The day I met Heaven

So the other day, I came face to face with Heaven.

And, no, I didn't die.

I didn't have an accident.

I didn't have an out of body experience.

I was very much in my body.

I was very much on earth.

I met Heaven at a checkout stand.

I don't know exactly what I was expecting. You know. We all have our ideas of what heaven should look like. What it will be like when we meet Heaven.

This Heaven had Coke bottle glasses, redish hair, and was somewhat reserved, and quite shy. Heaven's name tag literally had the words, "Heaven" inscribe on them in big letters.

I couldn't help but stare.

I did a double take, and had to ask if this person's name was really, Heaven.

This person said it was, that their name was really Heaven.

This was literately my first encounter with someone's who's name was heaven.

It got me thinking, what will it be like at the checkout stand when we literally 'check out' When we gather all our stuff, and tally it up and go.

Will we stare at heaven's name tag, and wonder? Is this really it? Heaven. Right here.

I thought it would be different.

Will we be able to take with us all that we wanted to? Or will some things be obsolete.

Or will Heaven just stare out at us through coke bottle glasses, and just kind of nod. "Yep, I'm heaven."

Or will we even have to ask.

Will we be the items going though the checkout. Beep. Beep. Beep.  Birthday suit and all.

Oh, this one doesn't have a tag.

Hmm, this one's expired.

This one, oh dear, this one is damaged.

Wait.

But there's Christ who stands there, and says, "Ah, I got this. Keep coming. Grace will pay your bill, and Grace will let you pass. You just have to drop all the extra stuff keeping you from moving through, from coming into heaven. So let's checkout together."

            Heaven.

            It's right here. Standing in front of us. Inside of us. Even amid the chaos.

            It's inside the people we meet. Even the nasty ones, too. Though it's hard to see it through the clutter.

            Heaven is here every day. Every moment. Heaven is in the snow. The air that we breath, the sun on our skin. The love in our heart. It's here. Right now. And just by seeing it we can bring forth the heaven we have found.

Though the world is in turmoil right now, I hope that all of use can pause and be still just for a moment and quiet our minds, and remember to bring heaven a little closer, and love all the more fiercely. To give compassion to those who have forgotten the heaven inside themselves. Let us embody the divine that is within us, and bring grace and forgiveness to world that needs it dearly.

Heaven. It's here. Let's remember together. 

Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.