First things first, Who Dey!!!! The Bengals beat the despicable Ravens today 27-26 on a last second field-goal. That brings them to 6-6 and earns respect around the league some more. The re-building program is right on schedule, gettting better all the time and no longer the laughing stock of the league. I'm proud of my Bengals tonight, and my Eagles who are 11-1. Yee haw.

I am guilty of watching most every episode of "Extreme Home Make-Over" on Sunday evenings with my family. Its so Kingdom to change lives and do good. Its based on compassion, generosity, new beginnings, hope, family and friendship. Yes, I may have even shed a tear over a few episodes, but if you ask me face to face I'll deny it, just so you know :)

Nicki is forcing me to watch Mitch Albom's "The 5 people you'll meet in heaven" because she read the book and wants me to experience it. All theology aside, its pretty gripping. We all think we know what will happen the moment we die and cross over to the other world. We think we know what heaven will look like and what hell could be like. I suggest that we don't have a freaking clue. The Bible says so little about the specifics. It is loaded with imagery and figurative language, but no encyclopedia explanations. Its mystery and that's part of the beauty. What we do know is that heaven is eternity w/ God and that hell is eternal separation from Him. We also know that our crossover destinations have a direct correlation to our being "in Christ" or not. But specifcially what they are like, I don't believe we can know. I believe all our images are pure speculation. I believe heaven is the fullness of the Kingdom of God. That what we experience here on earth is a partial taste of heaven. Someday we will crossover and taste the fullness. I also don't beleive that heaven is a far off place in the sky that is made of mansions and streets of gold. I take that as figurative language of the glory of the Kingdom of God. I believe that He is building a new heaven and a new earth right here, near us in another spiritual dimension that we don't see without pure spiritual eyes. I believe that those who have crossed over before us are not far away in a distant place but are near to us. They are the great cloud of witnesses as Hebrews states, surrounding us, cheering us on, maybe even praying for us. I think its traditional thinking and not Scriptual to believe that heaven and the throne of Christ are somewhere far away, I believe the fullness of the spiritual realm is very near to us and can be accessed through the spiritual disciplines to taste in the here and now. I do not fear death and I look forward to crossing over into the Kingdom fullness someday. But for now, I am content to take the fight to the enemy daily as a partner in ushering in the new heaven and new earth. If I can do whatever I can to bring others into the experience of eternal Kingdom and to come on this journey of being "in Christ", then that's what I'm here to do by any means neccessary that reflect His character. I am here now to do whatever it takes, proclaim His Kingdom come and invite others to come and to follow the One who changes life in the now and the not yet.

peace to you tonight,