They don't think they're going to hell..

Nice title huh? This is a statement Jeff, my darling husband made to me about some of our non Christian friends. Actually the conversation started like this

ME: Did you call Abe and invite him to church on Sunday?
J: No
ME: Well, are you?
J: Maybe
ME, with ever the slightest nag voice:)So, you don't care if they go tell hell?
J: What?
ME: Well, if they died today, they'd go to hell and we could have helped stop that!
At this point he just kind of looks at me like"How do I answer her, without her freaking out?!"
ME: I just don't get why our Non Christian friends don't worry about going to hell?
J: Thats the thing, they don't think they are..they don't believe any of it, including the hell part.
ME: Good point
Then, today, Josh spoke at our church. For those of you who read or stalk my blog who don't know Josh Buck, he was the youth pastor at our church two years ago. His daughter, Ava, who was Matthew's age, died in a crib accident in Aug 05. Then, last January he was in an accident and is a quadrapeligic. He spoke today about pain and suffering and basically why bad things happen to good people. It was very interesting and especially coming from someone who truly embodies pretty much the epitomy of "bad things happening to good people". What I got from his message was that God is more interested in fashioning us to becoming more like Christ, than He is in our "comfort and happiness" Yes, he wants us to be happy, but ulitimately he wants us to be more like Christ and to glorify Him.
As we drove away from church, Jeff and I talked about how no one else could really ever give that message. That only someone who has been through what Josh has can really have any validity in statements like that. If I got up there and said similiar things I am sure people would be like, "Sure, whatever, but lets see what you would do if the going got tough?" Things have gotten tough for the Bucks but they remain steadfast in their faith and promises of eternal life through a relationship with Christ. They know this life is so fleeting. I wish Abe would have been there. (and by the way, we did invite them) They came over for dinner last night and we were talking about Josh and I said to his wife, " I think if you heard what he had to say you might have trouble not beleving in God" To which she responded," I believe in something, I like to think of it as HP(high power), I just don't like to tie it to one thing like God" I didn't respond b/c she knows where I stand. But, I can't help but wonder if they had been there would they not want a taste of a GOD who someone can still faithfully turn to, pray to, believe in, worship, adore, plead with, cry at and I am sure at time shout at.Wouldn't they at least be like, hmm, this guy has been through hell and yet there is something really awesome about his HP? I have to wonder?
Another thing Josh said that struck me is to enjoy the blessing of the mundane, the ordinary. I think because of my personality,to always be waiting for the other shoe to drop or all hell to break loose,to be pessimistic to a pretty substantial degree, that I do to a certain degree really cherish the small things in life. Like last night for example, I spent some serious time blog reading on some really depressing issues. When I went back upstairs, Jeff said Matthew was asking me to come up and tuck him in. As I entered his room and saw my precious little guy laying there in his big boy bed I thought to myself, " I could yell at him and tell him to go to bed or I could crawl in and snuggle the stuffing out of him. I chose the latter and he just about broke my heart with his sweet little kisses and hugs and his little lispy voice saying" I wub you" I felt like the luckiest lady in the world.
So, as I read over the post, its a little random but its what I have been thinking about tonight...
S