Split Second

8:09 AM 7/12/2015

I had just gotten off the phone with Pennie. She couldn’t have sounded more enthusiastic; I marveled at how important this truly was to her. I couldn’t screw it up in anyway. I had never met a woman more excited about a wedding, or maybe I just never got around to listening in on some girl-talk, because it seemed all her friends shared the excitement, including Jennie, whom I had previously dated. Memories.

Now, if only this executive position I was applying to would pull through.

1:07 PM 7/26/2015

All through the lunch at Cheesy Stix, I was distracted. Everyone from my team was deep into the send-forth festivities organized for Will, my 4-year boss, but all I could think about was my daughter, Carrolton (or Karrie, like we fondly call her). I had to be at this recital; it seemed like everything to her. But, with the wedding plans and this impromptu party for the boss, there seemed to be no way I was getting there in time. Once again, I experienced that dreaded sinking feeling, surprised that I hadn’t gotten used to it by now.

But, there was a lot to look forward to. Karrie was excited about getting a step brother, since me and Pennie were both bringing a child into the marriage. Over the past year and a half, I had also developed a father-son bond with her son (well, mine too), Craig. I couldn’t wait to see that relationship grow.

Amidst the excitement rushing through me, I didn’t hear Will call out to me, neither did I hear the sound of tingling glasses. I looked up and apologized to everyone, but there was something strange about the way they stood, the way they smiled, the way they looked in admiration. “Mike, it is my pleasure to announce that you got the position. From now on, you are the Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations. You deserve it. We all know that, and you know it too. Effective after your honeymoon, Mike, you’re the new boss. Congratulations!” 


Those words from Will almost brought tears to my eyes. Not only was it a lifelong dream for me, but with the pay raise, I can make sure me, Pennie and the kids are adequately provided for.

I thanked my boss and spoke high-sounding words that I didn’t remember few minutes later. Most of all, I thanked God in my heart and silently reassured myself: “once the honeymoon is over, I’ll be more committed to God than I’ve ever been.”

 4:15 PM 8/14/2015

It was my final day at work. The wedding plans were slowly winding down. Bachelor’s party was a blast, thanks to my best man. I knew he could do the job. It was the right mix of naughty and responsible. Thoughts of that night still make me feel like I’ve done my due diligence to bachelor-hood; now, I can really have a wife. I laugh inside when I remember.

As I was about to turn off my iMac for the last time till my fall wedding and honeymoon was over, I felt something rather strange. It started from my heart and spread through my body. It wasn’t a good or bad feeling. All within a split second, I felt my legs shake uncontrollably, and it seemed other parts of my body were doing the same too. At this point, it was becoming a pleasurable feeling of some sort. It felt like I was being compressed from all sides, as though the earth was about to vomit me in a projectile motion into space.

Out from nowhere and everywhere at the same time came a blasting trumpet, and all within a split second, I knew what it was. RAPTURE. Though my heart erupted with joy, I still had just one split second to think to myself that all the time I had spent working hard at the job, investing all I am into the relationship and pushing my service to God till later was in vain. I knew the word well enough to know I’ll have to make a report of my life in Heaven, and in that split second, I couldn’t think of anything I did that could impress the Lord of my life.