Together
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)
My grandmother was a really special person. She had a lot of pain and a lot of frustration from Parkinson’s, but managed to stay positive. She was determined when she wanted something, and told me she was a daredevil when she was a girl. She went to college for the first time when she was forty and I kept her diploma on my dresser while I was back in school for a second degree. She was encouraging and she was accepting. She was funny and she made you feel special. I spent a lot of time staying at my mom’s parents and it was a lot of fun, but staying with Grandmother was different. I think one way to explain it is that she let me grow up. To Grandma and Grandpa I was “Little Susan” even into my 30’s, but not at Grandmother’s.
My Granddad had been a telegrapher for the Santa Fe Railroad, and they decided that we should experience the passenger trains before they were gone. They took my oldest cousin by himself, and then took my sister and my other cousin together. After Pa-Pa died she took me by myself. We rode the bus from Amarillo to Albuquerque, New Mexico and then boarded the bus to Raton. We met the rest of the family at the end. It was a magical day. There were plush red velvet seats that I could hardly get up into, the music of the train on the tracks, and the amusement park fun of trying to walk down the aisles on a motion. One of the most interesting things was the dining car. I remember that it was hot and stuffy, unlike the rest of the train. The tables were set close together and had impossibly white tablecloths and sparkling silverware. This is a treasured memory, and the details of it are so clear more than 30 years later. As much as the trip, though, I loved the time with her. I had hours and hours of not having to compete with my more outgoing siblings for her time and attention. I have no idea if the weather was bad or if the food in that amazing dining car was good. I only remember that for a whole day we were together. She told me stories about things that were important to her, including riding the train from Panhandle to Amarillo every Saturday to go shopping with two little boys in tow. It was so special.
God’s word says that one of the names of Jesus is Emmanuel or God with us. (Mat 1:23) More important than what he does or what he gives us is his presence. It amazes me that the Lord who made the world is pleased to walk with me and be with me. I don’t have to compete with the powerful people or the charismatic people or the pretty people, or even the thin people. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice we are welcomed into his presence and encouraged to come boldly before his throne.(Heb 4:16) We will be with him both here and in eternity. I think the only thing that can be said to that is REJOICE!!
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