Living with an eternal perspective

Eternity.  

It matters now.  The question is:  do I live as if eternity matters now?  Is living in the presence of God only reserved for my quiet times, or Bible study, or can I actually live in His presence and see His hand working, even in the middle of dirty diapers and messy floors?  This is something that God has been speaking to me personally about.  Intertwining the reality of life here on Earth with the reality of eternal life, a life to come.  It's more than intertwining, though.  More than overlapping.  More than just including.  It's really like they are just one life.  The life God has called me to.  A life that I want, more than anything, to be lived for the Glory of God.

I just started a Bible study a couple weeks ago, and we're in the middle of studying Hebrews.  The opening paragraph for Hebrews 11 says this:  "Elizabeth Barrett Browning expressed her faith when she wrote, 'Earth's crammed with Heaven and every common bush afire with God.'  She suggests that those who have such perception are blessed by the awareness of 'hallowedness,' which others never dream of.  Such faith can lift us from the mundane.  Those we read of in Hebrews 11 'saw' beyond earthly tasks and trials.  They are among the blessed--as we, too, can be."

Wouldn't that kind of perception make a difference in the dailyness of life?  It would change the way I respond to my kids when they don't obey.  It would change the way I approach the mountain of laundry or cleaning the kitchen.  It would especially change the way I reflect Jesus to those around me.  For my kids to see how Jesus loves them because I respond to them and teach them with an eternal perspective?  All day, every day?  What a difference it would make!

So, I'm including pictures of bath time.  Lets just say I have never liked giving the kids a bath.  I certainly have never viewed it with an eternal perspective.  I used to cry every time I had to give the kids a bath when I was pregnant.  I hated it.  But, oh, what a difference a change in perception makes!  There is life, there is joy, there is beauty, and most certainly there is fun going on in this bath tonight!  And to think, I almost missed it:)