May 6, 2005

A quick update from my strange and wonderful world:

I was able to go to Connecticut for Dr. Arnold W. Johnson, Jr's funeral - that is my grandfather. It was good to be able to spend time with my extended family, and amazing to realize what a great man my grandpa was.

Carrie and I then flew to Grand Rapids while my two brothers and mother went back to Denver. Grand Rapids was fun, but bizarre. I didn't really like only being there for a few days and then leaving. There wasn't even enough time to catch up with a few people, let alone the many whom I count as friends from that place. It was however, good to spend time with my cousins Dave and Elizabeth, as well as look at the house that I will most likely be living in next year (120 Madison), and awesome to get to go to the Friday Night Distance Carnival and the Gina Relays and Hillsdale College. Even though the last race didn't finish until after midnight, all of the Calvin men and women competed with heart and were obviously well trained. Way to go Brian and Al! (By the way, my sister thinks she would like having Al as a coach...)

Now I'm back in Loveland trying to get stuff figured out again. I think my sister made a great comment to somebody on the trip: "In terms of taking care of himself and all the little daily tasks, he's independent. But for all the paper work and insurance stuff and ordering supplies, he definately still needs help." This is very true. I'm able to take care of myself pretty well, but I would never have the chance to do it if it weren't for my mom helping out with all the administrative details.

As the weather gets nicer and nicer, I often have these moments were I just wish that I had the same degree of freedom as I used to - that I could just go out and run or go for a ride, or even just up and go someplace overnight. But then I remember that I had these exact same feelings even when I was able bodied: I would breathe in the cool evening air and think, "There's so much more out there and I want to experience it all!"

And really, I think this is one of the emotions that confuse humans the most - wanderlust. Even if one had done every great thing that this earth has to offer, they would look up at the sky and say, "There's so much more out there and I want to experience it all!"

Perhaps this is one of the reasons that a static view of heaven seems so poor to me: I'm convinced that there is more for us, and that it can only be experienced when we are in the presence of our King. When Revelations speaks of a new heavens and a new earth, it doesn't necessarily mean that all previous heavenly and earthly functions cease - they're made new! In the same way that when Paul speaks of our resurrection bodies, they won't perform completely different functions than our current bodies - but they will do them better and without degeneration! In THE LAST BATTLE, CS Lewis write that as the characters go further up and farther in to the new Narnia, everything is more beautiful and wonderful than it ever was before, and that, "Their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page," of the book to be written of their future adventures.

It is a comfort to me to remember these things, and to realize that I undoubtedly still have a few adventure left in this world as well. (Actually, it is very important to remember that we still live in this world even if we're headed towards a new one - but I've written enough for the moment).

Well, I don't think I quite intended to go about sermonizing - I never really do, it just happens, I guess.

Daryl Holmlund