee, 00alexx, erix!, branestawm2002, amsfrank, m01229, cbcmemberphotos2477, rhode.nel, Veronique Debord, joshjanssen, zenjazzygeek, h.koppdelaney, Laurel Mill Players, quinn.anya, *ErinBrierley*, Ben Pugh, Photographing Travis, BarnImages.com, anees.waqas, swambo, Alan Miles NYC, glenngould, Patrick Feller, davecito, wade in da water, Endre Majoros, France1978, dainamara, theseanster93, insightpest, eliduke, volker-kannacher, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), cogdogblog, Editor B, poshdee, brewbooks, J D Mack, ThomasKohler, mayeesherr. (in West Bengal!), TEDxHouston, Ms. Phoenix, PBoGS, Eselsmann™, Inside Guide To London, ShironekoEuro, Tom Anderson, flequi, cogdogblog, njaminjami, Search Engine People Blog, ShanMcG213, Julie Edgley, randihausken, pescatello, Waiting For The Word, moriza, Iain Farrell, Arizona Parrot, digitalmindphotography, enjosmith, www.WeisserPhotography.com, STC4blues, Holidayextras, Randy Roe, goprogresswent, BenDibble, kstoyer, Rennett Stowe, williac, ImNotQuiteJack, Life Mental Health, Jose Antonio Cotallo Lopez, gruntzooki, electricinca, adactio, miheco, Zemlinki!, bnilsen, chispita_666, Francis Storr, mattbuck4950, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, subarcticmike, Shutterbug Fotos, faeryhedgehog, kev.neagle, mikecogh, Tjook, LladyYas, Arend Vermazeren, the hopeful pessimist, Jim Makos, John Beans, Steve @ the alligator farm, New York National Guard, cosmo_71, edenpictures, Paul Stevenson, David Paul Ohmer, Berries.com, bmstores, susan solinski, uvw916a, Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, Sthetic, Beau B, r2hox, chrisd90, bee wolf ray, Julio Roman Fariñas, BLMIdaho, shoebox27, Kris Mouser-Brown, WVTROUT, www.davidbaxendale.com, hillels, timsamoff, Graham Ó Síodhacháin, Wiertz Sébastien, Pictures by Ann, SodanieChea, berniedup, trendingtopics, Sangre-La.com, Apuane, Valeri Pizhanski, PinkMoose, MDGovpics, Tuxified, spline_splinson, BioDivLibrary, Gerry Dincher, -Ebelien-, dno1967b, joshuamckenty, homethods, GlasgowAmateur, homethods, byzantiumbooks, ell brown, d.koranda, byzantiumbooks, Tim @ Photovisions Nebraska, Vilmos.Vincze, quinn.anya, hillels, www.ilkkajukarainen.fi, akigabo, trendingtopics, 23am.com, CJS*64, Leyram Odacrem, fauxto_digit, mrdorkesq, Rushen!, jdxyw, beltz6, PersonalCreations.com, {Futuretester | Jason Tester}, Gabriel N Moreno, Steven Pisano, wuestenigel, themcny, Vassilis Online, Aramisse, logatfer, bambe1964, Glyn Lowe Photoworks., Ted Drake, Smabs Sputzer, colonelchi, ulisse albiati, TYLERHEBERT, joncutrer, edenpictures, Brett Jordan, ViaggioRoutard, R_Pigott, thedailyenglishshow, caligula1995, Film Star Vintage, Hotel Kaesong, pburka, Claudio Marinangeli, thedailyenglishshow, mikecogh, nan palmero, quinn.anya, senza senso, O.Ortelpa, efradera, Wheeler Cowperthwaite, chez_sugi, "Stròlic Furlàn" - Davide Gabino, Carodean Road Designs, Castles, Capes & Clones, alljengi, DonkeyHotey, jinxmcc, grisha_21, homethods, wuestenigel, Guido Sorarù, James St. John, donnierayjones, changeable focus, psyberartist, Pest15