Dad would’ve loved this record-breaking winter. Not that he enjoyed the cold and snow, but he was always up for a challenge.
He would have gone out every day just to prove he could. Level 3 snow emergency – ha! That wouldn’t keep him parked. -40° wind chill – ha! That just meant putting on the lined jacket.
Then he’d call to tell me about the brutal cold, the deep snow, how many cars he’d seen in the ditch, how much he slid around, and how well he handled the icy slick roads. And if he fell on the ice, he’d tell me about that, too.
That was the “old normal”… knowing dad would be pushing the limit, and waiting for the phone to ring in the evening so he could tell all about it.
The “new normal” is talking about dad in the past tense. The “new normal” is not getting a call from him. The “new normal” is realizing the finality of death.
That may be our new normal, but it surely isn’t dad’s!
What is dad’s “new normal”? Can it even be called “normal”? Is there anything “normal” about being in the visible presence of Jesus every moment? Of continual praise? Of ceaseless joy? Of pure love? Of a sinless existence? Can we begin to imagine? I don’t think so…
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9
What do we know about heaven? We know it’s real. We know that Jesus is there. We know that those who trust in Him will be with Him in heaven when they leave their physical bodies.
“…as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord” – 2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV
“I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” – Philippians 1:23 NIV
We know that we will recognize each other. We know we don’t become angels. We know we remain ourselves.
Can we be sure that we will go to heaven? Yes! The glorious truth is that when we trust our salvation entirely to Jesus and the work He accomplished on the cross, our eternity is secure.
Trusting Jesus means we recognize that it is not about how good we are, but about how bad we are. We must admit that there is nothing good in us. Nothing. Not 80%, not 50%, not 10%, but 0%. We ask Jesus to save us from the sin that enslaves us 100%. We ask Him to enter into our person and live His life through us. We surrender to Him, and then we are saved. From that moment on, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. It is God who saves us, secures our salvation, and brings us to heaven.
“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy…” – Jude 24, NIV
Dad would’ve loved this winter… but I’m sure it can’t touch how much he loves the Springtime of eternity!
Marcia Furrow 
Lovely.. Great way to start the day, as usual, with your words of inspiration.
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Thanks, Lisa, 🙂
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Thank you for this reminder Marcia.
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You’re welcome, Ashley. I imagine your mom is living life to the fullest these days, also!
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I can your Dad doing just what you said. Wonderful way to start the day.
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Yep! Thank you, Rachel 🙂
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Nice job. Love the closing picture of Big Jim. B
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Yep, makes me smile!
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Awww…..love it! What encouraging and wonderful thoughts of your dad and the joys of heaven! Love his smile and laugh!
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Thank you, Cheryl. Miss him terribly, but love thinking of him alive!
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I understand the heartache. So good to remember he is alive! Blessings to you!
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Do we ever get used to the new life without our parents or anyone we’ve loved.
I remember my sons taking a walk to a nearby river. It seems like everytime they walked one of my sons would have a dried snake skin on the stick. And ofcourse they would always say got another one. By the way Marcia I’m dating a friend of your dads and we attended your dad’s funeral together.
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Ooooh, can’t wait to chat privately! I’m sure you have lots you could share with me 🙂 Blessings Marcia
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Wonderful tribute to you dad!! I often think of my parents living in Heaven too!! I try to imagine what Heaven must be like but I know I have only touch the surface of how great it is!!!!! What a day that will be when we get to be there!!!!
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Janet, I’m sure it will be so spectacularly wonderful… One day…..
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Love you and your posts!
Have a great “winter” weekend. Funny, I miss your daddy too. Wish I had known him, but will have a chance after I am done worshipping Jesus. Okay maybe since I can’t imagine stopping, we can do it together. 😉
Hugs, Carol
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Carol — we will all sing together!
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Beautifully stated! What a picture of heaven! Love your Dad’s huge laughing smile. 🙂
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Thanks, Barb! Love you!
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I loved the pictures of your dad and mom and your boys and I enjoyed reading your devotional as I always do. Another passage I was reminded of is this one about Knowing we will have Eternal Life, 1John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, so that you may Know that you have Eternal Life.”
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Sandy, I just revisited this blog, as my dads birthday is Friday. Thank you for your sweet comments.
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