God Winks

In my blog post, "I See God," I briefly wrote about the stranger who told me the best was yet to come.  I didn't go into detail about that encounter.  The story is significant enough to me that I feel it's important to document it in my blog, although I'm certain I will never forget it.  On March 9 I was signed up to take an insurance exam.  I was in no condition to concentrate on taking an exam, let alone an insurance exam, but I had no choice.  The exam had to be taken by March 15 and if I cancelled the exam it would have cost me hundreds of dollars.  I took the test and somehow passed.  As I went to check out, an employee, a woman was there to print off my exam grade.  I was in the exam office and it was just her and I.  Because I had passed my exam she complimented me and told me it was a great way to start my day.  I said I was glad I passed but that I was headed to a meeting with a hospice nurse to discuss hospice plans for my dad.  The worker smiled warmly and commented  how hospice workers are such special people.  She also said she only worked at the exam center one day a month (the day I just happened to be taking the exam I could not cancel) and that she was in the ministry.  There was a brief silence between the two of us and she said, "You tell your dad the best is yet to come."  Huh?  Then over the course of what was probably 5 minutes, no more, she said she had died when she was 55 and experienced heaven.  She said it was indescribable and  amazing.  She said she even had children she didn't even want to come back to.  She said to this day she feels as if she's in a shell and that she doesn't belong here.  She reiterated again to me that there was nothing like it.  I sat listening to her in awe.  She told her story with such simplicity and calmness, but very matter of fact.   With tears in my eyes I walked out of that exam center knowing my dad would be okay. March 9 was also the day my sister and I had to tell my dad he was dying.  I was able to tell him exactly what this stranger had shared with me, and I believe it provided him with some comfort.

After someone you loves dies, you are left with some uncertainty, did they make it to heaven?  Is it all they dreamed it would be?  I remember my mom experienced this after my grandparents died, and there should have been no doubt my grandparents were with God, but yet......we are human.  One day, not long after my grandma passed, my mom was in her living room reflecting on the loss of her parents when she saw two colorful balls of light.  My mom said the colors displayed by the two balls were radiant, breath taking and beautiful, like nothing she had ever seen before.  My mom was certain it was a gift from God.  It was her parents saying, "We made it, Susan, we're here."  

I knew my dad was a believer before he died.  I had witnessed him in church growing up and when I asked him if he loved Jesus days before his death he shook his head Yes.  After dad passed, Kim and I were trying to catch our breath and the reassurance that dad was peaceful in his eternal home was not something we were seeking at the moment, although I'm sure in the weeks to follow we would have been seeking out that reassurance.  About two days after dad passed, Kim's good friend, Katie, called her.  Katie is a sweet friend.  She gave dad his last beard trim before he passed and Katie had also experienced deep loss in the passing of her grandpa months earlier.  Katie shared with Kim that she had dreamed about her grandpa the night before.  She said she never remembered her dreams, ever, but this dream was vivid, so vivid that Katie could remember it perfectly, even several hours after waking up.  In her dream her grandpa came to her and said, "Tell her he's here."  I love how God uses his messengers here on earth.  I thanked Katie for sharing with us such a tender and sweet message.  She said not only was it wonderful for her to share that with us but it also comforted her because it confirmed her grandpa had also made it to his eternal home.  Once again I'm in awe of how God works and the many God winks he's given my sister and I during this journey.