If Jesus Should Come For Me This Year

      Ready or not, He will come, someday, for each and all of us.
      If there are changes I ought to make before Jesus comes, then today is the best time to make those changes, right? I don't think you can quickly get ready for Jesus to come for you, appropriately, that is, unless you have never taken Jesus as your personal Saviour. In that case, the sooner the better for you to turn to Him.
      I would love to keep our house in a condition for company at all times, but this is not always the case nor it is it even practical at times.  We LIVE here. So if you get a notion to stop in without calling first we will welcome you no matter how the house looks. Just so, we ought to be living every day as our last day. Some days don't look so pretty, just like our house. But does that make us any less prepared for His return?
      There is also a big difference between getting company and Jesus coming. You end up re-cleaning after company no matter how perfectly the house shone before they came.  But when Jesus comes, a squeaky-clean house won't mean anything to anybody. No more cleaning. Now we're talkin'!
    Knowing Jesus could return at any moment keeps me living rightly in my relationships.  How will I be remembered?  And will the people in my life have been encouraged to live for Him by the things I have said and done?
     I remember hoping that Jesus would wait to come till after we were married.  After that it was to wait till the children are all born and raised.  We are silly, aren't we?  The glories over there are not to be compared with anything here.
     So the question doesn't motivate me to any specific list or makeovers at all. My answer is: Even so come Lord Jesus. It is all about what Jesus did already. I am banking on that.


       On the other hand: I hope to be able to be here for our children while they walk through the teen years. I want to hear all about their trials and triumphs.  I want to be part of their training team when it comes to learning how to order their lives
      I want to grow old with my husband.  We have dreams to fulfill and goals that we're walking together toward.  After the children have all flown the nest there is a life for the two of us that we plan to enjoy. If God wills.
     I have no guarantee of being able to fulfill these dreams.  Elaine and Elsie were taken home before the children were all gone and before their "couple dreams" could ever be launched.  So I realize that every moment from here on out is a gift from God and  NOW is not to be wished away in the pressing toward tomorrow's dreams.
    What would I like to do before I die? 1. Win a Newbery Medal award. 2. See Norway and Switzerland in person. 3. Get snowed in at the cabin for three days.  4. Enjoy our family and friends every minute that I have remaining.