I don’t think a lot about death, but I think that there may be some people who think about it a lot. I have no fear of death. However, I do hope to die a peaceful, pain-free death. The thought of burning to death, drowning, or dying a slow death of cancer does make me fearful. My prayer has always been, Lord, Please take me as quick as possible.

This morning as I was driving to work, I was listening to a Jars of Clay song called “All My Tears.” I’ve had the Good Monsters album since it came out (maybe a year or two?) and really didn’t like it at all at first, but it has grown on me a lot each time I listen to it. This song is amazing and you should listen to it. Here are the lyrics:

“All My Tears”

When I go, don’t cry for me In my Father’s arms I’ll be
The wounds this world left on my soul Will all be healed and I’ll be whole.
Sun and moon will be replaced With the light of Jesus’ face
And I will not be ashamed For my Savior knows my name.

Gold and silver blind the eye Temporary riches lie
Come and eat from heaven’s store, Come and drink, and thirst no more

It don’t matter where you bury me, I’ll be home and I’ll be free.
It don’t matter where I lay,All my tears be washed away

So, weep not for me my friends,When my time below does end
For my life belongs to Him Who will raise the dead again.

I’ve been thinking about this song a lot so far today. Most importantly, I’ve tried to focus on having an eternal mindset. I feel like my life would look a lot different if everyday I knew this was only a temporary part of life. I know that I don’t think about Heaven nearly enough. I really can’t put it much better than Andrew Peterson in the song “Lay Me Down.”

“Lay Me Down”
So when you lay me down to die
I’ll miss my boys, I’ll miss my girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
You lay me down to live

I believe in the holy shores of uncreated light
I believe there is power in the blood
And all of the death that ever was,
If you set it next to life
I believe it would barely fill a cup
‘Cause I believe there’s power in the blood

How awesome is that - “All of the death that ever was, if you set it next to life - I believe it would barely fill a cup. Cause I believe there’s power in the blood!”

Heaven is going to be an awesome place - a place where I know I will spend eternity. I know for sure without a doubt that I will meet Jesus face to face and spend eternity with Him. I know that I do not fully comprehend the word eternity. To quote the old hymn, “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.”

**Andrew Peterson’s album the Far Country is entirely based around this incredible truth. The music is amazing, and the lyrics are just as powerful. When I die, I think I could have the whole album played at my funeral. The album closes with a song called “More” and I’ll end this post the same way. Do yourself a favor and download the whole album of The Far Country.**

“More”
This is not the end here at this grave
This is just a hole that someone made
Every hole was made to fill
And every heart can feel it still–
Our nature hates a vacuum

This is not the hardest part of all
This is just the seed that has to fall
All our lives we till the ground
Until we lay our sorrows down
And watch the sky for rain

There is more
More than all this pain
More than all the falling down
And the getting up again
There is more
More than we can see
From our tiny vantage point
In this vast eternity
There is more

A thing resounds when it rings true
Ringing all the bells inside of you
Like a golden sky on a summer eve
Your heart is tugging at your sleeve
And you cannot say why
There must be more

There is more
More than we can stand
Standing in the glory
Of a love that never ends
There is more
More than we can guess
More and more, forever more
And not a second less

There is more than what the naked eye can see
Clothing all our days with mystery
Watching over everything
Wilder than our wildest dreams
Could ever dream to be
There is more