Sunday my housemate Joanne had a few errands to run after church and I went with her. We were parked in a shopping center. She was in a store and I was waiting in the car, listening to worship music while slumped in my seat absorbing God’s presence. I wanted to get up and just worship. So, I did. I stood next to the car, raised my arms, closed my eyes, sang, and adored my Beautiful Best Friend. As a few people got in cars near me I opened my eyes, they were looking at me in wonderment. I’m not sure if they thought I was crazy, or just unreasonably happy. haha.

At our next stop I also got out of the car while she was in the store. I danced and worshiped and had so much fun laughing with God! hahaha! While my eyes were open I saw a few people pause as they passed by, but I was so drunk on God’s wonderful presence, it didn’t affect me – except to think “Go get ’em, Holy Spirit!” I had been worshiping for probably twenty minutes when suddenly someone touched my shoulder. I opened my eyes. It was Joanne, laughing and repeating the lyrics I was singing. A squad of firemen were walking by with a shopping cart en route to their fire truck and they looked like seeing me there unabashedly singing to God made their day. haha. I laughed and waved at them.

I got back in the car. The firemen continued to observe our departure.

I wonder what they were thinking. I wonder what they were experiencing.

Freedom, I’m sure. Joy, quite obviously. Intrigue, most definitely.

I love worshiping God. Everywhere. It’s really one of my favorite things. When I lived in Israel I would often raise my arms, dance, and sing as I walked down city streets. I couldn’t resist. I would see Heaven’s movement, God’s love, and all creation praising Him; and I had to join the chorus. How could I not? It didn’t matter if people stared. I could not resist. He IS WORTHY. His worthiness, it devastates me with praise and awe.

Though my body walked those city streets, my spirit was in heaven. All of heaven was praising the King, it was absolutely irresistible. I looked around me and I saw Heaven. Everyone was worshiping. I was simply doing what everyone around me was doing – angels, elders, and great cloud of witnesses included. On earth we have a choice to worship God, in heaven we won’t have a choice. His goodness and glory will be so palpable and overwhelming we will be compelled to worship. The more we allow ourselves to see heaven now, the more we will find it irresistible to worship God now.

There were times in Israel I would lead my quasi youth group in singing and dancing through city streets, singing great declarations like “Jesus is the King of Jerusalem!” while all in a conga line and laughing our heads off. I might as well have taught them how to cut down a tree by blinking their eyes – that’s how “unheard of” and “undoable” they thought it was. They were learning the power of God to do the “impossible” and to have fun while doing it.

Laughing our heads off. That’s a great phrase. It’s like laughing so much, your brain no longer restrains freedom. Laughing so hard, you no longer wonder, “what are those people thinking of me?” You are capsized in JOY. Laughing so hard, you are positive that God is there, leaping and spinning over you.

And you know that He loves it. And you know that it’s changing the atmosphere around you. It’s setting people free. It’s like a sprinkler of Hope, Joy, and Fun for everyone to cast off their shoes and simply run through!

Let’s adore Him. Everywhere, at all times. If you want to stand next to your car and worship, do it. If you want to dance down the aisles of the grocery store, do it. If you want to laugh while walking alone, do it. hahahahahaha!

It shouldn’t be strange. It should be normal. Heaven is normal. Heaven is reality – just because people around you don’t see has absolutely nothing to do with if it’s there or not.

2 Corinthians 4:18 is one of my ziploc bag verses. It’s a verse I keep lots of things in to preserve them: unreasonable hope, addictive joy, passionate freedom, and overcoming LOVE.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,

but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal.

Wow. hahahahaha! God is so gorgeous! hahaha!

<I love you, Father! You have all of my affection! You deserve the highest praise!>

Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be to you the only wise King!