Pizza on the Other Side

Last night Matt took me out to eat at a restaurant here in town called “Moose’s Tooth“. It is a local favorite. If you come to visit us we will definitely take you there! We order the Avalanche pizza that had chicken, bacon, pepperoni, provolone, cilantro, black olives, parsley and barbeque sauce on it. Matt and I are huge fans of pizza. On our first date we went to Oregano’s in Phoenix and had pizza and wings…since that night I think pizza and wings has become one of our favorite “eat out” meals. Anyway. This pizza tonight was the perfect blend of spiciness, barbeque and amazing pizza dough.

So I know it seems lame to have a blog about the pizza Matt and I had for dinner…but there is a point to it. As we ate, Matt asked me if I thought we would eat in heaven. So, we discussed what we thought heaven would be like for a while. I said that I used to think, when I was little, that being in a place where all we did was sit around and worship God would be boring and I just knew that there was no way that is what heaven would be like. I just knew that heaven would be hanging out with friends and family playing card games, basketball, forty-two, eating and watching college football. But now I could think of nothing better than to be in the presence of God and worship Him continually. What an amazing thing that would be. I still don’t know what heaven will be like, but I so look forward to being in the presence of my King. While we were talking about heaven I, of course, began thinking of Ty. And I began to wonder, what is Tyler doing now? What is heaven like for him? Is heaven going to be different for each of us based upon our own perceptions of things? Is it going to be a place where we recognize one another and know those that we knew and loved here on earth? Are we even going to care about those things, or are we going to be so consumed with worshiping God that everything else seems insignificant? Or, since God is a relational God and since the relationships we have with brothers and sisters in Christ now are so important to our relationship with God, are they still going to be something special in heaven? These were the questions that Matt and I discussed and wondered about as we ate dinner. We did not come to any conclusions. But I do know that I wish I knew what Ty was up to in heaven. I know that he is happier, more peaceful, and more joyful than he could ever be here on earth. And I know that it is only sweet bliss in every way for him. But I still wonder and want to know. It is strange that even though I do not want him to be sad or to have the burdens of this earth again, I do selfishly wish he were back here with me. I am sometimes so torn because I so desperately want to see him and want him to be here with me, but I also know that he is in such a better place than this earth that is full of only temporary and fleeting pleasures.

“Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes…..He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” -Revelation 7:16-17, 21:4

I love the Lord because he hears my voice, and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!” How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth! I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.” What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord
in the presence of all his people. The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. -Psalms 116

I bet this is about what Tyler's expression was when he met Jesus in heaven. I bet he was rejoicing. I just love this picture of Ty. His laugh was amazing! I miss his laugh.