something far greater

Mountains and sunsets and friendships and new countries and fresh fallen snow. These things are all spectacular. True wonders that make my heart sing. They make my heart sing because they are great gifts from God, because he delights to show us his grandeur and splendor. But there is something far greater than all this that we have to look forward to: walking through the pearly gates of heaven to meet our Creator, our Savior, our God.

"but our citizenship is in heaven. and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

philippians 3:20-21

We are called to yearn for heaven. And I don't think I take that as seriously as I should. Sometimes life just gets goin' and I forget to have an eternal perspective. Living in a foreign country has helped me slow down and think about that a little more. My life here is similar in many ways to my life back home. There are heartbreaks and hurt feelings, homework and 8:30 AM classes, temptations and many, many lessons to be learned. There are people that need love, and people who wonderfully shower love on me.

"He has set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." 

ecclesiastes 3:11

My main thought here is this: I am striving to enjoy the gifts that God has placed in my life, while also remembering that everything on this earth is only temporary. One day we will be united with Jesus and it will be perfect. In fact, that's the only time we can expect perfection. Until then, I think I'll continue to spend as much time in the mountains and trying new things as I can because that is how I feel the absolute closest to God.

p.s.- I found my new favorite cereal!!!! slightly obsessed...this is why I arise in the morning for my 8:30 AM class.