Best Friends

I was on the phone Sunday night with one of my very best friends in the world. We'll call her B. B and I were catching up and talking about many different things. We had an intense conversation talking about miscarriages to fear of infertility and adoption. At one point, I started rambling about Samantha and B (being the awesome friend she is) just listened. One of the things I shared that brings me comfort---this is just one version of a similar scene I've envisioned over and over again:

Sometimes I don't know how to envision heaven. Perhaps it is just angels and saints and a throne and singing praises every single moment. But perhaps it is more like the Garden of Eden where we worship God but He also walks amongst us and He talks with us. We don't just stand here singing but we live with Him. I have to believe (in my tiny mind) that it's more like that. God is so relational. When He made us, He made us to have a relationship with Him. Yes, to glorify Him, but also for relationship. Even when He made Adam, He saw a need for Eve. So if God is relational and just walks amongst us in heaven, I envision heaven to be a beautiful place. The creation we have now except it's perfect. There's no destruction and just perfect beauty. Jesus walks with His people. I envision being there sitting on a bench in some beautiful nook of woods with Samantha. I see her squirming happily. She's got long blonde hair and mischievious blue eyes. She is wearing a white dress. She's young but understands it all. As she squirms she says "Oh, Mommy! I am so glad you are here! I mean I've been so happy here but I am glad to meet you! I love it here. I love it all and most of all, I love Jesus. He's my very best friend." And I look up and behind me is Jesus. And He says "Can I sit with you guys?" And Jesus comes and He sits with us. Jesus, Mommy, and Samantha Peep are snuggling and hugging and laughing...and life is well, perfect. There's no fear in the back of my mind. No sadness (not one drop!) that this will come to an end. Nothing....it's just beautiful and perfect. Mommy, Samantha, and Jesus....and of course, Daddy comes and joins us too...

B sighed nicely said "That sounds so wonderful, Shannon." And then she said something that made me cry but truly delighted me. "Can I come and sit with you and my goddaughter too?" (B and J are the couple we would have asked to be godparents because they were so influential when I almost had an abortion...and I had shared that with her.) I teared up and "I would love that so much!"

And so we look forward to heaven....And dear God, thank you for best friends who love me and love my child just as she is, a precious child of God, even though we never met her!

~Shannon