Brenda’s Blog – April 20, 2015
“Are your Mommy and Daddy in heaven? Are you all by yourself?”
Granddaughter Emma’s sweet questions were spoken with genuine concern. She was most interested to know why I didn’t have parents. As we talked about it, she asked “Did Jesus hold your Mommy’s hand when she went to heaven?”
Yes, I am the eldest in my line. No, I do not have living parents. But I am not alone. I have a Father who promised never to leave me.
Charles Stanley’s birth father died when he was just months old. He recognized as an older adult he had never called anyone “Dad,” or “Father.” Having grown up with a Dad who loved me through all the ups and downs, Stanley’s statement touched my heart. It gives me encouragement to know as a believer in Jesus Christ, Dr. Stanley had the privilege of calling the God of creation Abba which is translated Daddy.
Most of my friends have parents in heaven. The common denominator is a sense of loss combined with great appreciation. We laugh as we find ourselves saying and doing things which remind us of them. We approach decisions hearing their counsel. We honor their memories by telling their stories and building on their legacies. The journey from earth to heaven becomes shorter and we focus on the eternal more than the temporal.
Someday Emma will have a Gram who is taken by Jesus into heaven. I hope she remembers someone who trusted Jesus day by day, and loved her unconditionally. I hope she has stories of time spent building a relationship which will last for her lifetime. Most of all, I want her to know she is the daughter of a King who will never leave her or forsake her. She is His precious princess.