A Trip to Heaven

**i wrote this on thursday and was too emotional to actually post. i know it will not do justice to convey my true feelings and deep emotions. here it goes...

this week has been an emotional one for me. two precious people in my life took a trip to heaven and now i would like to go for just a moment. i want to hug my precious friend, sweet, just one more time. i want to thank her for seeing things in me that i didn't know existed. she saw in me a deep love for christ and love of children and gave me an opportunity to serve in children's ministry for 11 years and counting. it is in those times serving that i grew so deeply in my faith in jesus christ. i also developed a deep friendship with a special lady that i feel so blessed to have known and shared life with. sweet did not want her life to be defined by her battle with cancer that she bravely fought for 12 years, but rather what a real and faithful jesus that she followed and lived her life for everyday. how lucky i feel to have been loved and mentored by her. i will miss her deeply, but i am so thankful that she is healed and for that i can feel joy!


my brief trip could not end before holding precious baby emily just once more. it was just a week and half ago that she was in my arms at our halloween playgroup, and now she is in the arms of our loving Heavenly Father. baby emily was only 4 months old and was so unexpectedly taken from this earth. i want to hold her and tell her that even in her short life she changed lives. she brought such joy to her family and even to our MPE playgroup.


i know that this brief trip to heaven is not reality, but over the course this week our family has had some unforgettable conversations about this AMAZING place called heaven. here is one conversation i had with olivia that i will never forget...

(olivia, jack and i were in the car running errands. we pulled up to Sweet's house.)
olivia: mommy, i want to go in and see miss sweet.
me: olivia, miss sweet is not here. she is in heaven with jesus.
olivia: was miss sweet sick?
me: yes, she has been sick for a long time, but now she is healed and in heaven with jesus.
olivia: was really really sick, not just a little sick?
me: that's right.
(a few minutes passed as we drove away and were driving to our next spot.)
olivia: (with tears in her eyes) i don't want baby jack to go to heaven mommy!
me: olivia, jack will go to heaven someday, but i don't think it will be soon.
olivia: ok, but mommy, i want to all go to heaven together.
me: i don't know if we will all get to go together, but i think that one day we will all be there together.

what peace it brings me on this day when i will attend the services of both Sweet and Emily that one day i will be reunited with them in heaven.

a dear friend sent me this scripture this morning. i will cling to these words. i find so much comfort in the promise we have in Christ. He will give us rest make our burden light. this is my prayer for the hopkins and martin families.

"Come to Me, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light"(Matt. 11:28-30)