Great Expectations for Something Out of This World

I keep getting a whiff of something great.  It's just enough to keep me going, keep me searching, keep me hoping. 

It's the nights spent in sweet fellowship with girlfriends.  A stimulating conversation with a stranger.  The warmth and comfort of your loved one's arms.  A Sunday afternoon drive with a very young old soul. 

Let's be honest:  I'm chasing something I'm never going to find or fulfill- not completely.  And that is part of the tragic beauty of it all.  Yet, I refuse to believe God is a cruel, irony-laden tease.  It's just not so. 

We're made to seek out something more, and we're made to work passionately to improve the fascinating yet fallen world around us.  It's called pressing toward the mark. 

We won't be able to fully experience that high we're craving in a sustainable way this side of new heavens and a new Earth.  But I'm convinced that the more time we spend wth the Creator of all things good, the more we can taste and see here.  And it's well worth the investment.

An Ode to Girlfriends

When your nails are unkempt
And your spirits are low
I will love you

When you bail on plans and oversleep
Choose the boys over me
I won't judge you

When you drive us in circles
Ignore the GPS's heedings
I won't nag you

When you're feeling 5 pounds heavy
And you wonder if you've still got it
I'll remind you

When you need to melt down
Pitch a fit, cry and moan
I'll cry with you

When decisions press upon you
And there seem to be no answers
I'll pray for you

When you think you're all alone
That he's the only one to call
I'm here for you

When the day has been long
And the boss has been cruel
I'll wine with you

For when I was hungry
You fed me
And when I was thirsty
Gave me drink
Clothed me
Loved me
Forgave me
Took me in

- The gifts we have in girlfriends
Are the purest forms of grace
Little tastes of heaven
We must pass on to appreciate -

When life's seasons nudge us forward
And we no longer walk in stride
I'll celebrate our times and thank God for you