I Can Only Imagine

I talked to my nutritionist yesterday and he gave me a new diet to follow. Guaranteed to lose weight diet! I may have to try it but not today. I haven't even had time in a week to get on the elliptical much less think about what I have to eat.

What's up with this weather? Where did winter go? The juniper and cedar and everything else that makes a person sneeze is out in force. I put a picture of snow on my cell phone in hopes that would draw a little moisture our way.

Still and all, even with all the craziness going on here, I'm so at peace with where God has me. I can make a list of things I SHOULD be doing or things I WANT to do, but truth be told, it will either get done or not and the world will keep turning.

The main reason I started this post today was to talk about a man I've never met. His name is Oliver Foster. He was one of Reid's cousins. Oliver never progressed beyond about 6 years old. As his parents got older they made arrangements for him to be taken care of the rest of his life in a home in Stamford, Texas. His care fell to Reid's mother, and when she passed, it fell to Reid. The past few weeks Reid has been on the phone with the home, with the doctor and some of his staff at a hospital in Abilene. The decision was made to put Oliver on hospice care and he passed into the next world last night. He's to be cremated and his remains sent to Hereford, Texas. Reid and I will go there soon and have a small graveside service for him.

Although I've never met this man, I have a certain sadness about his passing. Death is that last victory that will be overcome when Jesus decides to do away with it--whenever and however that will be. We don't have any idea what it's like on the other side. We call it Heaven and we like to think it's much like our lives here only perfect. That's because we can't imagine beyond our own manner of existence on earth. Did Oliver meet, recognize and rejoice over seeing his family again? Was there a wonderment about having a clear, mature mind?

A few months ago I wrote a blog about one of Reid's relatives who watched from another realm while doctors worked to save him. He said he experienced God and a peace like he could never describe. He said it isn't what we expect? Was he in what we call Heaven? Is there more? I've read dozens of books by people who have been on the other side. They all have difficulty putting their experiences into words.

The questions of life after death have been with mankind since the Garden, and we still don't know.

What is life like for those who don't believe in an after life? I'd hate to live without knowing there's something more when I leave this life. But all I know for sure is that somewhere, somehow we will be in the actual presence of God in a way we won't know until we get there. The song says, "I can only imagine." I'm not sure I can begin to imagine, can you?