Heaven

In my Father's house are many rooms. ~ John 14:2 NIV

Chatting about the day as I tucked my older boys in, I said, “Boys, I wanted to let you know that Grandma’s dog died today.”

“She did?” my oldest answered.

“Yes. I’m really sorry to have to tell you that.”

“At least she had her birthday.” And it was true. Her birthday was the day that Grandma had her euthanized. “How did it happen?”

“Well, Grandma took her to the veterinarian, and the vet gave her some medicine, and then she died.”

“Why did she need medicine? She didn’t feel good?”

“No, honey, she was old and sick. Remember last weekend when she couldn’t stop throwing up? She just wasn’t herself anymore. She couldn’t eat, and didn’t want to play; she didn’t even want to sit with Grandma on the couch. Dying happens to everyone someday…”

“I don’t want to die.”

I don’t want you to, either. But I don’t think it’s the end of everything. It’s just the end of life here. Don’t forget about heaven…” I thought about something a friend of mine had quipped recently, “Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die to get there.”

“I wonder what heaven is like?”

“Well, I don’t really know…” and I don’t even know exactly where it is, either, I thought, recalling a conversation the kids and I’d had at dinner one night when my five-year-old was using the placemat with the map of the United States on it. He could recognize certain states like California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Massachusetts, and then he’d asked me, “Where’s Heaven?”

I had tried not to laugh out loud, but was unsuccessful.

His older brother had answered, “Heaven’s up in the sky, where God is!”

I had let it go at that. Why complicate things?

Probably recalling the same dinner conversation, my hiding-under-his-covers, silent-up-until-then-five-year-old-answered, “Well, God is there.”

“That’s right. And Jesus, too,” his brother added.

“I think heaven is better than we can even imagine now – maybe it will be like 100 Disney Worlds,” I offered, using an example that the kids could relate to. “Or a thousand. Or a million!”

“Maybe it will be a chocolate world!” My younger son popped out from under his covers and sat up in bed.

“Maybe it will be all kids and no bosses!” his older brother said.

Hmmm, I thought, no bosses? I reflected upon my corporate life.

“Yeah!” No teachers. “No one to tell us what to do. All kids.”

“Except we’d want to see you there, Mommy…”

“I hope they have TV in Heaven.”

“Well, if heaven is all that much better than anything we can imagine, then your heaven will probably have TVs everywhere.”

“And chocolate,” my younger son reminded us.

“And my heaven will be 100 Disney Worlds!” My oldest chimed in. “And you can come to my heaven, Mommy. And you, too, he said to his brother.”

“Oh, thanks, honey!” I replied. And as I considered being together with my children for all eternity, I was grateful to know that there are many rooms in heaven.