Heaven
The lady who walked past while Filly was looking down at her phone, smiled and stopped. “You have a blessed day too” she said to Filly. “Same to you” Filly said, looking up and noticing that the gray haired lady, in a floral shirt and crisp summer pants, walked slowly with a slight shuffle but held her head high and had a bright smile.
That was what “praising God” did for people Filly thought. It made them shine in dark places. It made them radiate joy. They took pride in their appearance, and knew they made a difference and took time to share good words with others.
Filly thought of her mom who had recently revealed that, following the car crash, she had been experiencing neck pain. But she then added that she was so grateful that she had no other health issues to deal with. Her moms dear friend had just moved to be closer to her daughter, and another dear friend had moved back to Europe to be closer to her mother. Many of Filly’s mom’s friends were no longer near or even living, and her mom said that her Christmas card list that used to be in the hundreds, had shrunk to less than sixty.
But her mom was still grateful. “God is good” her mom always said. “God WILL NOT ABANDON YOU” she added when times were stressful or full of turmoil. Like deciding whether to have surgery or not have surgery… to retire or not to retire…. to invest or not invest…to help someone in need or to volunteer at a political event…choices that required prayer and concentration. And caring for family and friends, was one of the best forms of health care, providing benefits much greater than any pill or treatment, in Filly’s point of view.
Filly’s mom loved Senator Cruz, Donald Trump and other conservatives. But in her neighborhood, there were so many radical liberals that most conservatives (except her mom) were afraid to speak up about their preferences. Filly’s mom had a lifetime of living with her dad, who was initially registered democrat but who had changed after studying the political platforms.
Her dad had been very active, so her mom learned from her dad, and would not be swayed. And her mom was not afraid to be public about her conservative views, but she chose mainly to demonstrate a life of compassion, helpfulness gratitude, humility and devotion instead of shaming or lecturing others who pushed a media viewpoint.
Filly’s mom sent timely emails, with relevant political observations to her girls and grandchildren and she was very sharp, remembering exactly all historical events, and associated names and connections. Her mom was brilliant, an unsung hero and a wonderful resource.
Filly had heard the song unsung hero, about a boy growing up, calling his mom the unsung hero…Filly had sent the song to her mom, and felt like girls needed unsung hero’s too. Whenever there was any doubt about the right thing to do, Filly knew her mom would give sage advice, tempered with humility and grace. Her mom started each day with prayer, which was where Filly got the idea to do the same.
Prayer that communism and socialism would be destroyed, not just in its early stages in the USA but worldwide. Prayer that life would be again respected, not just in the working age class who benefited the government, but in the very young and the very old and the infirm. Prayer that Church leadership would be restored in obedience to God’s laws, and not rely on fear based political arguments. Prayer that parents would take charge of their children’s education and would remove the authority for education from the state. Filly believed that all these prayers were being answered. She believed that evil was being destroyed.
Her bible verse said that
“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all”.
Filly believed that with faith, a person could know that what Jesus said, about how
“the kingdom of God will not come with observable signs, Nor will people say Look here it is or There it is. For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst”.
Filly believed that babies were evidence of the kingdom of God. Jesus even said that such as these are the kingdom of God. Nothing new, no signs and symbols…but new life….and very important new life. Jesus also said to choose life. If babies were evidence of Heaven, then mothers had the glorious gift of protecting heaven. It was a beautiful thought.
IF there was one thing Filly could do, it would be to help her friends and associates, who thought that abortion was someone else’s fault, could stop blaming others and take personal responsibility, to confess their wrong doing. Somehow from what Filly could see, those who had abortions were very angry people, and had experienced some kind of trauma.
Filly believed that God could forgive women for abortion, and they could turn their lives around, but they first had to regret having the abortion, and have remorse for choosing to kill new life.
“For such is the kingdom of heaven”.
Apparently that choice to NOT choose life, made the experience of Heaven much harder to reach.
The woman who had shuffled by Filly as she had sat looking at her phone, was wise, and hopefully she was living with or near her daughter, who seemed to be the younger looking woman walking beside her, smiling and holding her arm. The lady was a blessing, just with her very presence. The wisdom of the ages was often being wasted by locking these beautiful individuals in retirement homes or choosing to euthanize them because it was “legal” in some confused states. There was the law and then there was what was right. The two did not always coincide. That evil would also end.
Filly’s mom and sisters all knew that if they needed a place to stay ever, they could come to her and her husband’s home. It was an open offer. She understood that some people could not take care of their parents, but she believed that God would give her, and anyone who asked, all that was needed to take care of family…in tough times and in good times. That was what she believed. New life…Heaven.