08/13/20 2005 MISSION TRIP TO CENTRAL ASIA #7 — The return trip was a 12-13 hour flight, with a layover in Los Angeles. When I left the plane there, exhausted and half asleep, I accidentally wandered down a forbidden hallway. Loud alarms sounded and security personnel confronted me and laughed at my pitiful excuse. When we finally landed in DC, I left the plane as quickly as possible. Never before did American soil look so precious to me! At the end of the hall, I scanned the gathered crowd. Then I spotted the beautiful face of my dear wife Linda. I ran to her and gave her the biggest hugs and most lavish kisses ever! 

That was a Saturday. The next morning during my sermon, I shared this with my congregation. I told them that someday, pretty soon, I would arrive in heaven. Maybe there would be a crowd, eager to greet me. But the brand-new eyes in my glorified body would scan the saints, looking for One Person. And when I first see Jesus, my dear Savior and Lord, “I’m gonna lose it!” It’s “gonna be shoutin’ time!” I’ll probably whoop louder than when the Virginia Tech (or Tennessee) football team pulls off a big upset. WOW—I can hardly wait!