Thoughtful Thursday

I Can’t Wait!

One of my fondest memories as a child is playing with the neighborhood kids. We would spend hours outside, playing games like Red Rover, Cops and Robbers, Tag, Hide-and-Seek, Jump Rope, or Marbles. We would run and play and laugh till supper time. Then we’d go home and eat, come back out,  and play till dark.

Sometimes, we would be playing, and I’d hear my mother’s voice calling, “Kids…come here! We got a letter from Ev!” My brother, sister, and I would stop what we were doing, and run toward our house. Our mother would be standing on the porch, waving a letter in a long white envelope. The red and blue border around it let us know that it carried an APO address, and that it was from our oldest sister, Evelyn, who was stationed in Okinawa, with the Women’s Army Corps.

When we got to the house, we would all go in the living room, and the kids would all sit on the floor, and our mother would sit in her favorite chair. We’d watch as she tore open the envelope on one end, and slowly slid out the letter. We waited in silent anticipation, to hear about a faraway place, that I couldn’t even pronounce, much less imagine going there. Sure enough, my mother read Evelyn’s words, as she told about the beautiful crystal clear waters of Okinawa, the sandy beaches, the big buildings, and historical landmarks. She wrote about her job, what it was like to be in the military, and the duties that she performed.

Then, in closing, she told about how much she missed home, and how much she longed to see these mountains. I can still remember the way that my mother’s voice cracked, and I remember looking over at my daddy, and seeing him wipe a tear from his eye. After the letter was finished, we all sat still for a moment, each taking it all in, and relishing our thoughts of what we had just heard, and anticipating the time when she could come home. Then my daddy would say, “You kids go on back out and play.” And we would resume our outside activities.

I thought of her yesterday, as that date marked one year since she had gone to be with the Lord.

Dear friends, the awe and anticipation that we experienced in waiting to see our sister, can not even compare to the joys we will experience when Jesus comes again! I am reminded of two different passages of scripture that bring me great comfort. The first comes from the book of Acts.

“After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them.

‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘ why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.’”   (Acts 1:9-11)

The other passage comes from John 14.

“ Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me.

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me, that you also may be where I am.”  (John 14:1-3)

I don’t know about you, but I am longing for the day that I see His face, when He takes me to a place that may not have sandy beaches, but will have streets of gold. It may not have big buildings, but it will have gates of pearl. But, the best part, is that we will get to see our loved ones, and see the face of Jesus, and praise Him forever and ever!

What a glorious day that will be…I can’t wait!

Have a great Thursday!