"If I go to prepare a place for you......"

A couple of months ago, I spent over 2 hours looking up at the stars with my daughter. It was cold and it was clear, and it was cold. The only relief from the cold was the blanket we draped over our seemingly insignificant bodies, and the amazement of how many stars were out that night. We blew up the Coleman air mattress so we could have a view that only flat on your back provides. The conversation was good and so were the things that were not said. We talked about the important things in life and then we enjoyed the quiet, the peace, the calm together. The look on her face, a fraction of a second after a shooting star passed as she tried to explain to me what she saw, was unforgettable.

She snuggled deep and fell asleep, under the stars and in my arms. It was a rare moment. I enjoyed the feeling and the warmth it brought.

I fought hard not to join her slumber by refocusing my eyes on the blurry stars, making them sharp again. As I looked around I wondered why He created all of it. With so many galaxies and stars and everything else that is up there, surely earth is not the only significant part. But why is there, what role does it eventually play in his plan. I believe that He created it all for a purpose but it became clear I would not find out why on this night.

Over the past several weeks, during everday conversation, several people have brought up to me the significance of numbers, and stars and how many billions of this, and millions of that exists. The information seemed to come often and fast and only made Earth smaller, and my question larger.

Last night at Men's group, my question was answered. The session was on Heaven and went beyond the child like explanation that most of us grow up with. Beyond the choir with robes and the gates and the streets of gold. It was a great session and I am continuing to learn from it.

It's difficult to explain now that I am trying to write it out. The best way I can explain it is like this:

The Bible describes Heaven as being a place of things never imagined by man before. I believe that Heaven will validate why all of the other "stuff" besides earth is out there. Further, I believe that all of this "stuff" will play an important physical role in God's promise of "going to prepare a place" for us.