This is a very special Christmas for us. Not that I haven’t enjoyed Christmases past, but this year just has a very special. As you know, Robert and I moved to Charleston in July, marking the first time we’ve lived a significant distance from our families. We have always lived either in the same town as or a couple of towns away from our families. Each of us have been able to easily go to hospitals and birthday parties and everything in between. Until now. Now, it takes special effort and coordination to see our families. We rely more on FaceTime and email, make more phone calls and send more text messages. That’s why Christmas is more special this year, because it’s like a mini-reunion.

You tend to take for granted the time you have together when you always have it. You don’t look forward to it as much because you’re entrenched in it already. The separation of the last six months has made this Christmas much more highly anticipated!

As I reflect on this anticipation, I can’t help but think about heaven. My family is there! My Father and Savior are there right this very second. My spiritual brothers and sisters are awaiting the judgment in paradise, experiencing joy! It makes me long to go there – to be reunited with my Maker and see my Substitute face to face.

Here are a few thoughts (for whatever they’re worth) on heaven and Christmas. Take them or leave them, as usual. =)

I wouldn’t long for heaven if my family (and priorities) were somewhere else. I love Europe and travel and everything else, but I wouldn’t want to go there for Christmas because that’s not where my family is. My family is in Alabama and Tennessee, and that’s where I want to be for Christmas. If my priorities were on this earth, why would I long for heaven? Maybe asking ourselves how much we long for heaven will help us understand (and rearrange) our priorities.

I wouldn’t want to go to heaven if I never thought about or stayed in touch with heaven. There are countless people who don’t spend the holidays with their families. Those people are usually estranged, so throughout the year they have no relationship. Why then would they want a relationship at Christmas? The same could be said for us. If we are estranged from God throughout our lifetime, what makes us think we are going to just end up going to heaven when this life is over? Instead, if we’ve kept in touch with heaven (praying to our Father who is there), we’ll be connected, and He’ll be anticipating our arrival, too.

I wouldn’t long for heaven if earth was perfect. The trials and pain we go through on this earth make heaven seem all the sweeter, don’t they? I am thankful I get to experience hard things, because even though they hurt, they draw me closer to God, and help me focus more on where I want to be for eternity.

I am excited for a time of reunion with my family tomorrow and Thursday and Friday. However, I am much more excited about the reunion I will have with my Father in heaven one day. There will be no pain, no crying, no sin. Only my spiritual family, forever, enjoying worship and song and love as the ages roll by.