Building 'Our' Mansion

I came to a really strangely strong impression that the spirit gave me today. Interesting when I come upon those times were I just sort of "know." I was day dreaming of the home that I would love to build someday. You know, that one where I have the perfect backyard for my kids to play in, the perfect play room, the perfect pink craft/sewing room, the perfect little library with the comfy giant beanbag chair and the beautiful floor to ceiling shelves to house the millions of books that are all over my house and in boxes in the basement, complete with the little ladder thing that is on the track that can circle this room of books...and on and on and on go my dreams.

I know that it's maybe slightly dumb to day dream about things like this when other matters are much more pressing in my life. No one better than me knows that "stuff" really doesn't matter, that having someone in the flesh to be there to love you and care about you matters a bazillion times more than a pile of money to burn. Funny what insight having a spouse die does to a person. But nevertheless, I daydream. Dream of just the right job and the right babysitting situation for my family. Dream of the perfect little place in the U.S. to live, where politics aren't bad, where people and neighborhoods aren't bad, where I don't worry about my kids getting killed by a drunk driver or other social ills, where the weather is perfect, where the schools are ideal, where the church is strong and the youth hold to their standards, where health care is excellent and health insurance makes sense, where there is no cancer causing societal elements, where all my extended family can live in one little place so cousins and 2nd cousins can play and I don't worry about family job situations or money, mental health and other health problems....yes. A utopia.

I know it doesn't exist. But it's nice to dream.

I say sometimes to people how I hope Adam is "building them a mansion" where he's at, for I know so many who deserve such good things, comforts of life, ways to ease their wearied minds. It's sort of dumb every time I say it, because I "know" that isn't what he's doing. So, I had this thought again today (I used that same phrase yesterday too, I do realize), and right as I realized this thought, I was brought back to my knowledge.

Doctrinally, I don't believe heaven is "up there" or "out there" as some believe their deceased loved ones are merely sitting on a cloud--I believe 'heaven' is right here. NOT in the sense that we live our lives, because obviously we can't see our loved ones who have passed away--for the post mortal spirit world is on a different plane than we live right now. But I do believe that the earth will be renewed and be made perfected--to receive its "paradisiacal glory."--that "paradise" or "heaven" IS INDEED right here on the earth. We will dwell here again someday, after everything prophesied in the scriptures takes place.

As I had this thought of "Adam building a mansion," a new thought came to me. Granted, this part is NOT necessarily the doctrine of my church, but just a sense that I had. I had the thought come to me of "what kind of home am I making here on earth, because it is ME who is 'building the mansion' for which we will live someday." HUH! I mean, I don't necessarily believe we will come back to this exact home because who knows what the earth will look like perfected some day. But it made me think--what if THIS was IT!?! And I wasn't having the guilty set of thoughts I have about my generally dirty disaster of a house. It made me think of every aspect to coincide with cleanliness and the symbolism of cleanliness of our homes. What kinds of things do we do with our bodies and minds to keep them (or should keep them) like temples? And likewise, what do we do to keep our homes like temples?

And what if I really am building 'our' mansion? Is it all about granite and all the perfect things that I would love to do to my dream house? Maybe? But it makes me think beyond that, about what my reasoning is for wanting such things. Is it to simply be comfortable and be appreciative of the beauties that surround us and those possibilities? Yeah. I think so. But I know in my heart there's a lot more depth to the concept of "making a home." It is much more internal than I think we realize.

Anyway. I will still dream of building my home. I still dream of using tools and getting dirty and 'actually' building a structure that would serve its purpose--the purpose that I would have for such a place. Instead I fully recognize that our home right now is serving its purpose. I guess the cornice box that I made last week to go along with the drapes I sewed for my living room will have to do for my using power tools. For now.