I Red...er Read a Book Today

For today's "color blogging" post, I couldn't think of anything going on in my life having to do with the color red, so instead I'll share with you this true antecdote from my day today...

A package arrived for me yesterday. There was the usual sticky note from UPS on my door that the box would be left at the office. I figured it was my DVDs I ordered from Amazon not long ago. I had errands to run early this morning for my car (oil change, inspection, and getting the tags renewed), so I figured I'd pick it up on my way back.

I got to the office around 9:30 this morning, and found it was just a small box that looked like it contained only one of my DVDs. Oh well, I figured. I know sometimes Amazon ships things one at a time so they'll arrive faster. I didn't think too much about it, and went on home with my package, wondering which of my three DVDs I had ordered it was.

I got home and threw it down in front of my DVD tower, which already has three spaces cleared out where my new movies will go, so I could put my new movie in its proper spot. (Yes. I alphabetize them in the DVD tower. You might speculate I don't have enough to do with my life...and you might be right.) :) After taking off my coat and putting away the license tags renewal stuff (in this case, meaning throwing it on my countertop), I finally sat down and ripped open the box to find out which movie I'd be watching that night. Inside I found... not a DVD, but a book.

Huh? I didn't order a book. Who sent me this book?

It was called A Travel Guide to Heaven, by Anthony DeStefano. There was a note on the receipt from my brother Mike, that said "I just read this and enjoyed it so much I wanted to share it with you. The 'travel guide' theme was a neat touch. Enjoy! Love, Mike."

Curious, I started reading the first few pages. I'd heard of this book before and agreed with Mike that the "travel guide to heaven" idea was sorta cute. Especially for me, being a travel agent. :) Well, one page turned into the first chapter, which led to the next chapter...

I read the whole book, cover to cover, sitting there on the floor in front of my DVD tower. I think it took me about two hours, but I lost track of time. The book was imaginative, hopeful, playful, and full of interesting insight on what the Bible teaches us heaven is like. Of course it's all the author's own interpretation, and we can never know for sure what glories await those that make it there, and I still have a lot of questions even after reading it, but it made sense and sounded pretty good for the most part to me. It was so full of joy and anticipation that it was hard not to be in a good mood after reading it.

It was like in the midst of my day-to-day life, busying myself with car issues and new movies and whatever else, God pulled me aside for a minute to share a tiny bit of his world with me. :) Then I got on with the rest of my normal day (I went to the mall later and bought new shoes. Yay!) :)

Thanks, Mike. Love you too! :)