bekahcubed

Categories My Beloved Daniel

We could get married…

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This is the next installment in a rather long series about how Daniel and I met–and have become engaged. Click on the “Our Story” tag for context.

“Maybe we should stop talking about getting married,” he said.

He explained that he thought maybe talking about, praying about getting married was making it harder.

I must have misunderstood exactly what he was getting at, presuming that he meant talking about getting married was making it harder for us to discern the will of God. I went off on a tangent.

“What do you think when people tell you that God has told them something?” I asked.

Daniel gave his thoughts, only partially understanding what I was trying to ask (but, then again, it’s not like my meaning was clear or obviously related to the topic at hand.)

I described how I’d asked God if I would marry Daniel–and how God’s response had been, “I know; and when I want you to know, I’ll tell Daniel.”

Daniel listened patiently and responded: “I think I do know.”

He went on to explain his real concern, his present concern. The earliest he could conceive of us getting married was next summer. Was talking about marriage all the time making it harder to wait for the day when getting married could be a reality?

My answer was convoluted. My mind was in a whirl. I’m not sure how I got there, but at one point I mentioned that it was better to marry than to burn. But, at last, Daniel interrupted my ramblings with a more pointed question.

Could I think of any time that we could get married earlier?

I ticked off the options in my head–and said them out loud.

It was October. Christmas break was too soon–there’s no way we could plan a wedding that quickly. And then, well…What time is there between Christmas break and summer?

“When’s your Spring Break?” I asked.

Daniel looked it up, let me know. We discussed if it would be possible to get married the third weekend in March.

Somewhere amidst the conversation, we went from “We could get married over Spring Break” to “We’re getting married over Spring Break.”

We talked way too late into the night, and the conversation ended with an assignment for me. I was to look at rings online, send Daniel some pictures of the sort I liked so he could get ideas.

What was already a late night of conversation turned into an even later night for me as I explored ring pictures online, ecstatic that I was actually going to marry my beloved–SOON!

Categories Homemaking

Wichita is NOT the promised land

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When the pastor of my childhood church learned that I would be moving to Wichita, he gave me a knowing smile.

“Moving to the Promised Land,” he declared.

He, being a native of the greater Wichita area, would say such a thing.

I was a little surprised when our pastor in Wichita used the same phraseology to describe Wichita.

“Why does everybody call Wichita the Promised Land?” I asked him.

He had no good answer–and really wasn’t aware that anyone besides himself referred to the town thus.

Nevertheless, I have definitively decided that both pastors are wrong. Wichita is NOT the Promised Land.

The Promised Land, you see, is a land flowing with milk and honey. Groceries should be easy to come by in such a place.

Wichita is no such place.

Wichita has three grocery stores: Dillons, Wal-Mart Marketplace, and ALDI. No problems there, necessarily. After all, I come most recently from Columbus, where we had Hy-Vee, Super Saver, and Walmart. I got along just fine there.

But Wichita is more than 15 times bigger than Columbus. Yet while I could easily find everything on my list in just one of Columbus’s stores (I frequented the Super Saver), I have to visit three different stores in Wichita and still go home without my list being fulfilled.

Last night, after I was forced to return home without potted ginger, coconut milk, red curry paste, and molasses, I declared to my husband that sometimes I think I hate this town.

It’s probably an over-reaction. I know it’s an over-reaction. But food is a pretty important part of my life–and the process of procuring food in Wichita, KS is enough to make me pull out my hair.

Really, I was spoiled growing up.

I grew up going to SuperSaver in Lincoln. My closest SuperSaver just happened to be the SuperSaver just south of the majority of Lincoln’s ethnic population. It catered to the needs of the masses.

There, I could find Omega Eggs (researchers from UNL developed the process of enriching eggs with Omega-3s by adjusting the chicken’s diets). There, I could buy a whole range of Mexican, Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese ingredients. There, I had ready access to R.U.Nuts bulk foods, perfect for making my own trail mixes.

Here?

I can get Omega eggs at the Dillons on West and Central (but not at 21st and Amidon). I can buy Mexican ingredients at the Dillons on 21st and Amidon. Rumor has it there’s an Asian market somewhere where I can find my curry paste. And I can get bulk nuts and candy (but not fruit) at the Nifty Nut House.

But molasses?

I haven’t figured out where to find that yet.

Wichita is NOT the Promised Land.

To be fair, Wichita does have some advantages as food goes. Braums has the tastiest milk ever (I’m actually drinking milk on occasion these days, and I definitely enjoy what’s left in my cereal bowl). The Spice Merchant has fantastic coffee, tea, and buy-by-the-ounce spices. But I still pine for the one-stop-shopping convenience of my used-to-be-local Super Saver.

Categories Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: New Family Members

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Thankful Thursday bannerIt was the Thursday between our wedding and our honeymoon, my second day back at work. I’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed, felt rushed, started from home late, was scheduled for a training, and got lost on my way to training.

It was also my 28th birthday.

I was about to cry as I stopped at a stoplight and remembered the card tucked into my bag.

“For Rebekah Garcia,” it read. “Open on March 14.”

I opened the envelope to find a sweet card from my in-laws, wishing me a happy birthday and welcoming me again into the family.

I was no longer about to cry. I was crying, but now in thankfulness instead of frustration.

I am so blessed by multiple recent additions to my family.

This week I’m thankful…

…for the kindness of my mother-in-law
I’m going to guess that Paula was responsible for that birthday card that met me at just the right time. She was also probably responsible for the Easter card Daniel and I received right before Easter. And I know for sure that she is responsible for the periodic e-mailed and Facebook messaged notes of encouragement I get every couple of weeks.

…for the thoughtfulness of my sister-in-law
When I asked Daniel about his day a few days ago, he mentioned that his sister had called to let him know that there was a sale coming up that would be a perfect opportunity for my parents to buy a new mattress at (if they were still interested in buying a new one.) That my sister-in-law should not only think of me, but would remember me asking her advice about mattresses for my parents… She is a gem.

…for a new niece
The Little Miss now has a Little Sis. That’s right. My brother and sister-in-law (the ones who surprised me by showing up for my wedding) had their second little girl on Easter Sunday. I haven’t had a chance to see Little Sis in person, but the photos (and occasional videos) on Facebook have been precious. Little Miss is apparently thrilled to give Little Sis kisses–and I know my parents are thrilled to be up in Wisconsin with the newly expanded family.

…for news about a soon-expected nephew
Apparently Japan doesn’t carry gender-neutral baby clothes, so not finding out wasn’t really an option for John and Kaytee. But, to preserve something of a surprise, they had the ultrasound technician write the baby’s sex down and seal it in an envelope. John and Kaytee then gave that envelope to their neighbor, who was throwing them a shower. The neighbor let all their friends know what baby would be so that friends could purchase things appropriately. So John and Kaytee just found out at their shower last week that they’re having a BOY!

…for making an outlaw an in-law
Timothy has been dating Joanna (our sister-in-law Debbie’s sister) for three years now–and last night, he gave her a ring. Joanna and I have been friends for years and I’m thrilled that I can soon call her sister as well!

The addition of Joanna to the family is also particularly welcome to us girls, who are delighted to be keeping the lead we gained when John married Kaytee. When Timothy and Joanna are married, it will be nine girls to only seven boys. (Boo-ya!)

Daniel insists this means that when we have children we should have boys (of course.)

But whether sisters or brothers, mothers or fathers, nieces or nephews, I am so thankful for the family that God has given me–and that He continues to expand.

Categories Reflections

Get Thee a Wife

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Benedick, for years one to mock the married state, now only moments into his own marriage experiences a sudden about face. He counsels his Prince, Don Pedro with these words:

“…Prince,
thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife:
there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn.”

~From Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing”

Here Shakespeare memorializes the plague that has apparently been striking the newly married for centuries: the sudden desire to see all their friends married as they are.

While I was never one to hold Benedick’s original view of marriage, I am just as quick to rush into his second view.

It started at my wedding, when one single friend told me of how another single friend was chatting up yet another single friend. The first told me that the third had refused to give the second her phone number (despite the first’s insistence.)

Oh, wouldn’t I love to see my friends happily married? I thought.

The sense only grew when the second single friend asked about the third single friend before we departed the reception hall.

Having experienced a whole hour or two of wedded bliss, I was determined that all my single friends should experience the same.

As I handed irises to each of the single ladies attending my wedding, thanking them for standing with me as single women. As I tried to affirm them where they are at right now, I inwardly prayed, “And if it’s Your will, send them husbands.”

Now, a month married, I look around the table at my Happy Food friends, many of whom are happily married. Then I see the single men and I send up that same prayer, “If it’s Your will, send them wives.”

My phone beeps and an alert reminds me to pray for different family members and friends. I begin with specific requests–but all too often my prayers for my single family and friends turns to marriage. “Lord, if it’s Your will, send her a husband. Lord, if it’s Your will, send him a wife.”

Why is marriage so on my mind? Why do I pray this for my single friends? Why do I, now that I am married, so quickly desire that all my friends be married too?

There are a number of reasons.

First, this isn’t entirely different than my pre-marriage prayers. Even as a single woman, I frequently prayed that my single friends would find spouses. I know that most of my single friends desire to be married–and I desire that their desires for a spouse be fulfilled. So I pray that God would send them spouses.

Second, I want them to experience what I have. I enjoy being married. I love Daniel. I love being married to him. I am deliriously happy. I want my friends to experience that same happiness. Oh, I know that one can enjoy being single, that one can be deliriously happy as a single person. And I want them to be happy whether married or single. But I have tasted the joy of marriage, and I want them to be able to experience the same.

And finally, I want them to see God’s grace as I have.

For the past while, I’ve been calling Daniel my EOG.

Evidence of Grace.

There are plenty of clear evidences of God’s grace strewn throughout our days. Sunrises, rainfall, heartbeats, new babies. All pictures of unmerited favor.

But today, as I think of God’s grace, the clearest picture that arises is that of my husband. That Daniel loves me, cherishes me, takes care of me is a gift from God, one that I do not deserve.

He is evidence of God’s grace.

And if a spouse can be an EOG to another, I want that to be so. I want my friends to wonder at the completely undeserved grace of God; I want them to receive something they do not deserve. I want them to marvel at how God could grant them a spouse, to thank Him for His incredible grace.

So I pray, “Get them spouses, Lord.”

Categories Recap

Recap (4/8/2013)

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Quotes from this week’s readings:

  • From Barry York’s “Two Adams Met in Me”:

    “The first Adam brought me sweat and tears;
    The Second sweat blood to take away my fears.
    Yes, two Adams have met in me.
    The first is dead and dying
    Agonizingly;
    The Other is giving me life
    Everlastingly.”

    Barry York’s entire poem is a reflection on a line from John Donne’s “Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness”, which is also worth reading.

  • Tim Challies on Humble Orthodoxy:

    “Thus the solution to arrogant orthodoxy is not less orthodoxy, but more. The more we know of God, the more we love and trust him, the more humble we will be before him.”

  • Tim Keller on the Wrath of God:

    “Because if there is no wrath by God on sin, and there is no such thing as Hell, not only does that actually make what happened to Jesus inexplicable…but…it trivializes what He’s done…. “

    HT: Vitamin Z

Books added to my TBR list:

  • All You Could Ask For by Mike Greenberg (reviewed by Michelle at 5 Minutes 4 Books)
    Three strong female protagonists at wildly different places in life. I like this sort of thing–and my new public library has a copy!

  • Bananas in my Ears by Michael Rosen (reviewed by Carrie, Reading to Know)
    I enjoy silly children’s poetry, so I figure I might like this!

  • The Maid and the Queen by Nancy Goldstone (reviewed by Carrie, Reading to Know):

    “Nancy Goldstone is a fantastic story teller. She lays out historical timelines, ancestry of kings, events and places in such a way that paint a landscape for you to place Joan into. Goldstone is not dryly reciting facts but bringing in all manner of interesting side plots and relationships to tell you why it is that Joan was so remarkable and what it is that she managed to accomplish. The Maid and the Queentruly reads like a novel rather than a history book and I eagerly kept turning pages waiting to see what would happen next.”

  • The Victory Club by Robin Lee Hatcher (reviewed by Barbara H, Stray Thoughts)
    If Barbara H’s recommendation isn’t enough, it’s Christian fiction set in World War II that’s NOT A ROMANCE. I definitely need to try it.

Recipes Tried:

  • Bourbon Molasses Chicken (from Once a Month Mom)
    Daniel saw this in my feed reader and said it looked good. Since I have both bourbon and molasses, I figured I might as well make it for him. We enjoyed some this last week and I made extra for the freezer. Daniel liked this recipe well enough that he suggested that I try the sauce on meatloaf–which I’ll be making for the Happy Food crowd this next Tuesday. Wish me luck!

  • Lemon Daffodil Cake (from Taste of Home)
    Daniel and I threw a Seder (Passover meal) the Saturday before Easter and I needed a dessert to serve. Of course, it being Passover, I couldn’t serve anything leavened–which meant a sponge cake was a perfect option. I leafed through my brand new Taste of Home Baking Book (Thank you HJ and Kris!) and found this yummy looking cake. The end result did not disappoint. Everyone was delighted with this light and lemony cake. And…best part of all? I only had two egg yolks left over, which Daniel and I easily added to our breakfast eggs the next morning. (My least favorite part of angel food cakes is figuring out what to do with all the yolks left over at the end.)
Categories Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Marriage

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Thankful Thursday bannerHow’s married life?

It’s the question that’s apparently burning in everyone’s mind. Or at least, it’s the question that everyone is asking us.

It’s also the question I’m never exactly sure how to answer.

Because, really, it isn’t that much different than life before we were married.

Except in a couple of ways.

First, we took almost two weeks worth of honeymoon–which meant that we experienced the normal break in routine that vacations cause.

But the second and most significant difference is that I don’t go home at night.

Which is pretty significant, if you think about it.

This week I’m thankful…

…for an early wedding
Yes, we planned an early wedding for entirely selfish reasons. And you know what? I’m awfully glad we did. I think every couple should. You’re going to be exhausted enough on your wedding night–don’t compound the issue by not even getting to your hotel before midnight.

…for a quick move
When we realized that it was, um, snowing in our hotel room, Daniel gave the front desk a call. They had us transferred to a new room within a half hour, enabling us to complete our little getaway without a hitch.

…for getting through packing
Packing for our honeymoon was stressful. We had three days in Wichita between our little getaway and our honeymoon. We worked and when I got home, I did laundry from our wedding week. Laundry was still drying on the line in the basement until Friday, which meant we didn’t get to packing for the honeymoon until Friday night. We selected clothing and arranged it into our suitcases. We rearranged. We sat on the suitcases. We rearranged some more. I cried. It took forever. But in the end, we got it done and got to bed with four hours to sleep before we had to leave for the airport.

…for afternoon naps
Daniel had explored a number of options to keep us busy in Charleston–but we didn’t set anything in stone. We wanted to have plenty of flexibility. I definitely appreciated that when we came back from the beach on Sunday. I was exhausted, so we took a nap. I also appreciated it on Monday when we returned from a walking tour of Old Charleston. Once again, I was exhausted–and we took a nap. I’m so thankful for Daniel’s willingness to bear with my tiredness and let me nap several afternoons during our honeymoon.

…for rambles with my best friend
When you go to a place like Charleston, people want to know what you saw, what you did, what you ate. But my favorite part of our honeymoon had little to do with Charleston. My favorite moments of our honeymoon were walking through the I’on Swamp Interpretive Trail, up the Avenue of the Oaks at the Boone Hall Plantation, and through Fort Moultrie. I loved these times, not because of the places (although they were neat enough), but because I was walking with and talking with and laughing with my best friend.

…for settling into routines
Routines are pretty important to me. They’re important for my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Nevertheless, the nature of my move, of my living situation, and of wedding planning meant that I haven’t had routines in place since the beginning of the year. These last couple of weeks at home have been wonderful, settling back into those routines that keep me sane.

…for God’s mercies, new every morning
Daniel and I continue to be sinners. Now, we’re sinners who live together. Living with Daniel exposes my heart, it magnifies the sin in me, like a long unexamined gem now put beneath a microscope. I have become acutely aware of my selfishness, my pride, my self-righteousness. Marriage exposes my sinfulness. But inasmuch as my sin is magnified, God is magnified still more. For God’s mercy greets both Daniel and I each morning. God’s mercy teaches us to love one another. God’s mercy enables us to talk through difficulties, to hold our tongues from criticism, to turn to Him when we’re hurt.

God has been gracious in giving us each other–and He is merciful in keeping us through the first few weeks of this lifelong journey that is marriage.

Categories My Beloved Daniel

Days Ago

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There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting to blog, having a half a dozen unformed blogging ideas, and not having the time or the energy to fully develop any of them.

In my case, I’d rather like to blog my reactions to The Hunger Games (Oh, is that old news by now?) or talk about some interesting parallels between Exodus 32ish and Acts 2 or tell you about the process of changing my name (Except that most of you have probably already experienced that for yourself) or post pictures of my wedding and honeymoon or tell you about how I’ve been spending my spare time at work drooling over the Wichita library collection (and eagerly anticipating getting my library card this Friday!)

Without the motivation to develop the above themes but with a desire to get SOMETHING on bekahcubed, my mind started flipping through tired topics.

Then I thought of the story I told some questioners last night–a story about a fast-moving relationship.

I almost wished it were the seventh, so I could write an anniversary post. And then I got curious. How many days has this been going?

Thanks to a handy little calculator, I discovered that…

270 days ago, I read a Facebook message from a friend offering to set me up with Daniel Garcia

268 days ago, I said my friend could introduce us

267 days ago, Daniel and I became Facebook “friends”

266 days ago, Daniel sent me his first letter

265 days ago, I sent Daniel my first letter

231 days ago, Daniel and I had our first phone conversation

217 days ago, I realized I was probably in love

210 days ago, Daniel asked me on a date

207 days ago, Daniel told me he loved me and we became boyfriend and girlfriend

194 days ago, Daniel and I met in person for the first time

193 days ago, Daniel met my parents (and I met his dad)

180 days ago, we had a second date in Kansas City

176 days ago, we decided to get married

174 days ago, we told our parents that we had decided to get married

172 days ago, we met each others’ families and told them that we were engaged

159 days ago, I visited Daniel in Wichita for the first time

97 days ago, I moved to Wichita

86 days ago, I started a new job in Wichita

25 days ago, I married Daniel Garcia

And there you have it. A summary of my entire acquaintance with Daniel Garcia.

270 days ago, I became aware of his existence. 245 days later, I became his wife.

Just days ago.

Categories My Beloved Daniel

Maybe we should stop

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This is the next installment in a rather long series about how Daniel and I met–and have become engaged. Click on the “Our Story” tag for context.

Not long after we’d officially decided we were dating, we started praying together during our daily conversations.

After we’d already begun, one of Daniel’s friends had cautioned against the intimacy praying together can create.

My mentor was thrilled to hear of Daniel’s leadership in prayer, and warned of how spiritual intimacy was, well, intimate.

We certainly found it to be intimate. We were opening our souls to God together, lifting up our desires, our requests, our hurts, and our praise. This was deep intimacy.

We weren’t about to stop.

Our prayers took different directions from day to day. Sometimes we prayed for the circumstances of our lives. Sometimes we prayed for the people in our lives. Sometimes we prayed for one another. Sometimes we each prayed for ourselves. Frequently, we thanked God for the gift of His Son. Almost as frequently, we thanked God for the gift of each other.

But one refrain found its way into almost every prayer.

“Lord, we want to be married someday–but if that’s not Your will, we don’t want it.”

“Lord, I love this man, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him–but if that’s not what You want, show us.”

“Lord, You know I love Rebekah and want to marry her–but I want Your will to be done.”

“Lord, if I don’t marry Daniel, I’ll be very, very sad–but I’d rather obey You than have him.”

It was our heart’s cry, our desire laid bare before the Lord. Both of us were prone to make marriage an idol, to worship our desire for a spouse above God. Both of us recognized the danger of idolizing one another.

We wanted each other–and we told God that–but we wanted God more.

Our desire was to be married–but we wanted above anything to honor God.

And so we prayed day after day.

I talked with Cathy, week after week, confessing how much I thought I was in love with Daniel, how much I wanted to be his wife, how he wanted me for his wife. I shared how I struggled to know whether this desire was holy or idolatrous. I wanted God more. As painful as it would be to not marry Daniel, that’s what I wanted if that’s what God wanted. Cathy and I prayed together, week after week.

And Daniel and I continued to pray during our daily conversations.

“Lord, we want to be married–but if you don’t want that, neither do we.”

We continued to pray it day after day until one day, when Daniel said the words that changed the tenor of our conversations.

I was wearing my red satiny pajamas laying across the white comforter of my hotel bed, chin propped on a pillow, Nexus tablet propped on a second pillow in front of me. The light above my head cast a ghastly pallor across my face, such that I winced whenever I saw the tiny box that was me in the corner of the screen. It wasn’t one of my best days.

Then Daniel said it: “Maybe we should stop talking about getting married.”

Categories Recap

Recap (3/30/2013)

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Quotes from this week’s readings:

Tim Challies on Sin and Virtue:

“While it is common for someone to ask how to put off a particular sin, it is rare for someone to ask for guidance in putting on a particular godly trait. We are ashamed of our sin and bothered by it. This is good. But we are less ashamed of our lack of Christian character and less bothered by it. This is not good….

But our ultimate desire is not to be not-sinful but to be truly godly. We are not to aim at being not-sinful but to aim at being marked by Christian character. We experience the greatest success in battling sin when our desire is not only to stop sinning but to have our lives marked by the opposite character trait.“

D.A. Carson on Pluralism and Tolerance:

“Genuine pluralism within the broader culture is facilitated when there is a strong Christian voice loyal to the Scriptures – as well as strong Muslim voices, skeptical voices, Buddhist voices, atheistic voices, and so forth. Genuine pluralism within the broader culture is not fostered when in the name of tolerance none of the voices can say that any of the others is wrong.” (HT: Vitamin Z)

Books added to my TBR list:

Emily of Deep Valley by Maude Hart Lovelace (reviewed by Carrie, Reading to Know):

“I could probably continue on rhapsodizing about Emily. I really, really admired her. It’s an easy story to fall in with and enjoy and I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it! I highly recommend this one!”

I’ve wanted to read a Maud Hart Lovelace book for ages, but was too busy getting married to read a title along with this month’s Reading to Know Bookclub. But I will get to her eventually, I will.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (reviewed by Heather, Do Not Let This Universe Forget You):

“Flowers for Algernon is the story of Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped young man, selected for his desire to learn, to be a part of a scientific endeavor….As Charlie’s intelligence grows, he begins to struggle with things he never understood until now…. He begins to notice cruelty and deception and posturing and hypocrisy.”

This sounds like a challenging and fascinating read. Heather gave a few “reader bewares” that are worth noting–but all in all this sounds worth a try.

Categories Theology

Remnants of the Temple

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“It’s like the Wailing Wall,” he told us, “Historically meaningful but not much to see.”

That, coupled with the hefty $18 per person price tag for a boat ride out to Fort Sumter, had me thinking it was an attraction to be skipped. Daniel thought otherwise, so we decided to go anyway.

Our friend from home turned out to be right in at least one respect. There wasn’t much to see at Fort Sumter.

I told Daniel once we got back that this didn’t mean I was willing to skip the Wailing Wall if/when we find our way to Jerusalem.

The Wailing Wall is different, I explained. Sure Fort Sumter is an important part of our nation’s history, but the Wailing Wall is all that remains of the place GOD chose for His Name to dwell.

Today, as I read the plans for the Tabernacle in Exodus and consider the Passion, I recall Christ’s words to the unbelieving mobs of Jerusalem:

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
~John 2:19 (ESV)

The unhearing hearers protested the impossibility of rebuilding Herod’s temple in three days.

And they were right. Herod’s temple, which took 46 years to build, now lies in waste for 1,943 years. The Wailing Wall is all that remains of that majestic temple.

But that temple, majestic and meaningful though it may have been, was nothing compared to the temple Jesus spoke of.

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
~ Colossians 2:9 (ESV)

The ultimate temple is Christ Himself. God in bodily form. God become man.

This temple was destroyed a little less than 2000 years ago. This temple was rebuilt by His own strength only three days later.

As much as I long to gaze upon the remnants of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem at the Wailing Wall, I long much more to gaze upon the Resurrected Temple, my LORD in the New Jerusalem.

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
~I Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
~I John 3:2 (ESV)