Pastor Paul's Ponderings

June 7, 2026

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  At first as the set up was taking place it seemed too hot for a Strawberry festival? Even unpleasant. Everything was organized and ready but there were few people. I was worried attendance would be poor.

  Then suddenly there were people about, shopping, eating, relaxing, playing. Just enough cloud cover suddenly shows up to provide some relief providing shade.  A slight breeze materializes too. Perfectly cooling without blowing things around. If one was not socializing one’s self, but took a minute to listen, one could hear the gentle murmur of conversation and laughter. If one looked there were a lot of smiles and relaxed looking faces. Some were eating strawberry short cake around a table visiting, others were with some kids at a craft table doing fun stuff.  A huge line of partners were passing small water balloons back and forth in a contest.  This activity/contest came with lots of happy noises.

  And suddenly I started to relax too. Here were folk I knew, and knew well, mixed and mingling with folk I had never seen. And no one was in a rush. No one was complaining. No one was unhappy. Larger agendas were forgotten, and everyone--friend and stranger were in the moment, just being and enjoying.

  For a few minutes everything seems right with the world.  This was something special. A holy moment.  Maybe it is a little bit like what heaven is like, but only here on earth.  The worries of the world and tomorrow are left behind for a few minutes. People are enjoying creation, the day, the moment, and one another. Those ‘serving’ others were as ‘severed’ as those being ‘served’. Keeping score, making money, and all other agendas were left behind. Genuine care and concern for one another was present as the whole group joined together to be present in the moment.

  It would be unhuman to not wonder about what heaven and after life are like and even if these things exist. I believe that scripture is unclear to a large extent on what exactly it will be like, because if we knew for sure we would not need to have faith, and faith is the key. From what I am learning by continued study of the Word tells me that this is what heaven is sort of like. The self is left behind to a large part, the desires of the self. It is communal. Joy in what is and joy of being is always there. Joy of being loved and cared for is felt and known by everyone all the time. And the Joy of knowing Love itself and the One who loves permeates all. Oh, and there is no pain, sorrow or suffering. Yeah.

  I suspect that we all experience various moments of: “on earth as in heaven”, and I believe it is our job, our calling as believers to make that—on earth as in heaven—happen more often in more places and ways.

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Grace and Peace,

Pastor Paul