In Earth Years our four adult children, their spouses, and our grandchildren will very soon be gathering to celebrate Loren’s 10th-Year-in-Heaven-Birthday (..his 70th Birthday in Earth Years). This will be the 10th Remembrance-of-Him-on-his-Birthday. At his upcoming party we will (as always) be eating his favorite cake and his favorite ice cream…and I’m sure his favorite foods for the meal. The 10th year of celebrating his Birthday without him carries bittersweet-ness. I’ve learned by now to accept the heart twinges.

To continue the topic of TIME, this abbreviated version of Scripture from the Holy Bible is speaking to me more than ever:

Eccleacstics 3: 1-8 “To everything there is a season. A time to be born. A time to die. A time to plant..etc….kill, heal, break down, build up, weep, laugh, mourn, dance, cast away stones, embrace, refrain from embracing….A time to get, to lose, to keep, to cast away, to rend, to sew, to keep silence, to speak, to love, to hate, a time of war, a time of peace.”

Loren and I were both familiar with this passage. We both grew up hearing and memorizing these Scriptures at church. Back to the TIME of year 2015…. On the one hour drive to the graveyard to bury my uncle, Loren excitedly told me about the TIME he spent discussing TIME with the preacher at the meal after the Funeral. Loren told me he had never clearly seen how God had created EARTHLY TIME specifically for Humans….how Humans NEEDED a measurement of TIME…whereas God doesn’t….God has lived in eternity and had lived in the absence of TIME. It was at Creation where God set TIME into motion…”on the first day God created…on the second day God created…”.

In Earth Years, weeks later my brother Dennis was once again flying to Oregon. This TIME for Loren’s Memorial Service. Dennis spoke about Loren’s “TIME CONVERSATION” with the Pastor at my uncle’s Funeral. This felt like a current evaluation of Loren’s spiritual interest.

9 years later, I STILL REALLY LIKE TIME MEASUREMENTS in Earth Years. The thought of living in Eternity without a gauge:

1. It scatters me emotionally.
   • I use TIME for getting to work on TIME
   • Getting to church on TIME
   • TIME to play piano in the worship set
   • TIME to sit and listen to the Pastor speak
   • TIME to mow the lawn every week
   • TIME to watch my favorite TV shows
   • TIME to take my medications
   • TIME for grand kids to come visit
2. I like TIME MANAGEMENT.
3. Most days I live by my Planner.
4. My Planner helps me feel like I have control in a world where I felt like all order and control was lost for the first few years.
5. Without a spouse to help navigate the world of necessary order of scheduling repairs and maintenance I depend upon Planners.

I know Eternity in Heaven with Jesus has a presented ambiance of peace, joy and relaxation.

Lord, is it OK for me to be transparent and say that I hope there’s far more to Eternity in Heaven than continuous worship and ongoing reunions?

In addition, ongoing “Eternal Rest” is not enticing…at least at this phase in my Earth Years here on Earth. People who are cut from the same cloth will understand this. 🙂

I’ve enjoyed a life of purpose here on earth. I lived in purpose as a single young woman. I lived in purpose as a married woman. I now choose to live a life of purpose as a once-again-single but-definitely-older woman. Who knows, maybe the day will come when the Eternal Rest idea sounds amazing!? Maybe I’ll be thrilled to give up the comforts of TIME?