I just got back from the Celebration of life service for my nephew.
While the Minister was talking My nephew’s youngest son, who is 3 years old, made his way to the podium, looked up at the minister and says “My Daddy’s in Heaven!”. It tore the place up.
I had been tearing… a tear drop would fall occasionally, but hearing that innocent voice, who didn’t have a care in the world, talk about his daddy in heaven, absolutely broke my heart. He then told the minister he wrote his daddy a letter and was going to put it in a balloon after the service and send it to his daddy in heaven when his daddy would grab it and read it. I bawled. We are talking the ugly cry..
In all of this, I haven’t shed a single tear for my nephew, he is so much better off. For the first time in years, he is pain free. He is whole. He is happy. My tears have been shed for his wife, who finds herself widowed at 30 years old. For his daughter her finds herself without a father at the age of 14. and for his two sons who have lost their role model at the ages of 10 and 3. For my brother who is without his only son, his business partner. For my sister in law, who moved heaven and earth while her son was alive to find the best care and most innovative procedures for baby boy. For my niece who is missing her baby brother, her best friend.
That is who my tears are for.
My nephew is in Heaven. I know if given the option to come back and live a long life with his family, he wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t trade it for anything. This world is mean, so full of heartbreak and sorrow. They say death’s come in 3′s. I hope not.
My niece is a widow with a little 5-yr-old. When my niece bought a valentine decoration, the clerk asked the little girl if she was going to have a party. The little girl said, “Oh no. It’s for my Daddy’s grave.” I’ve been restudying Romans 7 and 8. It’s so reconfirming who we are in Christ.
Its amazing to me how well small children handle death. SO different from us adults! We concentrate on the fact our loved one is gone, not the fact that our loved one is finally free of this world’s troubles.