ANTICIPATION!

I had figured I’d be pretty despondent when I returned. After more than two weeks away, I thought I’d dread coming back. It would be depressing, I expected. The end of Christmas and New Year celebrations. Away from family and friends. Far from (what still technically is) “home.” No more sunshine! No more basking in the 70s! I predicted a dispiriting and disheartening flight back to Aberdeen earlier this month. But I was wrong.

There was an ebullience in my heart and all my 158 lbs were borne with a lightness of step, lofted by a blithe spirit, giddied by an anticipating mind.

Anticipation? Indeed!

Anticipation brought about by good news! I would be heading back to the U.S. just about three weeks after I returned to Scotland post-Christmas: my erstwhile dermatology associate wanted me to fill in for him in Dallas for the week straddling the last days of January and the early part of February. So I would be going home … again … soon. And I am! This week!

(Talk about a long commute to work: 10,000 miles RT!)

The anticipation of that upcoming trip, made these last 3+ weeks hurtle by in quadruple time! I was going home! The ardent expectation of that trip made those December goodbyes in Dallas easy and these days in Aberdeen transitory. That’s what “going home” can do for you!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in.
Dreary skies? Phooey! I couldn’t care less. I was going home. Where …

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight!
Yup! That’s Texas, y'all!

It’s pouring outside. And I …

I'm singing in the rain; Just singing in the rain;
I'm laughing at clouds So dark up above
The sun's in my heart And I'm ready for love.
(Well, maybe not that last part!)

But you get the picture: I’m headed home!

Praise Him, ye stormy winds that blow,
Ye fire and hail, ye rain and snow.
Fine with me. The Scots can keep all of it—storm, wind, fire, hail, rain, and snow.

Sun and moon, rejoice before him;
Praise Him, all ye stars and light.
Now we Texans can handle that!

Then I began to think …

If a brief one-week trip can do this to me—make me lighthearted, blithe, and giddy—I wondered what the anticipation of an eternity in heaven could do to lighten up my (few and thankfully brief) days here on earth? Am I that wistful and wishful about my real Home? Am I equally enthusastic and exuberantly passionate about heaven? Am I waiting eagerly?

For I consider that
the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared
with the glory
that is to be revealed to us.
For the anxious longing of the creation
waits eagerly
for the revealing of the sons of God.
Romans 8:19

… even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting eagerly
for our adoption as sons,
the redemption of our body.
Romans 8:23

… if we hope for what we do not see,
with perseverance
we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:25

RESOLVED: To think about and anticipate—wait eagerly for—heaven at least once a day, every day! After all, I’m going Home! I ain’t got long to stay here!