So, while lying in bed last night waiting for migraine meds to kick in, I was channel surfing.  Unfortunately, not much was on.  I came across the OWN channel with an Oprah: Behind the Scenes.  It was the episode behind her big two-day send off event.  Although not a regular Oprah watcher, I had actually watched those two days, enthralled by the constant parade and accolades from all manner of celebrity.   I decided to stop and take it in.  

There she was--Lady O--absolutely overwhelmed with the amazing displays of love and affection.  Her friends--the likes of which include Maria Shriver, Beyonce, Tom Hanks, and Will and Jada Smith--praising her in grand scale.  Wow-wee--it was a who's who.  And, then that magic moment when the men of Moorehouse College marched in, carrying little candles, to commemorate all the people who had received an education because of Oprah.

That moment got to her, and she cried and cried.  She exclaimed behind the scenes that there just might be such a thing as too much love because it was just too much to take in.

I went to sleep last night thinking of what that would be like to be Oprah--or to at least be in a position where there is an event planned just for me.  (Can you tell I am a words of affirmation girl?).  An event planned just to give props for all the ways I changed the world.  An event where the people I have touched let me know that.  And, the people I love publicly giving huge displays of their affection.  Songs sung dedicated to me.  An endless parade of "this is your life" and "attaboys!"  [ Of course, on days like today, I'd probably settle for just one of my three children thanking me for cleaning up their mess or taking them to a movie.]

I woke up this morning still pondering this.  And, then I realized something.  The truth is that such an event IS planned, and WILL happen--on a heavenly scale.  Well, at least in the way that I understand how the Bema Seat will happen--it will be such an event.  And Jesus Himself will be the Master of Ceremonies.  In fact, He may be the only audience?  Honestly, no one else will be necessary because I won't care about anyone else.  My wordly desire for man's approval will have disappeared. 

Here's the thing.  At a Ladies Retreat with my church a few years ago, the speaker led us through this amazing dramatization of the Bema Seat--or the judgment seat of Christ.  The time when we aren't condemned because we chose to believe.  But, we will be rewarded for our earthly deeds that had an eternal outcome.  The speaker had us close our eyes and put ourselves in the scene she described, based on several Scripture passages, including 2 Corinthians 5:9-10: