RunningEagle, I've often thought that, but the thing to remember is that death is eternal, and this life is where we can work to serve Him. He's put you here for a reason, and even if all you can offer him at the end of the day is your suffering and endurance, that's prize enough, isn't it?

Elan, for a moment I thought you said that an afterlife was heresy! I love your quote, by the way. God wrote all the best books too. I actuallythink that is what the written word was invented for, the preservation of scriptures. That's why so many religions have written scriptures.