"Heaven"

It is December 30th, 2017 and I got to sleep in until 6:40 a.m. It doesn't seem much different than 5:30 a.m. but to me it is Heaven.  One of my favorite songs is Heaven By Sir the Baptist.  Now don't rush out to buy it, because it might not be your thing.  It is risky social justice music with the hint of spiritual realness and some might call it "Hip Hop."  Sir the Baptist actually calls his own genre of music when asked, "Church Pub Rap."  Seems like an oxymoron, doesn't it?  Which is probably why I really like it.

I love this song.  I could listen to it for hours, actually his whole album, Sinner or Saint.  However, this particular song even the boys know.  When it comes on we all start dancing and singing.  You will hear little boy voices busting out at the chorus, "Feels like Heaven."  The basis of the song is that everyone's Heaven is different, whether it be in the natural or in the spiritual.  See my Heaven was 6:40 a.m. this morning.  For others it is for another time, or reason, but everyone searches for a somewhat of a natural Heaven just as much as a spiritual Heaven.  It is a time and place that we say, "This is wonderful. Or that when we say it doesn't get any better than this_______."  My natural Heaven is usually quiet.  And for me that too is an oxymoron.  I find it when no one is home and every animal is sleeping.  I find it sitting on a beach just watching the ocean, while no one talks.  I find it at a cabin, while sitting in a hot tub outside by myself looking at nature.  My natural Heavens center me, speak to me, calms me, and refreshes me.  I wonder why that is?  I am sure there are scientific reasons for it, and also spiritual reasons for it.

There are powerful statements throughout the song that challenges my spiritual thinking with the natural.  I hope they do you the same as you read.  Everyone wants a Heaven, whether you get it from the drug lord or the good Lord. Everyone wants a taste of Heaven.  I was told once by someone who works with Peace and Social Justice issues on a daily basis, "Everyone is their best they can be in that  moment. No one in life is saying to themselves I am going to give my worse."  I use to struggle with that statement, because it conflicted with my spiritual gauge of right and wrong.  I am not going to say that I do not still struggle a little with that statement, because I have built a fort of spiritual beliefs that have been taught to me as truths instead of me experiencing truth.  Then yes I could get into a faith debate within myself.

In Appalachia we have a culture different than other parts of the country, whether people want to believe it or not.  We see God differently and teach God differently.  Faith is grown from a Man, typically, behind a pulpit.  That Man, wouldn't do or say anything contrary to what God would want or says, right?  Questioning those words would mean you are questioning or we would say 'sinning' against God in this area.  So people in Appalachia mostly regurgitate what they hear from a pulpit, and say it is God and claim faith to it.  It is very cult like, actually.  In Appalachia we are not divided as Christian or non-Christian.  We are are divided more by denomination, which determines whether you are Christian or non-Christian. People do not ask you about your Christianity, but more where you go to church, which will determine your Christianity...Baptist seems to be the most holy (at least in my family), Nazarenes are close,  Methodist are close, Presbyterians are close, Pentecostals (now thats just too far), Church of Christ (only ones going to Heaven),  Disciples of Christ,  United Church of Christ, or Unitarians let anyone and anything (definitely not Christians), and same with Jewish, Catholics, Muslims, or Greek Orthotics definitely not.  If people from my area are reading at first there will not be agreement to my statements, because also in Appalachia we pride ourselves on hospitality to all people.  However, we mask it by stating our religious belief system to hide our prejudices.  I know that's harsh.  But I will give an illustration of how we do it... "You know Mary Smith that lives on Main Street?  No.  Oh yes you do. The lady that goes to the Catholic church."  Not only do we divide ourselves by denomination, but in Appalachia we divide ourselves by denomination and color (mind you in Appalachia also their is only black and white, anyone of color other than white is black).... the black baptist church, the black spirit filled church...we still typically throughout areas of our cities are very segregated in where we live, churches, and even in schools.  Needless to say, our Heavens look different in the natural and the spiritual.

I believe where we miss it the most in life is we do not look at people's hearts, but instead judge others by what they perceive or need for their natural Heaven. Whether it is drugs, glass of wine, a beer, home, success, sports, relationship, a beach, religion, church, songs, we strive for our Heaven in the natural and in the spiritual.  We try to put in our spiritual Heavens into words that try to articulate greatness, or the most wonderful things on earth... pearly gates, streets of gold, mansions, or 100 virgins...then when we struggle with any of those things descriptions so we say Heaven is the presence of God... I can tell you I struggle with articulating spiritual Heaven because I have never been there, and the only person who described what it looked like to us a human beings was John. (I say that from the Bible's perspective) Jesus never even describes what it looks like in the Bible, just John.  I am going to tell you it is hard for me to believe John's view, when his account of describing spiritual Heaven was after others tried to poison him to death (which he did not die from), and then left on an island to die.  Just saying.

However, the song Heaven, articulates my thoughts on the matter quite nicely. Let me tell you what I am going to do when I get to Heaven.  I'm gonna see everybody that Hell didn't bring through.  All the Greats you said wouldn't make it to the Gates. But we showed our hearts.  I am going to say it again because it makes me want to have church... BUT WE SHOWED OUR HEARTS... can't wait...I want to see my Heaven.