Everyone has a timeline...

I was thinking about this after I dropped Chloe off at school this morning.  Everyone has a timeline.

My grandma entered the world in 1915.  She exited the world in 2010.  She saw 95 years.  Most people would say her "timeline" was a long one.

I entered the world in 1959.  I used to think it was cool because I was born in the 50s.  Now I think it qualifies me as old.  But in comparison to my gram, I'm not old at all.  If I lived as long as she did, I would have 42 more years!!  A lot can happen in 42 years. My grandchildren would all be in their 40s.  I would definitely have great grandchildren.

So why is it that some people have shorter "timelines?"  I guess the obvious answer is accidents, disease,  disability, poor nutrition.  Lots of reasons.  We are like cars.  You take care of the car and it lasts a long time.  Regular oil changes, tune ups, etc.  If you drive your car and never do any maintenance it will die on you faster.  Some cars are lemons.  You take care of it and it still falls apart.  What ya gonna do?

So I was thinking about it.  All of us enter the world somewhere on the continuum and exit another time.  None of us has the same experience or time here on earth.

When you get a disease and they tell you you have X number of years to live you go through a process.  Denial, anger, bargaining.  The whole gamut.  Eventually you come to acceptance.  But the thing that is hard to accept is what you will miss.  My dad passed when my granddaughter, Haven was one.  He loved her dearly.  He doesn't get to see her now as a precious 4 year old.  That's the hard part.  The being snuffed out of your family's life and not being able to be a part of their story.  Just a memory.

So why don't we regret the things that happened BEFORE we were born.  Why am I not bothered by not seeing what my mother saw as a child.  Why am I not bothered that I didn't live through the depression?  Or witness some historical thing.  Why aren't my kids worried about not being alive when a man walked on the moon?  It's funny.  We only worry about the things we are going to miss, not the things we already missed.

Sometimes your grandparent dies and you are sad because you only had them a short time.  But in reality they had 80 or 90 years.  They were here enjoying life way before you were born.  It's strange isn't it?  Am I being too philosophical?

Then there is faith.  When you die, do they bury you and end of story??  Is it the Great Sleep some refer to?  Does it not bother you because you are gone?  Does it only bother others because they miss you?  So in the faith I was raised in (Christianity) there is hope in the Lord.  You accept Jesus and when you die your soul goes to heaven.  Your earthly body (your shell) is buried or burned.  You cease to exist but your essence lives on.

We have visions of wearing white robes, having wings and a halo.  We walk around in bare feet on streets of gold.  You know your family.  You are happy beyond words.  There is no sadness.  No sickness.  You have a "glorified" body.  Ok, what in the world is a glorified body??

Why should I believe this?  I am taking Alpha at church.  It's Christianity 101.  They are going through different topics.  Was there really a Jesus?  Why did he die?  The Holy Spirit.  A lot of topics.  Every topic is proven by what the Bible says.  But so much of it doesn't make sense to me.  For what purpose did Jesus come to Earth and allow himself to be beaten and murdered beyond sense?  To take away the sins of the world?  Really God.  Was that necessary??

I guess the proof lies in the authenticity of the Bible.  Historical research shows that before the crucifixion of Christ the disciples scattered.  They didn't want to be associated with Jesus after he was arrested.  Jesus warned them but they wouldn't hear him.  After his death and resurrection all those disciples became spreaders of the Good News.  They all faced horrible deaths but would not renounce their faith in Christ.  So I guess that little piece of evidence is what it is all about.  If Christ was not raised from the dead and gave us hope of eternal life, no one would have been a martyr.  They would have said, "Hold it, it was all a ruse."  They would have saved their own lives.  I don't believe anyone would allow themselves to be murdered all for a cause that was a hoax.

So I try to erase all the hell fire and brimstone messages I got as a child.  I'm investigating this whole thing.  Is it real?  Does it make sense?  If it doesn't make sense then why should I believe it?  Faith?  Only Faith if you believe it is real and you are going to step out by Faith and believe it.

So if my timeline is cut short due to this cancer that doesn't seem to want to go.  Or if by some miracle I am able to get rid of it.  When I go, it sure would be nice to have eternal life.

But guess what?  I'm hoping heaven is more like the Black Hills or the beach.......