“Is Poppy up in the sky, Bamaw?” asked the six-year-old as he and the amazin’ blonde rode along in the car. Poppy was my grandson Connor-man’s great-grandpa from West Virginia who had died a few days prior.
The question surprised Bamaw, but she managed to get out a “Yes, good people who do God’s will go to heaven.”
“Really,” he said, “what’s heaven like?”
“Oh,” she said, “it’s a nice place where you don’t have any problems. And you don’t get sick or hurt, and everybody will be happy all the time?”
“Like Bethany,” said Connor, without hesitation.
“What?” asked Bamaw.
“Like Bethany,” he said, “she is always happy.
When I heard the story later that evening, I had to smile at the reference to Bethany, who was a twelve-year-old girl from church who did always seem to be smiling. I’m sure she still is, because she just graduated from college this week with a degree in elementary education. When she was twelve, though, I noticed that – in addition to her smile – she never failed to run to you for a hug when you walked in the doors at the church.
After a moment, Bamaw answered Connor-man’s question about Bethany with, “Yep, Connor, people in heaven are happy just like Bethany,” then the two of them drove along quietly while Connor mulled it all over.
After a minute, Connor-man broke the silence and said,
“Bamaw, what do I have to do to go to heaven?”
The amazin’ blonde – the challenge not lessening at all – stalled for a moment to put a right answer together. When she was set, she delivered a little sermon about doing the right things and asking the Lord forgiveness when you make mistakes.
“If you ask him,” she said, “he will forgive you; and then you move on.”
That seemed to be enough, Connor-man seemingly satisfied with the answers. A minute later their trip ended, and the amazin’ blonde brought the car to a stop in the driveway. The boy-wonder grabbed his bag and opened the car door, and Bamaw heard him say quietly,
“Lord, forgive me,” as he jumped out of the car.
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