From Death to Everlasting Life

On Friday morning, while my Mom was reading her Bible, she got a call that my Grandma was going downhill fast, so her and the rest of her siblings headed for the hospital. While I was reading my Bible, she called me and shared the news. My Mom-in-law was going to come over and watch the kids during my doctor’s appt., so I called her while she was reading her Bible and she came earlier so that I could go to the hospital. Lots of morning Bible readers! Before I got there, my Mom called and said, “Ok, she’s in heaven now.” I still went and joined the rest of my family. I have never seen anyone dead before (I’ve never been to a viewing) and it wasn’t very nice. She had her eyes closed, her mouth wide open, and she looked like plastic. The only time I cried that day was a little bit after the first phone call, saying she was going downhill. There was SO much peace in the hospital room and just a closeness among the family members. One of the first things I said was, “I’m actually excited for Grandma because now she’s in heaven with Jesus.” Just the night before, I prayed that God would end her suffering either way, by healing or calling her home, and just as I was praying that, her kidneys were starting to shut down, so I had a very quick answer to my prayer. My Grandpa died 25 years ago, so they have finally been reunited! It’s a loss for us, but we have SOOO much hope because she’s in heaven where it is a million trillion zillion times better. I took the kids to the park later that morning for a picnic with friends and on my way there, I heard “I Can Only Imagine” playing in someone’s vehicle, which was very appropriate.

”Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine…”

The night after she died, God gave my Dad an incredible dream. In it, my Grandma was in heaven and her 6 kids were sitting in front of her. She was talking to them and FULL of energy. My Dad couldn’t see her face, but knew she wasn’t wearing glasses and had no hearing problems. She was telling her kids how on earth, she hadn’t lived to her full potential, but she had no regrets. She just didn’t see and know the things she does now. She was encouraging them that whatever they could see, imagine, think or dream, could be theirs and to not limit themselves! Her voice was shrieking with joy so much that her face was almost glowing and she spoke with passion (totally opposite of the shy, timid nature she had)! On earth, she was scared of water, and my Dad said that she was swimming in heaven and that she stood on one shore, looked at the other shore, and then she was instantly on the opposite side. She was reunited with her family (she has 11 siblings, 1 of which is still alive here) and friends and they were all laughing together. She said she was having such a wonderful time and learning so much! My Dad said you could never talk her into coming back to earth. The dream was SO vivid to him, it was just amazing! My Mom told me on the phone and after we hung up, I just cried. I was SO encouraged and comforted by that! That was such a gift from God!

This morning, we went to church and I thought, “What a great worship service this is!” Everything was sounding good and I was just totally enjoying praising the Lord. Then I thought, “I wonder what my Grandma must be experiencing, hearing choirs of angels and everyone in heaven worshipping the Lord?” What I’m hearing PALES in comparison to that. I think I would just feel like bursting if I heard that! My emotions have been all over the place and I’ve had a lot to think about and process over the last couple of days. God has been SO faithful to our family as we've been going through this. My Grandma ran a good race and now she is done. We have an everlasting hope and a perfect eternity to look forward to!!