Die to Ourselves???

Ever have those moments when you know something maybe even live something but can't find the words to express it??? Then all of a sudden you have a moment of enlightenment and for a short while you can? Well having one of those moments...So trying to take advantage.

Heaven, a place of joy, peace, comfort, security, total abandonment to LOVE....How do we get there? Many componets could go into that answer but this one seems to me to sum them all up: We must die to ourselves...Think about it, deeply. Are we here to "live it up?" Are we here to get as rich as we can, to store up earthly treaures? Are we here to make the best of life and then its just "all over", nothing more...Don't believe any of that.

Think that the "ticket" to heaven can be summed up in "die to yourself" If we live that way, putting our greedy desires aside, thinking in the needs of others. Making the needs of others as important as our own then we grow in love. If you keep thinking in others and making their needs as important as your own, realizing that THEY are also here a pilgrim like you and needing your help and that YOU can help them, you die a little to self... You start to realize slowly that "this is NOT it, that there is a great beyond. That by being there for your brother or sister you are purchasing golden coins that will be stored up for you in the Heavenly Bank...You will start to change inside. You will see things differently, from a totally different perspective, God's perspective. You will learn to value others in a way that surpasses human understanding. You will soon see that God has placed you here for a mission, to help others, to make their lives a little easier in this vale of tears... You will see that its ok if your tired because you stayed up late talking to a friend in need...Or that if you have to give up a favorite treat because you gave $10 to a person in need, its good. Its good if you miss "the game" because you stopped to help a stranger with car trouble...You'll soon have a totally different set of priorities... You will take the back seat and put others first! Not saying neglect yourself-don't put words in my mouth...No but your attitude will change, you will value others as much as you value yourself. You will become LESS selfish... You WILL find great joy in alleviating the pain of others. You will learn to desire such activities so that you can spread yourself thin "like not enough butter over bread" (Tolkien quote) You will learn that the great ones of God knew this secret and wouldn't have traded it for the world! Its ok to wear yourself out for the good of your brother! Remember what you do for the least of my brothers, you do for Me....(Our Lord) We have corporal bodies here..In Heaven we will have immortal bodies...So what difference does it make if we wear this one out here because in Heaven we will only shine the brighter for having done so. And this one is going to drop and rot anyway! SO why not make it worth the trip? I cannot wait for heaven and when I finally leave to go there I sure want to have some kind of paper trail with all the times I "wore myself out for the good of another"...It sure will make that moment alot more pleasant I'm sure! Think about it...Maybe, hopefully you will feel this way too...Think what a better place it would be here if more people felt this way...

GG