My Mom, Brenda Adams, wrote this wonderful piece, and I just had to share it with my blog readers (you know, all of you millions). This piece makes me so proud to be her daughter--for so many reasons. It's written so beautifully. The word pictures are a treat for the reader's eye. Her voice is so clear throughout; you get a sense of who she is and her personality. But most of all, I love her comparison of her experience at The Masters to what we long for in Heaven--THE Master Himself! I hope you'll enjoy this piece. So grateful that this is what flows out of the heart of my mom!
My Impressions of The Masters
We had the privilege of being given tickets to the Augusta Nationals Golf Tournament. It was a first time for both of us or as Don said to someone there, “I am a Masters’ virgin!”
It was a very intriguing experience, not just because of The Masters itself but also because of my reaction to it. This gut response that I had to it caught me off guard! I should probably say that I have never had the desire to go The Masters; I do not know if this lack of interest came just from the fact that watching golf on TV was akin to watching paint dry for me or...if I never thought of having the opportunity so just naturally dismissed it from my mind. But, whatever the reason my lack of expectations may have set me up for the response that I had. I would like to believe otherwise.:)
I guess that I should also explain one of my long held convictions and that is that this earth even at its most beautiful is a prototype or reflection or pale copy of much of what Heaven will be for us someday! I got this idea from C.S. Lewis who in turn seemed to have gotten it from Plato. Lewis promoted it through his writings such as The Great Divorce and The Narnia Series. At the end of the Narnia series in The Last Battle there is a quote that expresses it well. Lord Digory is speaking:
“... our own world, England and all, is only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan’s real world. You need not mourn over Narnia, Lucy. All of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream.’ His voice stirred everyone like a trumpet as he spoke these words; but when he added under his breath ‘It’s all in Plato, all in Plato; bless me, what do they teach them at these schools!’ the older ones laughed.”
This thought so captured my attention when I was younger that I have found it very much a blessing to have it all through out my life since. And I frankly find myself almost looking for these pieces of fore knowledge, preveniences or even Glimpses of Glory! In short, on my better days, I am looking for Heaven!
For example, why do I simply love parades and become emotional even at the Shrine Day Parade in Butler GA?! The concept of having a parade everyday in Disney World has pleased and delighted all who have the opportunity to go! It certainly did me! I know, I know, maybe I am just an emotional sap but at the same time there is something deep within me that is touched. I believe that it is some thing in me put there before the dawn of time that is a glimpse of the glory and joy to be for those who will meet in our true home, Heaven, where there will surely be a parade every day!
It is with this conviction that I approached the gates to The Masters, which is without much argument, the most famous golf event in the world. As we entered the gates, I had an immediate feeling of excitement accompanied with a feeling of attraction or drawing or pulling toward something. Could it be that the deep feelings of being attracted to it, drawn to it have to do with our natural yearnings for Heaven?
The sweet people who were hosting us also had their 8 year old grandson with them. He went to a designated gate for children where he was given gifts and special attention! What a concept! He was asked who he was pulling for in a manner indicating to him that he mattered!
We had been fore warned to leave our cameras, cell phones and pedometers at home or in the car! How interesting to think that in Heaven we won’t need cell phones! We will all be together! We won’t need cameras because we will have the real images before us! And we won’t need to count our steps!
As we moved in through the gates, I was immediately struck by how well everything was handled and by the way the people looked and acted. They were dressed comfortably but also modestly, not to impress but to enjoy their time.
We soon realized that we hadn’t come prepared for the day! We had both forgotten our hats and sunglasses! (Actually, we had remembered them but they had gotten left in our car and we ended up traveling with the family who hosted us.) So we went and selected a hat for Don and a sun visor for me and sunglasses for each of us. We selected them not thinking so much about the price as about how well they would help us through the day. We both felt like we looked good!
Will Heaven be like this?
“Southern”, courteous, gracious, kind, mannerly?
Will there be new hats, sunglasses because of the glare of HIS PRESENCE, will we even have new and beautiful bodies?!
Will it be green rolling countryside with beautiful dogwoods and azaleas,
with large crowds of people moving peaceably about?
Will there be No Waiting! ( I was amazed that there were no lines at the women’s restrooms, and lines at the Men’s Room! HaHa :)!)
Will it be running into family and friends from a life time, reminiscing, discovering how God led and guided them in their faith journeys, all the “God-incidences” that have happened! We so enjoyed visiting and talking with Bill and Betty Hatcher and Denny Key!
Will there be people there that we will be surprised about? (Dad is pretty sure he saw Rudy Guiliano!)
Will it be sweet iced tea, pink lemonade, egg salad and pimento cheese on white bread?
Will it be the “Amen Corner” where those who love to shout, dance, clap and wave their hands will be totally free to do so?
And then there was the actual reason for being there...the golf!
But in Heaven... THE MASTER!
Will it be moments of complete silence as millions upon millions are awestruck in
HIS PRESENCE and then...
Times of thunderous roars of adulation and praise, as with one voice we praise HIM!
We had the privilege of being given tickets to the Augusta Nationals Golf Tournament. It was a first time for both of us or as Don said to someone there, “I am a Masters’ virgin!”
It was a very intriguing experience, not just because of The Masters itself but also because of my reaction to it. This gut response that I had to it caught me off guard! I should probably say that I have never had the desire to go The Masters; I do not know if this lack of interest came just from the fact that watching golf on TV was akin to watching paint dry for me or...if I never thought of having the opportunity so just naturally dismissed it from my mind. But, whatever the reason my lack of expectations may have set me up for the response that I had. I would like to believe otherwise.:)
I guess that I should also explain one of my long held convictions and that is that this earth even at its most beautiful is a prototype or reflection or pale copy of much of what Heaven will be for us someday! I got this idea from C.S. Lewis who in turn seemed to have gotten it from Plato. Lewis promoted it through his writings such as The Great Divorce and The Narnia Series. At the end of the Narnia series in The Last Battle there is a quote that expresses it well. Lord Digory is speaking:
“... our own world, England and all, is only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan’s real world. You need not mourn over Narnia, Lucy. All of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream.’ His voice stirred everyone like a trumpet as he spoke these words; but when he added under his breath ‘It’s all in Plato, all in Plato; bless me, what do they teach them at these schools!’ the older ones laughed.”
This thought so captured my attention when I was younger that I have found it very much a blessing to have it all through out my life since. And I frankly find myself almost looking for these pieces of fore knowledge, preveniences or even Glimpses of Glory! In short, on my better days, I am looking for Heaven!
For example, why do I simply love parades and become emotional even at the Shrine Day Parade in Butler GA?! The concept of having a parade everyday in Disney World has pleased and delighted all who have the opportunity to go! It certainly did me! I know, I know, maybe I am just an emotional sap but at the same time there is something deep within me that is touched. I believe that it is some thing in me put there before the dawn of time that is a glimpse of the glory and joy to be for those who will meet in our true home, Heaven, where there will surely be a parade every day!
It is with this conviction that I approached the gates to The Masters, which is without much argument, the most famous golf event in the world. As we entered the gates, I had an immediate feeling of excitement accompanied with a feeling of attraction or drawing or pulling toward something. Could it be that the deep feelings of being attracted to it, drawn to it have to do with our natural yearnings for Heaven?
The sweet people who were hosting us also had their 8 year old grandson with them. He went to a designated gate for children where he was given gifts and special attention! What a concept! He was asked who he was pulling for in a manner indicating to him that he mattered!
We had been fore warned to leave our cameras, cell phones and pedometers at home or in the car! How interesting to think that in Heaven we won’t need cell phones! We will all be together! We won’t need cameras because we will have the real images before us! And we won’t need to count our steps!
As we moved in through the gates, I was immediately struck by how well everything was handled and by the way the people looked and acted. They were dressed comfortably but also modestly, not to impress but to enjoy their time.
We soon realized that we hadn’t come prepared for the day! We had both forgotten our hats and sunglasses! (Actually, we had remembered them but they had gotten left in our car and we ended up traveling with the family who hosted us.) So we went and selected a hat for Don and a sun visor for me and sunglasses for each of us. We selected them not thinking so much about the price as about how well they would help us through the day. We both felt like we looked good!
Will Heaven be like this?
“Southern”, courteous, gracious, kind, mannerly?
Will there be new hats, sunglasses because of the glare of HIS PRESENCE, will we even have new and beautiful bodies?!
Will it be green rolling countryside with beautiful dogwoods and azaleas,
with large crowds of people moving peaceably about?
Will there be No Waiting! ( I was amazed that there were no lines at the women’s restrooms, and lines at the Men’s Room! HaHa :)!)
Will it be running into family and friends from a life time, reminiscing, discovering how God led and guided them in their faith journeys, all the “God-incidences” that have happened! We so enjoyed visiting and talking with Bill and Betty Hatcher and Denny Key!
Will there be people there that we will be surprised about? (Dad is pretty sure he saw Rudy Guiliano!)
Will it be sweet iced tea, pink lemonade, egg salad and pimento cheese on white bread?
Will it be the “Amen Corner” where those who love to shout, dance, clap and wave their hands will be totally free to do so?
And then there was the actual reason for being there...the golf!
But in Heaven... THE MASTER!
Will it be moments of complete silence as millions upon millions are awestruck in
HIS PRESENCE and then...
Times of thunderous roars of adulation and praise, as with one voice we praise HIM!
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