Heaven

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Jesus John 14:1-3

I believe in Heaven... Jesus promised us that The Father has a Home big enough for everyone who follows Him... that He's preparing a place for us... you and me... in Heaven.

Last Saturday I got the call that a friend I'd been with just the night before had died... he'd been fighting cancer, not much older than me, loved fishing on the ocean... we'd once crossed paths, fishing on the same boat, hundreds of miles at sea...God gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better over the last year or two. God invited Danny into His church at Central Community and I'm certain that when he took his last breath here, Someone took his hand as he was ushered into God's Eternal Kingdom.

Our kids have always felt like I'm a little too comfortable around death. From as early as they can remember they've shared the heartbreak as families have called our home, looking for their pastor, when "the end" is near. I've been in more circumstances of death than I ever care to recount... just thinking about it brings so many good people to mind... and I thank God for The Promise of Heaven... of Home.

I've wept with so many good people but I've never felt that it was the end. Heaven is our Home. Our loved ones who go before us are a precious deposit in The Hands of our Loving Father until The Day we're all Home. "What a Day... Glorious Day... that will be."

Danny's home. I'll miss him. Not long ago he gave me a couple of boxes of expensive lures and jigs for saltwater fishing... can't wait to use them... to catch a fish- always thought I'd bring a story back to tell him -now I'll just quietly say: "Thanks for the hook up buddy." Hope there's fishing in Heaven.

I learned this poem as a child. Someday it'll be read at my funeral:

God grant that I may live to fish
until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast
I then most humbly pray,
When in The Master's landing net
I'm peacefully asleep
That God may judge and grant me
good enough to keep.

"I'll Meet You In The Morning" It's an old gospel song- don't hear it much anymore. I downloaded it tonight and listened to it for the first time in years. My uncle John and aunt Lurann Denton use to sing it together... became almost famous for it... had a 45 record of it and everything... they'd get to the chorus and turn to each other- like so many other gospel groups would do and begin to shake hands as they sang: "I'll meet you in the morning, I'll meet you in the morning, with a "How do you do!" and a "How do you do!" Each time they did it I could just imagine Heaven being like the lobby of the church on Sunday morning- the whole church family waiting to welcome us -shaking hands, smiling, maybe even singing... I like that image of Heaven... a happy home. I'm glad my friend Dan's out of his pain and into God's Paradise... one of the many I hope will "meet me in the morning."

Heaven... what a great hope to hold onto... is it your hope today?

many blessings,

Eric

a night with my siblings

My sister said the best part of last night was looking over and seeing her brothers and their wives enjoying the night together... this morning... it's the most important statement I take away from our evening with John McCain, Barack Obama and Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback's Civil Forum.

We're not together, all of us in one place, all that often. Incredibly appropriate that we were when a preacher, one we all respect and love, invited a couple of politicians to share their views on some of the tough topics of today. It's how we were raised... Kat pointedly reminded me of that as we left the church. Even still, listening to her lecture me, inwardly I was smiling... thinking how proud I am to have such a fantastic "little" sister. Such an amazing brother-in-law in Dan. The evening didn't challenge my politics or sway my vote... but it did remind me that we've been blessed with the gift of family. Thanks Kat and Dan.

Tolerating older brothers... and we're a trio who often require a great deal of love... must be a special gift God gives little sisters. I use to look at my Aunt Lois with such love- I can barely write about her because I've missed her since the day she died... almost 20 years ago. She had all these older brothers. My dad was one of them. She was the baby. Uncle Meredith and Aunt Lois raised a wonderful family, discovered great success, shared a beautiful love for each other and were fantastic on the social scene. They would have loved being at Saddleback's Social Forum. Only thing that would have made it better for them would have been if Dad, Mark, Glenn and John could have been there as well, as their guests, enjoying the moment in the limelight... fighting over politics... united in Christ.

I really didn't learn anything new last night... not about the candidates- but it was very cool to see and hear them in person -not about Saddleback or Pastor Rick, I still stand in awe of all they've accomplished and all they continue to do in His service -not even about my sister, she's loved and tolerated me... all three of us her entire life... God is too good.

Last night I was reminded of how very blessed we've been to have a little sister. How blessed I've been to have a great friendship with her. I realized it's what I liked so much about dad and Aunt Lois... they were so very close. Kat and me, well, we couldn't have asked for any better. Danny and Timmy have been just the older brothers we needed. Last night- we were all together -and it was good. Kat's friend was right... it was "just a little like Heaven." Made me think of one of the angels in our family- Aunt Lois -this morning, can't get her off my mind.

Don't know how long it's been since you've spent an evening with your siblings. Don't know if it requires "America's most powerful religious leader" (Rick Warren, according to Time Mag) and the two people fighting to hold the title of President of The United States of America, to get you and your siblings together... that's what it took for us... that and a loving little sister. (Mom use to be able to do it with just a birthday cake!) Whatever it takes- I suggest you do it. The four of us have lived through a bunch of presidents and we'll probably survive whoever's elected this time... can't imagine having lived a day of my life without each of my siblings in it. Last night was a great reminder.

Just a little like Heaven after all...

blessings,

Eric


Thanks Guys

Someone Will Take My Hand

My mom wrote the following words. They're the final chapter in her wonderful book: My Alabaster Box. That's Mom and Dad at a book signing some years back at our home. They encourage me, I know they can bring hope to you when you're a little down... or maybe even devestated. My mom's known dark moments: her brother killed in WWII, her dad died not long after, her oldest son served overseas during the Vietnam war, her middle son was stabbed by a serial killer (and thankfully survived), I've had health problems I wouldn't wish on to my enemies... the kind that keep mom's up in the middle of the night. Through it all, mom's been there.

Today Debi and I are going to spend the afternoon with my parents while my sister-in-law and brother have to be at the doctor. Mom hasn't known that she wrote these words for years. Her memory has slipped away. Her words and lessons remain while she and dad live in a downstairs room, watching CNN all day at my brother's house. It's enough to break your heart. My prayer is that in her moments of confusion and loss that there is always Someone there to take her hand.



SO MANY YEARS. . . .so many months. . .hours. . . .minutes . . .and not all of them happy. Count them up – perhaps the sorrows outweigh the joys. It’s strange how one joy can cancel out many sorrows!

The past year seemed to add up more sorrows than joys…nothing evened out when I tried the system of one joy canceling out three sorrows. But the thought came to me as a bright diamond in the dark….these sorrows MAY bring joy SOMEDAY.

When a mother holds her infant until the five-o’clock hour of the dawn as the baby fights for the breath of life…I shall be able to say “take my hand….I understand your anxiety”….when a family lays away a beloved member and the tears fall, fall freely, and they long for a view of a rainbow…I will be able to say, “I’ll cry with you…hold my hand…I’ve walked this way before.” When the heart is bound with grief-a sorrow so deeply hidden within because of a prodigal child…I will say, “Yes, take my hand, I too have walked this way before.” When a mother sits by the hospital bed of her near grown child as he struggles to hold onto the thread of life…I will softly whisper, “Here…hold my hand let’s share together.”

When dreams lie shattered in the dust…the dreams of years of planning and waiting-and the future seems dark, I will say, “Take my hand, I have walked this way before.”

But someday the dawn will break and I shall see the rainbows and the long journey’s end and I reach the moment we all must face when eternity looms out ahead, I am sure at a second’s fraction of time I will reach out and someone will take my hand and say, “I’ve walked this way before – come follow me.”
And this one final joy will cancel out all sorrows.

Ione Denton