The Ice Cream Tastes Better in Heaven

Two days ago as I was driving into town for an appointment with my midwife, I was thinking about heaven. If you know me at all, you know that heaven is my favorite topic to think about, read about, sing about, pray about, talk about, etc. So it wasn't so unusual for me to be thinking about heaven; but on this particular day I was thinking about how soon I might be going to heaven, my thoughts being fueled by some persistent headaches I've been having and my paranoia about a brain tumor! (I get this paranoid nature from my dad...according to family legend, when he was a student in medical school, as he learned about each new disease, he became convinced that he was afflicted with that particular one!...how he turned into such an easy-going doctor, I'm not sure...when I told him about my headaches, he said it could be caffeine withdrawal or stress; he didn't even mention a brain tumor!)

But I digress...

As I was thinking about heaven, I thought, "What would I like to do before I go to heaven?" And I thought, "I don't think I have enough time to do everything I want to do before I die! I haven't read all the books I want to read, I haven't heard (and played) all the music I want to experience, I haven't had all the conversations with people that I would like to have, I haven't eaten all the ice cream I would like to taste."

One of my fundamental beliefs about life here on earth and life to come in heaven is that the things that are good here on earth are copies of things in heaven. I believe there is a lot of fore-shadowing present in the Bible and present in creation. For example, just as the tabernacle system was a forerunner of Christ, perhaps the music here on earth is just a forerunner for the music of heaven.

I realized that even if I knew that death was at my doorstep, I wouldn't need to cram into my life a variety of experiences that I was afraid of missing on earth. I wouldn't have to make a last-minute trip to Ireland because I bet the view of Ireland from heaven is pretty amazing. I wouldn't have to eat all my favorite kinds of ice cream, because I'm sure the ice cream of heaven is beyond comprehension. (I also wouldn't go on a diet during my last days on earth because I would enjoy having all my favorite foods one last time, but you get the picture!) And can you imagine what the libraries in heaven must be like??? I relish the thought of pulling out a book, curling up in a chair, and reading to my heart's content when I get to heaven. Maybe the books will be interactive, almost like a DVD--maybe they will transport us to the event. I've always wanted to, in a sense, watch a "video recording" of some of the incredible events of Biblical history--the parting of the Red Sea, the resurrection of Jesus, creation itself, etc. Maybe I'll get to do that in heaven!

Obviously, no one knows exactly how heaven will be--whether animals will be there, what we will do all the time, even if there will actually be ice cream. But how inspiring and elevating for our thinking to imagine the possibilities!