Crash the Future

So Charlotte took her first watercolor class on Monday afternoon and this was her first work in that class. It is a field with a tree "like we have in Alaska" (a birch tree). It's night time so the moon is out (apparently she got the moon so round by placing a piece of tape over the paper, painting, and then removing the tape.) You can see mountains in the background, past the treeline. And there's a pumpkin in the left foreground. I must say that I truly am blown away by my 5 year old daughter's painting! Sarah sat in on the class, and apparently Charlotte painted this with little to no help. So aside from the fact that I'm a proud father braggin on his daughter, why am I posting this picture?

Sarah and I had a conversation a day or two ago about heaven. And in this conversation we were discussing what things may continue in heaven. As we were talking, I came to the realization that much of the beautiful, inspirational things we humans do are actually in response to sin and death, and would therefore not be practiced in heaven. For instance, the medic who dies while treating a wounded friend and sheltering him from enemy fire with his own body... the relief worker who works day and night tending to battered refugees... the firefighters heading up the Twin Towers to save those trapped inside... the parent who goes without to ease her child's hunger... any number of things... Really, think about it, what use will heroism be in heaven? Will we really still experience self-sacrifice? So many of the things that we find inspirational in the lives of people will cease to be experienced.

Some things will likely remain.

Art.

Music.

Exploration.

Learning.

Gardening.

Things that simply revel in the beauty of God and the creation He has made! And when I look at my daughter's painting I recall her insistance that she does not want to be an artist... she IS an artist! And she wants to "make the world a more beautiful place with my art." And I look at her art and I think about her commenting on the beauty of the sunset the other night, her desire to soak up every ounce of Creation her senses will allow, her hunger to learn and understand the way the world works, the song in her heart oozing out all day long in whistles, hums, and little dances, and I think of how she just loves to get her hands dirty nurturing the little bits of Creation around her, saving tadpoles and watering plants. And when I think of all this I am actually overcome with a sense of wonder and joy at the great glory of our God! And I cannot wait for the day when we finally see the Creator face to face, and there will be no more need for heroism or sacrifice, and I can simply enjoy these simple yet profound pleasures with my daughter, rejoicing in the glory of the Creator for all time! That will be a wonderful day!