Tuesday, January 25, 2011

"FOREVER..."

Time.

It’s a funny thing.

It’s bendable.

Albert Einstein proved it with his Theory of Relativity.

No worries. I’m not going to launch into a dissertation discussion on physics here. No lengthy lecture on the puzzle of the space-time continuum. (Did anyone really think I COULD do that??)

After all, I’m not "science chick" – I’m "word girl!"

But think about it. We know from experience that time is "fluid."

First of all, think of the way time behaves. Sometimes it goes really slow…and sometimes it goes really fast.

Here’s a list of some of the instances when time goes really s-l-o-w:

Sitting in the dentist chair…for anything, but especially for a root canal.

Waiting for lab test results.

Waiting for a loved one to call and let you know they’ve landed safely.

Listening to over 500 kids have their names read at a high school graduation (except for that 10 seconds when YOUR kid’s name is read, and you let out your loudest parental "WOO HOO!")

Trying to drive home from Los Angeles on the 405 freeway at rush hour – (non-Californians out there? Trust me – a 55-mile trip has been known to take almost 3 hours – think, "parking lot.")

Sitting in a crowded restaurant waiting for a table.

Waiting for Christmas morning when you can finally open that ONE gift under the tree in the little "jewelry-type" box.

"The Hub" will just HAVE to forgive me on this one – a baseball game.


And here’s a list of some of the instances when time goes really fast:

When you have to leave the house in 10 minutes or you’re going to be really late.

How long it takes for your "roots" to start showing.

The year in between tax time – (seriously…is it already LESS than 3 months away???)

Your childrens’ lives from infancy until college – (though sometimes slow during the actual years – looking back, it goes by WAY too fast.)

The time it takes to spend money – (saving money goes in the s-l-o-w category.)

Vacation.

The interval between hitting the "snooze" button and when you actually have to wake up – (I just read somewhere that the average person hits the snooze button 3 times before they get up. Me – I’m about a 4 or 5’er.)

The time it takes for a signal to turn from yellow to red – ("Honestly, Officer – it looked kinda orange to me…just sayin")


Bendable time.

And today I’m thinking about the word "forever."

When I was a little girl, I used to try to understand the word "forever." After all, I knew I was going to live with Jesus "forever."

Truthfully, the concept used to freak me out. I’d lie awake trying to get my head around the idea. (Don’t ask me why – I’ve just always been a "ruminating" kind of person). At the time, a year seemed like a l-o-n-g time. And then, trying to go beyond that, and think of a never-ending time – yikes!

I can remember sneaking down the hallway, and crouching down by my mom’s side of the bed. I’d gently say her name, and maybe jostle her a little bit. Finally she’d wake up.

"Mom, I can’t sleep."

"Thinking about forever again, sweetie?"

Yup, she knew me…

I’ve got to admit, I still don’t get the idea of "forever" – it still kinda freaks me out – but now, it’s in a good way!

Have you ever had a moment when your spirit touched eternity?

When time seemed to stand still, and you were overcome with such a deep sense of wonder and joy that it felt like the moment could go on forever?

Let me tell you about one of mine.

"The Hub" and I had gone on a little 4-wheel excursion, up a very winding dirt road. We had heard about a property that was for sale. We couldn’t afford it, not by a long stretch, but the realtor had told us to go take a look.

"The view is to die for," she squealed.

So we did.

It took almost an hour to go 4 miles. We parked the car, and scrambled up a leafy, rocky slope.

At the top of the ridge, we wandered through a grove of aspen trees, and then we broke out into the open. And I saw one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen in my whole life.

A huge snow-capped mountain stood in front of me. A long, green valley stretched away as far as the eye could see. Trees stood like sentinels in every direction. Overhead was a crystal clear blue sky, with white puffy clouds. A bright, shining sun beamed down its warming rays.

I turned to my husband with tears in my eyes, and he said quietly, "I get it."

I spread my arms wide, threw my head back, and smiled at the God I knew was there.

"Thank you, Lord, for the glory of this moment. This taste of what eternal joy will feel like. I could live like this forever…"

And He whispered to my spirit, "You will."


When’s the last time your spirit touched eternity?

"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)


BLOG = “Blessedly Leaning On God!”

10 comments:

  1. It's weird just how fluid time is. Times I'd like to last zip by and other times not so much. But my mine really grasp forever. But with the King is where I long to spend eternity.

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  2. Hi Sharon -

    Thank you for this MAJOR refreshment for my thirsty soul.

    You said, "And He whispered to my spirit, "You will."

    That deeply moved my heart, Sharon.

    You asked, "When’s the last time your spirit touched eternity?"

    Answer: Today when I read this post.

    I REALLY enjoyed this piece, Sharon.

    Also, this made me smile, "(except for that 10 seconds when YOUR kid’s name is read, and you let out your loudest parental "WOO HOO!")

    Sidebar: Interesting that the Lord had us both to write about fast and slow this week. My post yesterday had, somewhat, such references.

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  3. Think about when you are drawing your last few seconds of life - that is the most valuable time of all. sandie♥

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  4. Beautiful, Sharon! I could see my own time continuum instances here. Times of impatience, times of dread, times of sheer frustration. But in God's time...it's all good!

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  5. Sharon...I loved this post. Okay, I love them all. But this one was a topper for me. It made me laugh and cry. Really thought provoking as well. When I read your posts, I feel like I know you. I do believe I have a new friend!

    God Bless You!!!

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  6. Great post...wow, how your mind thinks and communicates...awesome..I was right there when you threw back you head and got it...been in that spot at times...and yes forever will be even greater than what we see as our "awe" moments. Good post.

    Thanks for your comment at Lea's on my post...you wrote what my husband and I talked about today...so many times people will feel that a child is the way he is because of his training...well we have seen most of our six were the way God made them from the beginning...and we have more strong-willed than passive...that can cause you to question your ability to parent, but mostly it causes us to step back and watch God!!..the real parent of our children and what He does through parents who are sinners and fallen short

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  7. I’m currently downloading updates for my iPod, the ESV Bible Chronological Readings along with some other interesting Christian downloads. One of the titles of the downloads is called “You’ve Got The Time” which really grabbed my attention. Yes, praise God, for He alone gives ‘time’ and I need to use that time wisely. So I pray that today, and everyday, that my time will be well spent, reading and hearing God’s word, praying, repenting my sins, praising and worshiping God, growing and glowing for Him, and may He receive all the Glory!

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  8. Wanda - Can you imagine anything better than an ETERNITY in the very Presence of the King?! I find it very reassuring that our King lives OUTSIDE of time - and that He never changes - that He is the Sovereign Lord of our EVERY moment...

    Sandra - You're so very kind. That last thought came to me from the Lord - and it gave me little chills, too. Keep looking for those "eternal" moments - they're all over the place. Moments that give us just a "taste" for what the Lord has in store for us. Oh, it's going to be glorious!! (And yes, we continue to be "aligned" so often :)

    Sandie - Yes, I think about that moment. I think that that is perhaps when the Lord draws closest to us. When He ushers us "over the threshold" - when we pass from "time" into eternity. The most valuable time of all...

    Debby - I like how you said "my own space time continuum!" Clever! And yes, God makes ALL our times GOOD - even when we can't see them that way from our finite perspective.

    Shay - I absolutely have a new friend in you! Isn't it great to "meet" in Blog Land?! God has "appointed" this time for us to get to know each other! And yes, you probably will know a lot about me through my blog. I try to be transparent - even when I don't want to share some of the "ugly!!!"

    Janette - Glad you liked this one. Our awe will probably turn into "AHHHHH!!" as we gaze on the incomprehensible majesty of our God!
    As to the comment about children - I've often said that they come out like a piece of cloth - one might be cotton, one might be silk, etc. They are what they are. But then, as parents, we influence what they become. We "guide" them through the sewing machine - helping them become all that they can be.

    Kerrie - What a great point you bring up. We MUST make good use of our time. I try to think of each new day as God saying, "You still have work to do!" And you have listed some of the BEST uses of our time - praying, reading and hearing the Word, repenting, praising, worshiping, growing and glowing for Him...AMEN - all to HIS glory!

    GOD BLESS, you guys! Think about forever...

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  9. Wow! Your description of the mountain and valley is breathtaking. What a beautiful memory! It seems like God's beautiful landscape always brings me close to Him when I stop and take notice!

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  10. Alisa - It really was something to behold! God does speak to us in the beauty of His creation - I always feel closer to Him somehow when I'm in nature. And you have spoken a great truth - we need to TAKE THE TIME to stop and notice. There's something to be said about "smelling the roses!"

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

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