Exploring the Beauty

I’ve been thinking about heaven quite a bit lately. Not only has it often come up in my reading, but also, my grandfather, Paw Paw, had surgery last Monday, June 28, and has yet to awaken. In all honesty, my prayer is that he doesn’t wake up. I would much rather that he continues on the journey to heaven. I suppose that might seem odd, but I know that he has experienced far too much pain in the last couple years, and I know that the pleasure of heaven will far outweigh his suffering on earth.

Of course, that begins to bring to mind the mystery of exactly what heaven is like. Most people get the picture of an eternal church service, everyone wearing white and halos, angels playing harps and singing with achingly beautiful operatic voices. That’s interesting… for about ten minutes… if that. Where’s the vibrant color and creativity? What about all of those people who don’t like opera? What about those of us that really prefer not to wear white? I’m impressed that the streets are gold. That’s cool, but I don’t really get excited about gold. Is that really all that heaven is? No. Emphatically NO!

Everything that is lovely and fun and pure and spectacular about earth will be there. God is creative. He’s the one who came up with the Garden of Eden, hundreds of varieties of dogs, the Rockies, the process of metamorphosis for the butterfly, the seasons, sex, Niagra Falls, the Grand Canyon, snowflakes, deliciously juicy fruits, and so many other wonderful things. We are made in His image, and because of Him people like Van Gogh, Monet, Mozart, Renoir, Shakespeare, and many other artists were able to share glimpses of beauty with us.

God’s creativity is limitless. So why do we have such a bland idea of heaven?

I hope that while I am here on earth I will be able to explore more, to find a small hint of heaven on earth. I long to explore the Grand Canyon, to camp out there and to feel the wildness of the place. I want to visit some exotic island, one without the deep scar of tourism. I want to drink in the beauty of strange flowers I’ve never even imagined and watch the horizon as the sun sinks into glorious shades of crimson, burnt orange, and fiery yellow. I want to find a waterfall hidden deep within the woods and listen as it sings a song to the trees and rocks witch surround it -- and perhaps even discover that it has a message for me as well. I want adventure.

This life doesn’t afford most of us with very much adventure. Maybe I won’t be able to do all the things that I dream of. I know that I won’t be able to; I have pretty big dreams and an even bigger imagination. However, I know that if I don’t get to do all those things in this life, heaven will afford me with even bigger adventures and even grander dreams come true.

Will I grieve when Paw Paw passes? You better believe it. He will leave a void in the lives of those he leaves behind, but I will not be sad for him. His real adventure will have just begun!