A Heavenly Anniversary
Anniversaries. These are days that mark special times in our lives and our nation that we celebrate or commemorate something or someone. Some of these dates we anticipate with excitement and pleasure, other days, not so much . Dates that were once marked with happy times are remembered by broken vows or unfulfilled dreams while other dates become unpleasant reminders of horrific magnitude. We don't like to be reminded of days filled with sadness or devastation that changed what once was. One thing is for certain, these dates are unavoidable. Days on the calendar can't be erased. We have to go through each day that we're given, but we can try to change the way we respond to them. Whether the event is scheduled or yet unknown, until it happens determines its individual significance. For instance, the infamous 9/11 date. If that happened to be your wedding anniversary and you lost your spouse or he was severely injured, that day has taken on a different meaning and is now seared in your mind not just as the day you married, but the day your life changed in a completely different way.
October 6, was just another day to me until I married and I added my father-in-laws birthday to my calendar. However, in 2014 that all changed when my oldest son passed from this life to the next. This date was one of those unscheduled unknowns. I mean if you've lived long enough you know unpleasant things will happen, but you just don't know what will happen or when the trouble will come. Another thing is for certain, God's Word promises trouble will come (John 16:33). That's why we must be prepared so we're able to withstand the heavy storms of life (see post "When The Storm Hits").
God's Word says take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). As year two comes to a close, my mind naturally turns to thoughts of reliving unpleasant memories. Satan, the adversary, accuser, and father of lies, who masquerades himself as an angel of light would like nothing better than to cause me despair. But, my faith and hope is found in nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, therefore by the Power of the Holy Spirit working in my life, I am more than a conqueror and must quickly change my negative thoughts into positive, God focused thoughts. Today, that "SAME POWER" will equip me to renew my thinking, Yes, I'm separated temporarily from him and my heart still aches, but I will look at this day as the day of Clark David's heavenly anniversary, year two. Only God knows how much longer we all will have to endure the hardships of life on this Earth, but in Christ, it's only for a little while longer (1 Peter 1:6). I'm choosing to celebrate this heavenly anniversary as the day "THE GOD OF ANGEL ARMIES BY HIS SIDE", escorted him into glory to forever be with his Savior. God's angels lead him to WHERE THE LIGHT IS and carried him into the arms of Jesus. I see him dressed in white, every wrong made right,...oh so PRICELESS and FLAWLESS!
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, God has put many messages on my heart that I pen for my family and want to share with you about the ways He has comforted me. So today, I want to share a story that happened about two years ago that I hope gives you a new pleasant memory. When I posted, "Return to Glory" last year it became way too lengthy (I have so much to say I could write a book) to include so I saved it to share today.
God used Clark David's love for Alabama football to send me a message last year. When basketball season arrived, much to my amazement God gave me another message of comfort. This time it was Clark David's love of basketball. He was fascinated with LeBron James. He followed him whether he was a Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers player. People from the previous generation tried to tell Clark David that Michael Jordan was the best, but there was never any convincing him of that. In 2014, the Sports Illustrated cover title read, "I'm Coming Home." LeBron announced that he was leaving the Heat and returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Clark David wasn't here October 30, 2014 to watch the most hyped homecoming since Odysseus sneaked into his palace again (article courtesy of New York Times). It was the most anticipated season in the team's history as they hosted the New York Knicks. LeBron stared out at the fans in pregame and went Dorothy on them: "There's no place like home." If you're a fan, it was an event not to be missed. The next morning, as I was exiting the kitchen to take his brother and sister to school, just 25 days after he left us, I stopped in my stride as I heard the morning news say about LeBron, "The prodigal has returned home." His favorite basketball team, his favorite basketball star, LeBron, had returned back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instantly, I repeated, "the prodigal has returned home" (thinking of the irony of that statement). Indeed, the Lord's PRODIGAL was Home. My prodigal. As I prayed for Clark David the last time the morning of October 6th, I asked the Lord a bold prayer request. I just never would've thought it would turn out the way it did. I know the Lord answered my prayer! It just wasn't what I ever expected. God reminds me, it's not about what I have planned, but what God allows for me which is best. Yes, it was sin, like any other sin, for Clark David to take his life, but God doesn't categorize sin. All sin, in Christ, is covered under His BLOOD, past, present, and future. I wanted the prodigal son Bible story, but God allowed a different plan. His days were numbered no matter what and nothing could thwart that (Job 14:5). Clark David did come back, one final time. I believe he was drawn back to his earthly home not because of what it was, but because of what it represented. Unconditional love, comfort, a place of his own, safety, and rest. Sounds a bit like Heaven to me. He is in his permanent HOME! And I'm confident he would say, "There's no place like Home."
Like I mentioned, this story happened almost two years ago. So, I bought a new book July of this year called "Angels" by my favorite pastor, Jack Graham and in September I finished reading it. I knew I liked this man. He had similar thoughts of mine. I was so surprised to read the final few pages of the book and see in bold, "We All Just Want to Go Home." Here's what he wrote:
As I've mentioned in earlier posts, God has put many messages on my heart that I pen for my family and want to share with you about the ways He has comforted me. So today, I want to share a story that happened about two years ago that I hope gives you a new pleasant memory. When I posted, "Return to Glory" last year it became way too lengthy (I have so much to say I could write a book) to include so I saved it to share today.
God used Clark David's love for Alabama football to send me a message last year. When basketball season arrived, much to my amazement God gave me another message of comfort. This time it was Clark David's love of basketball. He was fascinated with LeBron James. He followed him whether he was a Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers player. People from the previous generation tried to tell Clark David that Michael Jordan was the best, but there was never any convincing him of that. In 2014, the Sports Illustrated cover title read, "I'm Coming Home." LeBron announced that he was leaving the Heat and returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Clark David wasn't here October 30, 2014 to watch the most hyped homecoming since Odysseus sneaked into his palace again (article courtesy of New York Times). It was the most anticipated season in the team's history as they hosted the New York Knicks. LeBron stared out at the fans in pregame and went Dorothy on them: "There's no place like home." If you're a fan, it was an event not to be missed. The next morning, as I was exiting the kitchen to take his brother and sister to school, just 25 days after he left us, I stopped in my stride as I heard the morning news say about LeBron, "The prodigal has returned home." His favorite basketball team, his favorite basketball star, LeBron, had returned back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instantly, I repeated, "the prodigal has returned home" (thinking of the irony of that statement). Indeed, the Lord's PRODIGAL was Home. My prodigal. As I prayed for Clark David the last time the morning of October 6th, I asked the Lord a bold prayer request. I just never would've thought it would turn out the way it did. I know the Lord answered my prayer! It just wasn't what I ever expected. God reminds me, it's not about what I have planned, but what God allows for me which is best. Yes, it was sin, like any other sin, for Clark David to take his life, but God doesn't categorize sin. All sin, in Christ, is covered under His BLOOD, past, present, and future. I wanted the prodigal son Bible story, but God allowed a different plan. His days were numbered no matter what and nothing could thwart that (Job 14:5). Clark David did come back, one final time. I believe he was drawn back to his earthly home not because of what it was, but because of what it represented. Unconditional love, comfort, a place of his own, safety, and rest. Sounds a bit like Heaven to me. He is in his permanent HOME! And I'm confident he would say, "There's no place like Home."
Like I mentioned, this story happened almost two years ago. So, I bought a new book July of this year called "Angels" by my favorite pastor, Jack Graham and in September I finished reading it. I knew I liked this man. He had similar thoughts of mine. I was so surprised to read the final few pages of the book and see in bold, "We All Just Want to Go Home." Here's what he wrote:
In the summer of 2014, LeBron James stunned the sports world with his announcement that he was leaving the Miami Heat --which he had led to two NBA championship titles -and was heading back to his hometown of Cleveland, where he'd spent seven seasons prior to heading to South Beach. At the press conference he held on the eve of his first season there, he'd intimated he was going to spend a very long time in Florida, that he and teammates Dwayne (D Wade as Clark David called him) Wade and Chris Bosh were going to win not three, four, or even five championships, but many, many more. Analysts believed the "big three," as they were called, were still poised to do just that, even as LeBron started packing his bags. In an open letter he released to announce his rationale for heading back to Cleveland, James wrote, "I have two boys, and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn't going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy."
The short answer as to why a superstar would leave the very team that would net him the most future victories, and in the shortest amount of time, is this: That superstar wanted to go home.
Surely at some level, you and I can relate. We know what it's like to be on an extended trip and then to be reunited with our pillow, our bed: It feels so good to be home. We know what it's like to fall into the embrace of loved ones we haven't seen for quite some time: It feels good to be home. . .
We're all trying to find our way home, aren't we? We're all sojourners making our way home.
We all long for the sun to sink, as the old hymn goes, and the race to be declared run, for the strongest trials to have passed and for our triumph to have begun. "Oh, come, angel band!" our hearts cry out, "come and around me stand. Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings to my eternal home." which is exactly what the heavenly host will do, if we believe Luke 16. There we find a beggar named Lazarus who lived his earthly life covered in sores, and yet who, upon his death, was escorted to Heaven by an angelic accompaniment supplied by God (v.22).
When we breathe our last breath--and we will--and we speak our final words--which we will--and we say good-bye to this world, we can be assured that God's glorious angels will deliver us right to His side. Death has no hold on the believer! We will live in His presence,accompanied by the saints and angels for all eternity.
I have made it through year two! It's hard to describe, but what seems like just moments ago he left sometimes seems like so long. It hasn't been easy, but Jesus never promised this life would be. He has promised me His Holy Spirit would be my Comforter and Helper though and He is by my side. He hasn't failed me and because I know He doesn't lie, withholds no good thing, and all His promises are true, He won't fail me ever (Psalm 84:11). Two years isn't a long time in the scope of eternity, but when someone you love is gone it is. Do I miss him? Terribly, but would I trade how God has been glorified and how it has changed my relationship with Him? No! This time of great testing God has allowed me to journey through has taught me about where my focus should be and what I should be doing while I wait. The longing for my son is changing more every day to the longing for my heavenly Father. The many tears have washed MY EYES AND OPENED THEM to see more clearly. Everything is about God and His Kingdom! Scripture mentions many verses about Heaven and thinking on heavenly things. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2) and storing up for yourselves treasures in Heaven not on Earth (Matthew 6:20). I've heard it said before, "Those that are so heavenly focused are of no earthly good." When I first heard that, I was confused. Why would the Bible mention Heaven so much if we weren't supposed to think about it? Maybe it's because many churches these days don't talk about where believers are going or sing about Heaven enough and our minds become desensitized, therefore think less about it. So, just last week I heard a radio broadcast and the pastor was giving a message on Heaven. After mentioning the very quote I had heard about Heaven he then said, "I disagree with that statement. It should be stated, "Those that are the most heavenly focused are the most earthly good." His message helped me understand we have to change our way of thinking. When we change our perspective to God's perspective we see more clearly what our purpose on this Earth is. We must be about our Father's mission and tell others what He has done for us, He can and will do for them too!
So you can say Jesus is...
Highlighted or capitalized words are links to my story through song.
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