Party!

Happy Sunday!
This is out of a book called HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn and it lifted my spirit today. I was not having as much peace as God offers, so I cried out to God and He answered through this wonderful book. I hope it gives you a "lift" like it did me :)

"Imagine someone takes you to a party. You see a few friends there, enjoy conversations, laughter and decent appetizers. The party is alright, but you keep hoping it will get better. Suddenly, your friend says, "I need to take you home." NOW?
You are disappointed - nobody wants to leave a party early - but you leave and your friend drops you off at your house. As you approach the door, you are feeling all alone and sorry for yourself. As you open the door and reach for the light switch, you sense someone's there. Your heart is in your throat and you flip on the light. "Surprise!" Your house is full of smiling people, familiar faces.
It's a party - for YOU. You smell your favorites - the tables are full - it is a feast! You recognize the guests, people you have not seen for a long time. Then, one by one, the people you most enjoyed at the party show up at your house, grinning. This turns out to be the REAL party. You realize that if you stayed longer at the other party, as you'd wanted, you wouldn't be at the real party - you'd be away from it.
Christians faced with terminal illness or imminent death often feel they are leaving the party before it is over. They have to go home early. They are disappointed, thinking of all they will miss when they leave. But, the TRUTH is, the real party is underway at home - precisely where they are going. They are not the ones missing the party; those of us left behind are (fortunately, if we know Jesus, we will get there eventually).
One by one, occasionally a few of us at a time, we will disappear from this world. Those we leave behind will grieve that their loved ones have left home. In reality, however, their believing loved ones aren't leaving home, they're going home. They'll be home before us. We'll be arriving at the party a little later."
Praise the Lord!
Love you, Mary