June 14, 2010

Reality

Reality is for People with No Imagination, the sign read as I entered my chiropractor's restroom. Snickering at the correlating picture of a Dalmatian dressed in a George Washington suit, the cleaver quip sent me thinking that perhaps this is why reality can be so painful. It's the pin that pops a fanciful dream, sending it plummeting to the ground.

Take my 26.5 oz bottle of lotion for example. I no sooner brought it home from the store today when, while putting it on the top shelf in the linen close, I lost my grip and dropped it on its poor little pump head. Thankfully the lotion didn't squirt all over creation, but a tiny and ever-so real dream died as I attempted to piece the pump together. It was broken beyond repair. Now I have to drain the new lotion into my old bottle, which is another flavor, as the perfectionist inside me screams, "But that lotion doesn't match the label!"

A deeper reality has Jimmy and I feeling like pin cushions as life's course shifts from going where we'd hope it to be at this time of life on to a more sober state of affairs. With my father's health slowly deteriorating, the painful sting of his mortality has prompted a deep course of grieving. Perhaps you can relate and find yourself staring in disbelief at something broken in your own life. Whatever your pain, the good news is it's not hidden from God. He knows our discomfort and understands the toll life's reality inflicts on our souls. That's why He calls us to set our minds on things above, because heaven's a reality guaranteed to exceed our wildest imagination. No one can puncture that dream. Jesus made sure of that.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm looking forward to heaven. How about you?

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.

On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

No longer will there be any curse.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,

and his servants will serve him."

Revelation 22:1-3


2 comments:

Cheryl Barker said...

Definitely looking forward to heaven. Wow, can't begin to imagine...

katiegfromtennessee said...

Wow, Mrs. Nancy, your post reminds me of a post I just read on the Living Proof blog that Melissa, Beth's daughter posted. Life is hard in many ways, and then there's many causes for joy...interesting. Keeping our mind on things above is a scripture we should meditate on more often!

Blessings to you today,

katiegfromtennessee