"I Just Think It's Going To Be So Fun"

Cambria said this out of the blue yesterday. She was talking about heaven. We've been reading them the Heaven for Kids book by Randy Alcorn at night.

I only know a few people, personally, who have left the earth. Of course a few of those are grandparents and great-grandparents, but there have been a few others who seem to have gone on too soon...

Cliff's best friend from college, Jim, who, thought in great physical shape, died of a heart attack at the age of 22. He had been married for less than a year...

A childhood friend, Bekah, who died in her sleep. She had an 8 month old and a 2 year old.

One of Cliff's former roommates, Ben, who was killed in Iraq.

A girl from our high school class who may have died from an overdose.

Another friend, Go go, who was hit on the Fremont bridge while changing a tire. His wife was 5 weeks pregnant.

Another guy from high school who I took Driver's Ed. with, Benji, who was wrestling with a friend and died of a heart contusion.

And one of my closest friend's daughters, Selah, who only lived 4 short months because of a rare genetic disease called Pompe.

And while we know that heaven is going to be awesome, there is still this scary feeling of the unknown. None of us have the knowledge of when we will go. We may never see it coming, we may be able to hold it off for a while. We may be able to narrow it down to a few months. However our loved ones die, it doesn't seem fair... especially if they are young. Yet God is always good.

Our adoption lawyer, who has also become a friend, and his family have been through more trials than just about anyone I know. First, his daughter fought cancer for several years, then his house burned down. And then recently, his wife Frances (40) was diagnosed with familial ALS. They've blogged about it throughout their trials and I've watched them and their reactions as they dealt with each devastating blow that came their way. I have no idea how I would respond in the same circumstances...

Frances slowly (and yet so quickly) went from being independent to needing a wheel chair, to not being able to swallow as well, to generalized weakness, to full care and paralysis, to not being able to breathe on her own. And if that weren't enough, they have reached one of the most difficult steps so far. Frances has decided that it is time to go to heaven.

How do you choose when to die? I just wanted to link to their blog so I can remember her faith and how she can be so sure of where she is going. I will remember her journey, and hers and I will remember that this world is not my home and that death is not dying. There's so much more...

And now a personal note to Frances:

You have greatly encouraged me. In the couple of times that I got to visit you guys and witness your adaption this disease, I learned a lot about not taking gifts for granted and about how to respond to trials and circumstances out of your control, with grace.

As you've blogged these last days, I've hung on every word you've written because it was so painstakingly done... every letter written with the movement of your eye. Amazing. It would be unwise to just skim something written by you because I know every character was written with purpose and intention.

I would not want to be in your shoes... although sometimes I think I just might, because as Cambria says, "I just think it's going to be so fun." I'll be praying for Scott and the girls after you die. And you can know that God loves them even more than you do. And I know you love them so much... And I'll be praying for peace for you and further decisions in these next few weeks. I love you as a sister in Christ and I'll see you soon.

Precious in His sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

Becky