Have you ever talked to a cow?

 Good Morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Every Easter it is the same thing with me. All this talk of everlasting life and Heaven gets me to thinking. Once I start thinking pondering is sure to follow!

In the beginning was God.  

God, (as Christians we believe in the trinity), this being said, if we believe in the trinity, we believe that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are one.  Therefore, if we believe that, "In the beginning was God," we believe that, in the beginning was God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  I know that this is hard thing to wrap one's head around, the more you contemplate it, the deeper it gets and quite frankly we see through the glass darkly and will never get the complete picture of this until we are there with them.  Being there with them would suggest, well actually, it doesn't just suggest, it means that we would be in Heaven with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  Being in Heaven with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit is also a lot to wrap one's head around.  

We have heard many preachers and pastors tell us that Heaven will be like a big banquet, with never ending food and never ending praise songs.  I would hope that Heaven is more than just eating and singing.  As much as I like to eat, and I must confess I like to eat, thus the reason for my current weight loss endeavor.  Eating for eternity would get old.  I hope that we are not just eating for eternity.  

The more I think about eating for eternity the more I begin to wonder about it.  First of all if all I do in Heaven is eat; isn't that gluttony?  Isn't gluttony a sin?  I am pretty sure gluttony is a sin.  Sin does not reside in Heaven.  

Secondly, there a multiple schools of thought about who will be in Heaven.  

One school of thought is that there will only be the souls of people from earth in Heaven.  

Another school of thought has animals up in Heaven too (How many pastors have heard, "Will my cat Buffy be in Heaven?  It sure wouldn't be Heaven if my cat Buffy isn't there.")  Other schools of thought have souls from other worlds in Heaven too.  Heaven could be quite the place when you start wondering who could be there.  

Let's stick with the second school of thought for now.  

If all we do is eat, where does the food come from? 

If animals are in Heaven, and since we are in Heaven there is no reason to think that we could not communicate with animals, and all we do is eat, I can see a conversation like this going on. 

Roger, "Hello Cathy."  I am talking to Cathy the cow. 

Cathy, "Hello Roger." Cathy the cow is talking to me. 

I say, "What are you doing today?" 

Cathy says, "Eating." 

I say, "Me too." 

Cathy says, "What are you eating today?" 

I say, "I am so glad you asked, because today I am in charge of the barbecue." 

I just do not think that Cathy the Cow would think that Heaven is a place she would want to be if she is a vital part of the banquet. 

I was in my aqua aerobics class this morning.  As I mentioned earlier I am in the middle of a weight loss endeavor.  

This morning I was doing my water walking, water walking is where you walk in water, duh, with weights.  I was obviously lost in thought, at least when I am lost I have an excuse.  Being lost in thought is much better than just being lost, at least I think so. 

Anyway, I was lost in thought and another "water walker," no it wasn't Jesus, this person was in the water not on the water  asks, "What are you thinking about?"  

I say, "Heaven."  and I go into the whole banquet thing.  

After I say, I don't think Cathy the Cow would think being eaten was part of Heaven." My friend says, "Manna, we will eat Manna for eternity."  

I thought, "that is just ludicrous."  First of all, the Hebrews only had to eat Manna for forty years and after only 40-years they were darned tired of it.  Eating Manna for an eternity would be just awful.  Besides Manna means, "What is it?"  Can you imagine eating "What is it?" for eternity?  

Can you imagine a conversation around Manna? 

Phil, a friend of mine in Heaven, we will have nothing but friends in Heaven so this is really a ridiculous statement.  

Anyway, Phil comes up and says, "What are you having for dinner? 

I say, "This."

Phil says, "What is it?"

I say, "Yep."

Phil says, pointing to the Manna, "What is it?"

I say, "Exactly."

Phil, his face is starting to get red and his voice is rising says, "Are you being a smart-butt?  What are you eating for dinner?"

I say, "What is it."

Phil, face in contortions says, "What is what, dinner? are you asking what dinner is?"

I say, "No, I know what dinner is."

Phil, visibly upset, just gives me a big huff turns and leaves saying, "I will never talk to you again."

I say, "Are we still friends?"

Phil shouts over his shoulder, "NO." 

Now everyone in Heaven is no longer friends; all because of Manna. 

This is why we are not eating Manna for eternity.      

The whole Banquet theory falls apart pretty quick when you think about it.  

Maybe the whole banquet thing comes from all those church potlucks?

When I pastored (more like pestered) inside the walls of the church we would have a potluck once a month. As the pastor it was always very important that I tasted everything that was cooked. Every month, Agnes would make her "Medley Surprise." If I had to eat Agnes' Medley Surprise for eternity I don't know what I would do?

I know I have an imagination, I get reminded of that often by my wife, but when i think about how awesome Heaven will be, I fall short all I know is it will be bigger and better than we can imagine. 

You are going to have to put up with my Heaven ponderings as I have been told many things about Heaven over the years that have caused me to ponder, and I must share them with you.

If this has caused you to ponder as it has me, or if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or simply would like to correct my misunderstandings, I would love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Roger