A wake up call

Last week's Wally's Whispers presented a high light in my month with the Lord. Everything was going right, but then life happens.

Tonight was spent at the funeral home. Pastor Rick, my predecessor at Christ Baptist, was being waked. Rick took good care of himself, exercised and dieted properly and was cutting wood when God called him home. Life can end so quickly and when the person is younger than yourself you begin to think about your own mortality.

For me, I am spiritually ready. For some time I have had my bags packed - my heart belongs in heaven, and I yearn to be with my Lord - he is my all in all. But I'm not physically ready. My will is still on my computer, yet to be notarized. There are many loose ends to consider. Who will do my funeral? Will I be buried or cremated? The questions keep coming, and Linda & I haven't taken the opportunity to talk about these final things. It just seems to morbid; until a friend unexpectedly dies. I'm not ready to die vocationally. I have a to-do list that I just can't leave undone. I love preaching and only Jesus preaches in heaven. so I got to get that out of my system here in the now, not the here-after. I have accumulated much pastoral wisdom over the years, and I would love to share that with others. Lord, I have too much to do; I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready emotionally. I love my wife, my children, my grandchildren; I'm not ready to leave them behind. To be honest, there is quite a bit of this life I would still like to experience. Lord, I'm ready but not yet-please.

I visited my doctor today - my annual physical. I'm healthy and not ready to go to heaven yet. Good. The doctor was pleased at my weight loss and took away one of my prescriptions for hypertension. Life is good. You know - I may have a lot of reasons for staying, but when the Lord calls me home I will rejoice for THEN I will be ABLE to sing with full gusto and no one will complain. The angels will rejoice; Jesus will rejoice; and my heavenly father will say, ... (I'll leave that to your imagination.

I trust these meditations were not morbid but maybe to encourage you that most believers have that I want to go to heaven but not yet attitude.