April 25: Heaven's Teardrops

To preview an Introduction to Speech unit on writing and giving tributes, Jona's teacher shared with her classes the following thoughts that she had written earlier this year:

When I consider Heaven’s Pearly Gate, I imagine a scene something like this one day:

Just as a saint in eternal service (perhaps a lifetime musician) lifts to his lips a silver trumpet to herald the entrance of the Heavenly City’s newest arrival, he is stopped by a tap on his shoulder.

Another saint (with a flair for drama and a wink in our direction) suggests: “Let’s try something different this time.” Calling a cue down Heaven’s golden streets, his clear voice rings out: “Drum roll, please!”

Just as we on earth hear an impressive roll of thunder, a young saint peeks around the pearly gate, and his bright face breaks into a wide smile as he steps into Heaven for the first time.

Before anyone can stop him, he steps right up to that great cloud of witnesses and asks, “Do you want to hear a story?” And before any of them answer, he leans forward and eagerly begins: “Okay. So there’s this guy down there at this school where everyone knows him by name. He’s a pretty friendly guy, and he has lots of friends ... not too many, but just enough so he's never lonely. ... Now one day, see, this kid ... …”

It’s a great story, and it goes on … and on … and on – forever!
I look forward to one day perking up my eternal ears and picking up the story where my ears on earth ceased to follow the plot.

And in the meantime, whenever raindrops fall, I'll imagine they come from hosts of angels wiping away tears of joyous laughter as they hold their sides and catch their breath for yet another chuckle at his version of the story of a lifetime. And every now and then when the story gets especially good, the sun will shine through the tears, and we'll see a rainbow.

(c) Copyright, March 2011, Kimberly R. Bierman

This is the day which the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalm 118:24)