What will heaven be like.......

Have you ever wondered what heaven will look like? I often ponder the question. I know there is a heaven, how do I know because Jesus said so.

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14 1-3.

I have no idea how or when He is coming or if I will make my final journey home before that day. But, I do know that one day I will see the place He has prepared for me (there might be a stop for me in Purgatory).

So, how will heaven look? I am not worried about golden streets or if my “mansion” is a log cabin or a lean to out back – just as long as I make.

There is a story about Jesus and St. Peter walking around heaven one day and Jesus stopped mid step and asked St. Peter – “What is Mr. Smith doing here; I am sure his name was not in my book”. St. Peter stumbled around the question and they continued their walk – once again Jesus stopped and pointed to a women –“Peter, I do not remember Mrs. Jones name being in my book”. Once again St. Peter stumbled and fumbled around the question. The third time this happened Jesus informed St. Peter that he wanted to know exactly what was going on. St. Peter said, “Jesus, you are not going to like the answer.” Jesus told St. Peter to let Him worry about that, just tell him what was going on. St. Peter said, “Well, Jesus they come to the Pearly Gates and when I tell them their name is not in THE BOOK – they go around to the back door and your Mother lets them in”. I just hope the Blessed Mother is at the back door when I get there. I don’t care how I get in!

Will we know people in heaven as we knew them here on earth? My greatest hope is that I will know my Mom and Dad. I think when our parent’s die it touches us in a place in your heart that you never knew existed. I further believe that place will never be filled again until we are reunited with them in heaven. I lost both of my parents in less than a year – while time has helped heal some of the pain that is caused by grief – it will never heal over the large part of my heart that is missing.

Tom’s Mother passed away almost 30 years ago and Sunday while he was preaching he choked up when he mentioned something about all those that have gone before us. I do not think anyone even noticed it but me. I asked him later if he was thinking about his Mom, and as I guessed he was. So, time does not completely take away the loss we feel at the death of someone that meant so very much to us.

For years my Dad carried around a piece of paper with a joke on it that someone gave him – in essence it said – “when you get to heaven don’t stand around with your mouth open in amazement at who is there because some folks will be wondering how you got there”. I do not think we will realize the ones missing – what kind of heaven would that be!

So, for now I walk by faith into the future knowing that one day I will be in the presence of God and my only wish is that I will know those that have gone before me. I hope that Dad and I can sit and talk about everything and nothing like we use to and I can ask Tom’s mother all those questions about his childhood that I never got to ask her.

Ya'll come now ye hear!