Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Those Pearly Gates

If our wisdom and knowledge are all we take to the grave when we die, do you think it counts in heaven how we've gained all we've learned in this life? After all, you can gain knowledge so many different ways. Right? 

Do you think that you have to show your credentials and certificates of degrees you've earned, in order to enter into the kingdom of Heaven? I think not.

I was speaking to my mom about her mothers death certificate. She was surprised to find a place on the certificate where you list your academic degrees. My sweet grandma had several certificates but they could not be listed because they were not from an accredited university Those things she'd worked so hard for in life were not able to be listed on this final documentation of her life.

It made me think . When we die, we don't take with us the things of this world. We go out as we came in, without any of the trappings of society, not even the clothes on our backs. What we retain from this earthly experience is up to us. Right?

We can choose to leave this world in a wake of sadness, greed, selfishness and pain of our own choosing. Or instead choose to comfort those who need comforting. Give compassion and aid wherever it's needed. We can be good parents, daughters and sons. We can develop the talents and gifts God has blessed us with and help others do the same. The positive list goes on and on. 

I do believe that the certificate that lists our doings here on earth does not carry over into heaven with us. My grandma took with her a fine sense of humor, a compassion and whit and her bright intelligence that made her eyes sparkle. She made us smile, laugh and feel loved sometimes when no one else even noticed. She is missed. I missed not getting a birthday card for the past few years when she suffered from dementia. I have loved being loved by her my whole life without even realizing it.

 Now that I'm a grandma I understand why. It takes effort to be in a grandchild`s life that lives so far away. I feel the pain of separation that she must have felt so many times because I too live miles and miles away from beloved grandsons. I now feel her pain and her joy as well.

We all have someone in our life that has left their earthly body behind. This morning I woke with thought that I had to write down about someone I greatly admired....

I think that when a person like Mother Theresa passed, she showed them her hands at the pearly gates and they were opened wide....Her knowledge of easing the cause of humanity, tireless and never ending service and the compassion she knew was so necessary-- was enough and to spare. She worked hard , she eased others burdens and gave hope to those who were hopeless. What a blessing she was to so many and her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of others. A wonderful example of our Saviors love. Something to reach higher and aspire to as well.

 We can all be like her and others we admire here on earth, but in our own special way. Even if it's not on such a large scale as those who have gone on before us it matters. We all have unique gifts well suited to our own journey here on earth. The question is, do we choose to bless others with those gifts? I feel that these might be a few of the things we remember when the veil is lifted from our eyes. When we meet our maker at the end of this amazing journey we are all enjoying, I hope it's filled with joy at knowing we did our best.

 Just a few thoughts I had in the middle of the night here on a hobby farm in Annandale....

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