Waiting . . . still!

As I write this there are about 100 students outside my door. They're jumping around on one of those huge inflatable deals you rent for your kid's birthday party. Killing time before the Superbowl, they're watching Michael W. Smith videos, playing foosball, talking to each other and pointing to the girls (or the guys) and whispering - pretty much exactly what you would expect them to be doing.

There is one kid who is not here.

My son, Jonah, is not yet old enough to attend the annual 'Bowl Bash. Oh, he pleaded with me and Mrs. Pastor. He begged. He implored. None of it worked. We've heard it all before from his older brother and sister. For years they too asked to come in spite of being "too young." This event is reserved for Jr. High and Sr. High students, and so each of them had to wait their turn. Abby and Caleb did it, and so Jonah is experiencing the same thing they did: the pain of waiting.

Of course, the waiting makes the actual event that much more sweet. Two years from now, when Jonah is finally able to watch "the game" (with the Colts winning, hopefully) it will be for him a sweet reward.

I sometimes think that is why we have to wait on Heaven. Earth's toil makes the reality of eternal bliss much more sweet.

Until then, I'll wait. Sometimes impatiently, but waiting nevertheless, in the knowledge that at the end of that wait is a sweet reunion with Jesus and those who've "graduated" this earth and are waiting for me in the next.