This past weekend I celebrated my 50th reunion with my Chillicothe Cavalier classmates in Southern Ohio. It was a remarkable time of laughing and reminiscing with, uhh, experienced friends.

Time can be so perplexing. Sometimes my days strolling the long halls of that school feel like forever ago. At other times the memories seem like they happened yesterday.

I had the sobering assignment of assembling a video to remember our classmates who passed away before this milestone reunion. As I edited the high school photos of over sixty souls I was deeply moved. There were some close relationships. Some I only knew in passing but were still familiar faces. One of the departed was my best friend in high school.

How I wished we could have had our whole gang together but that is not how this journey works. We lost one classmate who planned to attend to Covid just days before our meeting.

I loved that gathering of old friends this weekend but I have to admit that as I get older I am looking forward to another Reunion. A song by Carrie Underwood came to mind as I thought about the classmates who had passed before this milestone.

This is our temporary home, it’s not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we’re passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where we’re going
I’m not afraid because I know
This is our temporary home

I am merely a renter on this planet. I don’t really own a single thing that matters. When I am driving a rental car and hit a pothole my first reaction is always, “Oh well, it’s just a rent car.” That describes the attitude I am developing as I hit the potholes of life. I have lots of stuff here but that is all it is. Stuff. What really matters is my faith, my family and those relationships that make this trip worthwhile.

Jesus talked about an amazing reunion that we can all look forward to. This reunion will make 50 years look like an eye blink. This reunion will be eternal and I have acquired my invitation to that event by simply trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

I love this life. I am not anxious to depart it but I am at peace that when that time comes the reward will be indescribable. It certainly looks like a great program is being planned.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”  (John 14)

To quote my friend Bart Millard of MercyMe I will get to worship my Lord in a way I can’t even imagine.

And the sweetest sound these ears will get to hear
The voices of the angels
When I finally make it home

When I finally make it home I have a daughter waiting there. I will get to thank my saintly grandmother for the difference she made in my life. My earthly Father awaits me there. My Mom is home in heaven. Joni and I have many dear friends who recently made the journey home. The list goes on and on.

I have a few investments on this planet but I have unspeakable wealth and eternal investments there. We don’t think much about that in our culture do we? There is so much of the good life here that heaven can seem obscure and maybe not even an upgrade. But we are only temporary residents here. Enjoy every moment of this journey. Invest in relationships. But realize we were created with a desire to know our Creator and that this dwelling place is a short time rental.

I am getting ready for the best Reunion EVER! It should be a blast!