We were gone for about 16 days to a time zone that was 14 hours different from central daylights saving time. They say it takes one day per one hour to adjust to the new time zone. So that would take 14 days for us to adapt to the new time zone, cycle, and pattern. It wasn’t easy for us, especially the kids. For me, I had to run at odd hours, and just try my best to stay away during the daytime and sleep at normal hours. That was not the case for the girls. Around after mid-afternoon, they would start dozing off and go into a deep sleep mode, and it was quite challenging to just keep them up. This went on for about a week and they were finally adapting to the new time zone.
After 16 days, when we, at last, were feeling normal in the Korean Time Zone, we flew back home again. Now we have to adapt to our home time zone, repeating the whole process again. It was over 12 hours of flying. We left Korea in the morning, so the girls were wide awake for almost the entire flight. We landed at O’Hare at 10 am, and went through immigration and customs, the girls immediately fell into a deep sleep when we got into the car. I had to fight off sleep while driving back home. They are still sleeping in their rooms at the time of this writing. They will likely get up around 9pm ish and won’t sleep for most of the night. It will take another 2 weeks to adapt again.
When Jesus returns, we will be on a journey to our heavenly home. The distance to the heavenly kingdom is more than a 12-hour flight. We will be traveling through the galaxies and exploring the universe that God created on our way. How will we adapt to the new time zone? This is what the Bible says about the change: “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” Philippians 3:21; “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52. Physically, we won’t have issues to adapting in heaven.
What about our character? It was challenging to adapt to the driving practices and the traffic laws and patterns in Korea (yes, driving in Korea is different). It took time to remember how I drove back in the days in my motherland. Our character is the same about living in heaven with Jesus. And we must be changed to live in heaven. As we are justified by faith, the Bible says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3,4. Jesus will help us change our character! May we all look forward to that day in heaven. And please be merciful when you see my family fall asleep during worship today!
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