quote:
Originally posted by smilinize:
Instead I believe in an eternity that never begins and never ends and is going on now and has always been and always will be. I try to live every moment as a part of that eternity...But that's just me.
That's me too. I too grew up living with the confusing mixture of joy, excitement, promise, threats and fear of the "End Times". But the deeper I climbed into God's love, the more difficult it became to see anything beyond His unconditional Love, steadfast (new every morning) Mercy and no-strings-attached (free) Grace.

I like the way you put it Smile. I too think we are already active and creative co-participants in eternity and are each still here on earth to carry out our own unique and necessary purpose within this particular chunk of time. I don't know what my own specific purpose is right now, but I have to suspect that it has something to do with loving and supporting others while they carry out their purpose. I know with certainty that it isn't about scaring people (how many times in the Bible has God said "Be not afraid")or beating them over the head with their own Father's Love Letter (aka the Bible).