A Sense of the Nearness

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Sadly, this can also come across as depression. I once told a Christian counsellor that I was praying and longing for Jesus' return and he thought that meant I was suicidal.

At least it wasn't a secular doc, who might have diagnosed you as psychotic for believing in Jesus and the Bible

 

[Epieikes]

Sadly, this can also come across as depression. I once told a Christian counsellor that I was praying and longing for Jesus' return and he thought that meant I was suicidal.

The more I quietly observe, the more I notice that only PreTrib "gets" PreTrib, which often includes the longing. Thankful for this forum!
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me on that Day — and not to me only, but unto all those also who love His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8). That's only ONE of the "earnable crowns" mentioned in Scripture, but it's one I definitely want to lay at His feet!

 

[Salluz]

If we DO die, as generations before us did, then we know that true believers are in His presence immediately. Win, win. "To live is Christ, to die is gain."

My curious mind wonders if, even among PreTrib Rapture-solid believers, some aren't still afraid to die. "One way or another, Lord Jesus. I just wanna be with You." When others see our genuine excitement about EITHER option, that'll preach.

I'm allergic to pain, so I'll admit I'm nervous about the "dying" portion of death. The rapture would skip that, so it's preferable to me by far.

My thoughts on it are like if you're taking a cross-country trip and you aren't sure if you'll be flying or driving until you leave the house. The destination is somewhere really great that you have always wanted to go. But the flight would take a lot less time, and you could relax and enjoy the ride. If you drive, it would be a more drawn-out thing. The seat starts to feel uncomfortable, the boredom sets in, and it's hard to stay awake. The last couple hours especially are like torture, just waiting for the destination.

Very rarely am I excited for the trip itself; it is the destination that excites me. Anything that makes the trip to the destination more pleasant is preferable. If someone asked me if I was excited for a 16 hour car ride, I would say no. But if the question is framed "are you excited about visiting _____," the answer would be yes. But a plane ride would be preferable to the car ride.

One thing the metaphor doesn't account for is that when God's patience is still winning the day, we have the opportunity to store up rewards in Heaven, and more people are saved each day. The reason for the delay is God's love and kindness. I can't complain a bit when people are being saved. It's to God's glory that His patience far exceeds ours.

But I also truly doubt that I will die of old age before the rapture (it would take at least something like 50 to 60 years, possibly lomger, and most people here would be long gone by then). I can't say anything about any of the myriad other ways that people die, but I am making an educated guess that old age is not on the menu for me. Or at least, I would be very surprised if it were.

A have a good Christian friemd where any time she asks me a question about dying, I like to answer, "I don't know. I don't plan on dying." It's funny hearing the reaction each time from it, but it's not really a joke. I don't plan on dying. I might die, but I'm not planning on it.

 

[Jojo4124]

Naps for everyone!!!





Come Lord Jesus . . .

As a nanny I find that sometimes my little ones resist nap time. I'm like, one day you will TREASURE naps!!! Lol #naploverhere

 

[GotGrace]

Yes, this is why we don't allow date-setting or trying to guess who is the AC/FP. We won't be around for the rapture or the AC/FP, so I don't know why people even try to do it.

Well I have been studying on the date and I just need about 50 more years to work on it then I can tell everybody on here the date. I’ll probably have to beam the answer down from heaven though.

Actually I don’t know why Pastors set specific dates when they have been clearly told in the word that the Father only knows. Gets them a little notoriety I guess. Sorry way to build a ministry.

 

[pixelpusher]

I don't plan on dying. I might die, but I'm not planning on it.

Love it! I guess I do plan on dying since it says all are appointed once to death, but I'm only planning on dying briefly.

And hopefully not at all!

Like others, I just hope it doesn't hurt too bad. But if it does, that too will pass.

 

[lightofmylife]

Well I have been studying on the date and I just need about 50 more years to work on it then I can tell everybody on here the date. I’ll probably have to beam the answer down from heaven though.

Actually I don’t know why Pastors set specific dates when they have been clearly told in the word that the Father only knows. Gets them a little notoriety I guess. Sorry way to build a ministry.

The clearly states only the Father knows not even Jesus knows. What part of only don't they know.

 

[Tall Timbers]

As a nanny I find that sometimes my little ones resist nap time. I'm like, one day you will TREASURE naps!!! Lol #naploverhere

When I was in kindergarten I wasn't able to nap at nap time... so naturally I squirmed around and made noise like any awake 5 year old might do. Almost every day the teacher punished me by having me stand in the corner

 

[Andy C]

When I was in kindergarten I wasn't able to nap at nap time... so naturally I squirmed around and made noise like any awake 5 year old might do. Almost every day the teacher punished me by having me stand in the corner

Really? You can remember back 75 years ago? Really?

 

[Andy C]

I guess I do plan on dying since it says all are appointed once to death,

Not if the rapture comes first!

 

[Tall Timbers]

Really? You can remember back 75 years ago? Really?

It was pretty traumatic. I've probably had post traumatic stress disorder ever since. Kindergarten was not a friendly introduction to the outside world for me... I also remember teacher's aides who must've thought my ears didn't work talking about my plight and how sorry they felt for me. For recess I liked to borrow one of the tricycles. We had roads painted on an area of the playground. Sometimes that teacher wouldn't let me use the tricycle on account of she thought I should do something else every once in a while... those were sad recess periods when I was denied a tricycle..

 

[pixelpusher]

When I was in kindergarten I wasn't able to nap at nap time... so naturally I squirmed around and made noise like any awake 5 year old might do. Almost every day the teacher punished me by having me stand in the corner

I would always steal a piece of chalk off the blackboard and draw on my cot during naptime. That was back when I could lay on my belly for a long time. Then I'd spit on it and rub it off the nylon weave of the cot before she cut the lights back on. lol

 

[lismore]

Sadly, this can also come across as depression. I once told a Christian counsellor that I was praying and longing for Jesus' return and he thought that meant I was suicidal.

It can be hard when other Christians don't get it, given all the references in the Bible to looking for or longing for the return of the Lord. Sadly it must mean they don't know their Bible. The Spirit and the bride say come Lord Jesus come. Amen.

 

[alisani]

Not me. I didn't even need the motivation of a cookie to stay quiet during nap time. I was a squirmy worm but I so feared discipline that I was considered one of those teacher's pets. The principal had a paddle with air holes in it and that put the fear of God in a kid, I can tell ya.

I remember getting a bit of rapture fatigue around 2008, 2009 and I learned some perspective from that. Feelings aren't facts and all that therapy sounding stuff. BUT I remain excited and as long as I think of the rapture in terms of God and all His marvelous plans, then I avoid thinking of the rapture in relation to the suffering and evil I am surrounded by, which is what used to trigger that sadness and fear.

 

[Jojo4124]

When I was in kindergarten I wasn't able to nap at nap time... so naturally I squirmed around and made noise like any awake 5 year old might do. Almost every day the teacher punished me by having me stand in the corner

Teachers that shame are the worst, I hope that experience didnt turn you off from taking naps now!!

My daughter went to preschool at 3.5 yo, she had declared naps were for babies. After her first day, the teacher told me that she just stood by her cot during nap time, and finally after an hour, she sat on the edge of the cot! Lol that's my strong willed child!
So the teacher told her that if she at least laid down during nap time, that she'd get a piece of candy after nap time. That worked, lol! She'd nap then wake up n expect her reward lol

 

[Tall Timbers]

Teachers that shame are the worst, I hope that experience didnt turn you off from taking naps now!!

I take a lot of naps now. I would have napped when I was a kindergartner too, just couldn't fall asleep. I've been a light sleeper my whole life.

 

[Epieikes]

As a nanny I find that sometimes my little ones resist nap time. I'm like, one day you will TREASURE naps!!! Lol #naploverhere

The Kindergarten teacher here just smiled knowingly when, at Open House, parents would say, "My child never naps." Some of these were the most impossible to wake after all that was poured into them and that they poured out during the day in "Garden Patch K"! ❤
You can't force sleep on a five year old...or on a 55 or 555 year old...but you can sure endeavor to make learning so fun and productive that they cannot resist the pull of decorative lights and soft Celtic hymn and folk lullabies...

 

[Epieikes]

It was pretty traumatic. I've probably had post traumatic stress disorder ever since. Kindergarten was not a friendly introduction to the outside world for me... I also remember teacher's aides who must've thought my ears didn't work talking about my plight and how sorry they felt for me. For recess I liked to borrow one of the tricycles. We had roads painted on an area of the playground. Sometimes that teacher wouldn't let me use the tricycle on account of she thought I should do something else every once in a while... those were sad recess periods when I was denied a tricycle..

You could have ridden the tricycle every day at Garden Patch K in my book as long as there were extra for others, too. ❤ I cherish your prayers for (literally) [email protected] ...private halfday old- school accelerated Christian K5 we are starting this fall, stepping out in faith and trusting God's provision. We'll cook, craft, build, explore the playground, learn Scripture/songs, build gardens and share the bounty with the hungry and the lonely, do local missions, have distant penpals, take oodles of field trips, be exposed to Spanish, Greek/Hebrew and more (why not?), and learn the basics too. Children may choose to nap AT HOME after we have worn ourselves out at OasisK.

Does this sound like a fun way to "occupy"? ❤

 

[Epieikes]

I would always steal a piece of chalk off the blackboard and draw on my cot during naptime. That was back when I could lay on my belly for a long time. Then I'd spit on it and rub it off the nylon weave of the cot before she cut the lights back on. lol

But you were quiet and disturbed no one. That's the ticket! Love your creativity! You've been "occupying yourself" from the beginning! Every kinder teacher's dream...❤

 

[Epieikes]

When I was in kindergarten I wasn't able to nap at nap time... so naturally I squirmed around and made noise like any awake 5 year old might do. Almost every day the teacher punished me by having me stand in the corner

This is simply wrong. She just needed a better background in ARBORICULTURE.