Happy Heavenly Birthday!

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

Isaiah 6:1-4

It was 5 years ago today, oddly on a Monday, that I was awoken after a fitful night of semi-sleep by the stinging ring of the phone at 5:30 am. I was not surprised, but rather felt a rush of relief run over me, while at the same time great sadness. We'd been anticipating this moment for days, weeks, months.... possibly even a couple years. It was the hospital informing us that my father had finally passed from this earthly life into a new realm, known only to us by a few vivid pictures revealed to prophets and followers of Christ - heaven.

My father, by earthly measure, is but a babe walking the streets of gold, sitting at the feet of Christ, joined by those who have gone on ahead of him. While he is so young up there, I marvel to think of the knowledge gained in the first moment in His presence, the peace, the health, the love that must be in that place. The awe, the reverence, the sensory overload. When I think of my dad in heaven I am overwhelmed by the "thing" that was done for me so that I might someday join him. I am filled with humility, thankfulness and every kind of emotion towards a God who chooses to pursue each and every one of His creations to be reconciled through the gift of His son on the cross.

February 22 was my dad's earthly birthday, and while I'll always remember that day, this one is far more important to me now. It's the day we made a very important deposit in Heaven, when our earthly hearts broke and set in place a heavenly mindset unlike I've ever owned before. I would love to have my father here with me again, but in my heart I understand that we were created for an even higher purpose and plan than I can fathom. I cannot attest to the fading memory others have spoken of because for me my father is as clear a memory as if he were still here! His memory now offers me a hope and a future in a place far better than here.

1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Revelation 4