Walking down memory lane

Today was a wonderful walk down memory lane! Here's what happened:

From 1995-1997, I was a member at Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, Tennessee. 

I can see the 3rd story windows of the Military Sunday School class I used to teach!
It's under the center overhang.

In those years, I was also the Assistant to the Military Minister. The fringe benefits that I enjoyed included sitting under the preaching ministry and leadership of Dr. Adrian Rogers while getting an insiders look at an incredible church. 

I cannot adequately express how grateful I am that God gave me those few years! Some 20 years later, I still think back on them with great fondness!

In the Spring of 1996, I began dating Kim. It didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. 

Our dating relationship was almost completely long-distance (she lived in Lexington, KY and I lived in Germantown, TN). So, when I heard that she and a singles church group were coming to Bellevue to watch the annual "Singing Christmas Tree" performance, I formulated my plan to propose to her. After the performance, we went out to see some Christmas lights. About an hour later, I came back to Bellevue's property, the front lawn was lit up with festive lights, and I knelt down beside a pond and proposed to her. I had to ask a second time because she began crying and didn't give me a "yes" quickly enough.  

She told me the next day that she didn't sleep a wink that night. Here's a picture she took with her new engagement ring:

The next day, the singles church group headed back to Lexington, KY. On the way, they saw a couch on the side of the road and decided to take a crazy picture on it. Kim is in the red sweater.

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It's hard to believe that this all happened 20 years ago! (Time flies by too quickly!)

So, today, it was surreal as I was listening to a sermon by Adrian Rogers on my podcast app as I pulled onto Bellevue's property. I was overwhelmed with wonderful memories from when I frequented this place. 

But, there was one special place I wanted to visit - the place where I knelt down to propose to Kim! They've changed the spot in the past 20 years: the road has been widened and there is now shrubbery and a waterfall near the spot. (That would have made it even more romantic 20 years ago!)

I proposed to Kim at the far left of this picture.
The trees and shrubbery weren't there 20 years ago.
There is also now a bench and a small waterfall.
I guess they are commemorating the spot where Kim said, "Yes." HA

I proposed to Kim on the other side of this tree (that wasn't there 20 years ago).
It's neat that there is now beautiful flowers and a small waterfall in this spot.

Heaven is real

Too often, we treat our life like it is the only reality. We wake up, we get ready for the day, go to school or work, come home with family, do some chores and then settle in for a night's sleep only to do it all over again the next day. It's what we experience so it is "real."

We talk about Heaven and may even say we are looking forward to being there. Yet, if we are completely honest, too many Christians treat this life as "real" while treating Heaven as something surreal, "spiritual," and foreign. Since we can't see it, hear it, or touch it, (being completely honest) it may not even seem relevant to many who claim to follow Jesus.

So, with this mindset, we settle into this life and live it as an end in itself. We may not think about laying up treasures in Heaven like Jesus told us to because we are too busy laying up treasures in our garage. We aren't consumed with living in such a way that we will hear Jesus' words of affirmation on Judgment Day because we are consumed with hearing words of affirmation from our co-workers and peers.

In 1 Peter 2:11-12, the Lord speaks directly to this propensity when He tells us to change our thinking. We are to intentionally force our minds to realize that we are only temporary residents in this life and we are on a pilgrimage to our eternal home which is more real than anything we presently experience. And as we keep our eyes focused on Heaven and the day when Jesus' will assess how we lived this life, it will motivate us to see this life as an opportunity to show others that our God is so wonderful that we gladly submit to His authority. In so doing, we will provide a powerful example to those who are watching who will also stand before Jesus one day.

1 Peter 2:11-12

"11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world."