TITLE: Grandma's Home Coming By David Huckabay Jr 05/03/07 |
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“Marvin, meet me at the gate,” Edna called in a dreamy, whisper of a voice. Those in the room looked curiously at Mother. Marvin, Edna’s husband, had passed away six years before, to the day. Equally curious were her conversations with persons not there in the room, people who also have gone to be with the Lord years ago; old friends, reacquainted. Edna had been sick for a long time, cancer slowly claiming her life. Now in a coma, more in heaven than earth, the family waited for her departure, which came the morning of the next day.
Effortlessly, Edna stood up as her spirit and body naturally separated. Pain and discomfort were gone; peace and joy reigned around her as the Light of God’s glory surrounded her. White light transcended into the room, fading the images of the nicely decorated bedroom into formations of clouds. She could hear angles singing gloriously as she walked up a narrow path that led to a gate. Things were familiar, the fields, great oaks, and the creek; looked strangely like their home back in Sacramento where in life they raised 5 children, tended a garden, worked and played. 12 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild resulted from their union while Edna was still alive. Marvin could always be seen wearing bib overalls working in the garden or remodeling houses on the acre lot surrounding a majestic oak. The path she was on ended at a garden gate where…
“Marvin!” Edna exclaimed and ran up to meet him.
Marvin, wearing pure white bib overalls, teased her, “What took you so long?”
“Oh... Marvin!” Edna replies and hugs him tight. They embrace. “You’re the most handsome man I know.”
A very strong, yet gentle voice reaches her from behind, “Welcome Edna, you’ve done well, good and faithful servant. Welcome to your new home.”
A tremendous jolt of joy and excitement shot through the very fibers of her being as she turns and for the very first time she sees her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! He was everything she had imagined He’d be and everything beyond expectation too. Her very soul shook with delight at this meeting as His eyes penetrated deep into her being. Tears of joy flowed freely as she knelt in her Kings presence. Next to her, Marvin was kneeling too.
“Stand both of you,” the Lord spoke. “We’ve got things to do.”
They began showing her around her new home, walking on streets of gold, through a city with walls made of precious gems. Out to their mansion on the outskirts of town they strolled, hand in hand, as they had done so many times on earth. Marvin, the consummate carpenter and home remodel expert, is now showing her about the mansion.
“Come and see what I’ve done to the place while I was waiting for you,” Marvin speaks like an excited school boy.
They walked through the front porch that had five white marble columns supporting a majestic cable roof lined with white trim. Red bricks of rubies decorated the walls which were lined with white pearl trim. They walk through the various rooms inside, decorated with various fond memories and achievements. Then they stepped out back where an endless backyard was waiting for them. A vibrant green lawn, immaculately manicured, lined by bright colored flowers of all shapes and sizes. The yard had the appearance of being well cared for, yet never had Marvin had to toil over it, although he did dabble in it now and then. A concrete patio he had poured, however, covered by a lattice trellis which was supported by 12 strong posts made of oak. Growing from the ground next to the posts were 22 large rose bushes, and 1 Snowball bush.
A small black and white dog scampered by like a puppy. “Is that Skipper?” Edna exclaimed as Skipper ran up to her. She knelt down and petted the dog which licked her face in joyful reunion.
Three rockers rested under the trellis, one for each of them, and one for the Lord. All three sat down and began visiting, first talking of old days back on earth, and then talking of eternity with Christ. Soon, other chairs appeared and they filled up with old friends who had come this way long before her. Happy and joyous reunions and songs of praise for God sounded in a backyard concert.
Grandma’s home coming was a great celebration in deed.
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