Anticipation

We celebrated a birthday this weekend! It was a whirlwind of fun... and I'm glad it's done! ;) It was really funny to watch the birthday girl after her friends had trickled home Saturday afternoon. She had birthday money burning a hole in her pocket, but I was too tired to take her shopping at that point, so she was just kind of moping around. I asked her what the problem was and she replied that she was just kind of bored...
It took me back to when I was a kid-- not so much with birthdays, but definitely with Christmas. I loved the anticipation, from the decorating, to the cooking, to the wrapped gifts under the tree! But the day after Christmas was just kind of blah! When you're ten (or twelve, or fifteen, or five), the "newness" of toys can wear off pretty quickly... ;) And I explained this to our mopey birthday girl. We gone shopping for the party on Wednesday. We made decorations on Thursday. I cooked all day on Friday. Then the party Friday night. Not to mention the planning and list making on Monday... She had been anticipating the party for at least a week! And when the adrenaline began to sag, all the fun from the party seemed just a little less fun. =(

Which got me started thinking about the things I anticipate. Right now the subject of my anticipation is the Gospel Coalition's 2014 Women's Conference. I got the email last week with links to info on the entire conference: speakers, schedule, workshops, etc. And I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! I wish it were next week! =) But part of me knows that when it is over, and I'm back in my regular hum-drum of life, even the spiritual fun will seem just a little less so. However, there is an even greater event that I'm anticipating. One day Jesus Christ will return to live with His people forever. And no sin will ever mar our joy again! =)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Revelation 21:1-7
 
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 21:22-27