Deep thoughts

An online friend of mine recently asked how I became a Christian. While thinking about that whole process, and the awesome changes it has made in my life, the one thing that really struck me was how I am especially glad to have the hope and faith of eternal life through Jesus now that I am a mother.

This past Sunday, Elizabeth spent the day with Gran (my mother) while David and I went to see the Cincinnati Reds baseball game. That evening, as I was helping Elizabeth get ready for bed, she said, "Mommy, Gran showed me a picture today of another Gran. But she died." I assumed she was talking about MY Gran - my mother's mother. So, I responded, "Yes. That person was my Gran. Her name was Libby Lou." Elizabeth then said, "Hey! You call ME Libby Lou!" (That's my nickname for her.) I said, "Yes. I loved my Gran so much that I named my precious little girl after her." The conversation then went something like this:

E: "Why did she die?"
Me: "She got very sick and she died when I was a little girl."
E: "Where is she?"
Me: "She's in heaven with Jesus."
E: "Will you see her again?"
Me: "Yes. Someday, I will go to heaven too, and I will see her again."
E: "Can you give her a hug now?"
Me: "I can't hug her right now. But I know she's watching us and she sees you and it makes her happy."
E: "Who else lives in heaven?"
Me: "Everyone who loves Jesus gets to live in heaven."
E: "Will I go to heaven? I love Jesus!"
Me: "Yes. You love Jesus, so you will go to heaven too. And Mommy, Daddy, and Jonathan will be there too."
E: "Mommy, I want you to live *forever*."
Me: "When people go to heaven, they do live forever. So, no matter what happens, I will always be with you."

Yes, I was almost in tears by the end of the conversation. But, I can't imagine the hopelessness I would have felt if I couldn't tell Elizabeth that we would always be together forever with Jesus, and truly mean it. Life is tough. Who would want to live it without that promise?

Oh, and thanks for the warning, Mom! Whatever happened to reading "The Three Little Kittens"? :)