A Castle of Dreams

     In the mid 70’s, the television program In Search Of was hosted by Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and featured unusual sites around the world.  My favorite episode was the one about Edward Leedskalnin’s Coral Castle in Florida.  From 1923 to 1951, Ed single-handedly sculpted more than 1,100 tons of coral rock into a castle and stone garden.  The stones are so massive, that no one knows how Ed built the castle.  He claimed to have utilized the same secret used by the builders of the pyramids in Egypt.  The highlight of the episode was a clip of a young boy using one finger to push open a perfectly balanced 9-ton door.  I decided right then, “Some day I will visit the Coral Castle.” 

     We lived in Florida from 1981-83, yet we never made it to the castle. In 1991, we moved back to Florida from Buffalo. After I thawed out, I resumed my quest to visit the Coral Castle.  My son, David, was in Kindergarten when I shared with him the story of the 9-ton door that could be opened with the push of a child’s finger.  I promised to take him to see the castle so he told his Kindergarten class to get ready for the pictures. We didn’t go that year because of some scheduling conflicts.  I rehashed the details about the castle with David many times over the next few years as we continued to reschedule our trip. We finally made the trip after Dave graduated from High School! The inspiring story of a faithful father keeping his promise to his son after 12 long years seemed lost on him. As we pulled on to the property, I reminded him of the 9-ton door.  We couldn’t wait to see it.  The $40 price of admission was shocking, but we had come so far, nothing was going to stop us from pushing that door open with one finger.  

     We walked around the castle grounds, and then made our way over to the door.  I said something like, ‘Here it is Dave.  The door so well-balanced that I can push it with one finger.”  I reached out my hand, extended my finger and pressed it into the door.  My finger bent backwards and the door didn’t move. I couldn’t believe it!  I tried again.  Nothing but grunts of exertion. It was at this point that the 12-year wait became worth it for my son.  He laughed harder than I can remember him ever laughing before and he kept reciting  “it’s so well balanced that a child can push it with one finger.”  The castle guide then told us that it had been permanently secured for safety and stability reasons.  What?! The disappointment was crushing.  When we talk about that trip now, the best part of the memory is the heartbreaking surprise when I pushed the door. For David, anyway.

      Anticipation can set you up for extreme disappointment, even if what you are anticipating turns out to be good.  Sometimes, anticipation can lead to completely unrealistic expectations.  The one thing we can be sure that will be infinitely better than what we can imagine is Heaven.  In both Isaiah and I Corinthians the Bible says,  Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.  Everything we have read about Heaven (no pain, no tears, no sorrow, no death, no sickness, no need for the sun, no need for a temple, streets of gold, gates of pearl, walls of jasper, and the presence of The Lamb) will not only be true, but will also surpass what we are anticipating.  As a matter of fact, it will be so great that Paul wrote,  "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us". Jesus said,  "In My Father’s house are many mansions;  if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you".  The Lord’s work on our eternal home will not be a disappointment. He is building us a castle of dreams.

1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”