What is Heaven like?
When little children ask this innocent question, it just melts my heart. How do you answer that?
Having a special tribe that means the world to you, is a little like Heaven on earth. Our family lives in the country. Not just "in the country" BUT like REALLY in the country. We have to plan our grocery trips. A trip to the middle school takes 20 mins. And we don't even care.
A tribe of like minded people can do wonders for your soul. I think God intended it that way. Having your girlfriends around that bring their prize dishes over, help clean up, help keep an eye on the kids, is priceless. Remember the days you all sat around on your grandmother's porch and snapped beans or shucked corn? If you never got to experience that, I think you missed out. Fresh garden veggies, and the time together prepping for the winter may be a thing of the past, but it doesn't have to be. It even feels like there is a resurgence of this. Do it with your family. Buy the corn that needs shucking and gather on the porch, sans electronics. It's magical. It's heavenly, although I didn't appreciate it until I was much older. Now it feels like a stone pillar to which I built my life. Heaven on earth.
Getting outside with some of your favorite people is also a little like Heaven on earth. Play in the dirt. Swim in the lake. Float down the river. Catch the frogs. Put lighting bugs in a jar. All of these things are gifts waiting on you to unwrap. We are all surrounded by heavenly gifts. Being outdoors promotes gratitude. Laughter makes your soul grow flowers. Time is expensive. Ruin the clothes with the red mud. Who cares!
I don't think any of us can truly imagine what Heaven will be like. I know I'll get to see it when it's my time, and I pray you will too. I hope this tribe of amazing people, the encouragers, the believers, the supporters, prayer warriors, get to meet me on the slip in slide in heaven.
Salty Britches® exist because of these people, and many more not pictured. Building a company and doing hard things doesn't feel like Heaven on earth, at least not until you really peel it back. Being in the throws of hardship proves resiliency, creativeness, creating an unstoppable spirit. You wouldn't discover or experience the lessons that you need to grow without the hard. So embrace it. Better yet, on a hot summer day, embrace it while doing something ridiculous, fun, outside, and dirty!
Look for Heaven on earth intentionally. You'll find it. It's all around you in nature, and in beautiful souls covered in flowers.