"In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may be also."
John 14: 2-3
Only Glimpses
Laurel knew she was dying. Over the
weeks, we often talked about heaven
~ what it would look like and how it
would be to live there. It seemed we
always ended up crying and then
holding each other tight in gentle
hugs of hope. The hardest part was
trying to imagine something we had
never seen ~ something about which
we knew only a little. And then I
remembered this story . . .
There was once a young girl with
blonde hair and deep blue eyes, who
had been blind since birth. When she
was twelve, the doctor's were able
to perform a new type of surgery
that, if successful, would give her
the gift of sight. The outcome would
not be known for several days. After
the bandages were removed, her eyes
had to be protected from the light.
So she sat in darkness, waiting.
The mother spent long hours
answering her daughter's questions
about what things looked like and
what she should expect. They were
both so excited about the
possibility of being able to see
that neither of them slept much.
Over and over, even in the darkness,
they talked about every lovely thing
they could imagine ~ colors, shapes,
beauty of every kind.
Finally, the moment came when the
young girl's eyes could endure
enough light for her to look out the
window. She stood there for a long
time without saying a word. Outside,
the spring day was ideal. Bright sun
and warm fluffy clouds decorated the
sky. Lacy blossoms sprinkled to the
ground like pink snow as soft
breezes stirred the cherry trees.
Yellow crocuses proudly lined the
brick walkway.
When the girl turned back to her
mother, tears were streaming down
her cheeks. "Oh Mother. Why didn't
you tell me it would be so
beautiful?"
After sharing this story with my
friend, tears filling my own eyes, I
said to her, "Laurel, right now
we're sitting in the darkness, but
before long, you will be asking God
that very same question."
~Author Known To God~
Thanks to a very dear friend (Sandy)
for this beautiful story.
Mansion Over The Hilltop
(Words & Music by Ira Stamphill)
I'm satisfied with just a cottage
below
A little silver and a little gold
But in that city where the ransomed
will shine
I want a gold one that's silver
lined
I've got a mansion just over the
hilltop
In that bright land where we'll
never grow old
And some day yonder we will never
more wander
But walk on streets that are purest
gold
Don't think me poor or deserted or
lonely
I'm not discouraged I'm heaven bound
I'm but a pilgrim in search of the
city
I want a mansion, a harp and a crown
I've got a mansion just over the
hilltop
In that bright land where we'll
never grow old
And some day yonder we will never
more wander
But walk on streets that are purest
gold
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