This week end I will go and visit my B-I-L , Jimmie. Jimmie had had cancer for the past six years. He is getting to that, not going to last long stage. SO, this week end my husband and I are going to pay he and his wife a visit. My heart is saddened yet joyful at the same time time. As a christian it is times like this that I can say things like this because I know Jimmie is a Christ follower. He too has both the joy and the sadness of leaving this world. There is the joy of going to be with Lord and joining his loved ones before him, and the sadness of knowing he is leaving his wife children behind. Yet, It was the apostle Paul who said death will have no sting over us because God raised Jesus from the dead and conquered the pain of death. That was the two fold purpose of the cross. The first of course was to provide the cross over of salvation for all of us so we wouldn't have to try an earn our way into God's heaven by our own deeds. The second was so death in this body wouldn't be permanent.

So, Jimmie told me at Thanksgiving now he has made peace with leaving this earth and now is looking forward to heaven where he can once again be with mother and father who were also Christ followers. I shared with him that he is fortunate that his family will be there, mine will not, but in heaven that pain will be gone. God's grace will take that sorrow away for those of us who will be separated from our families due to choices made here on earth. It sounds cruel to talk about such things to some people I know, but it is also a comfort to me in a way Because I know my God never gave up trying to reach ALL until their last breath. This is why I talk about such things.So that all who will listen to me will have the joy that Jimmie and I have at this time in our lives. There is a God who cares about our eternal salvation. He cared enough to come down and become a man. He cared enough to die for you and I and take on our sin. Then He said, choose me, and I will give you eternal life in heaven and never be separated from your love ones again. Have that joy. Then He promised us one other bonus. He promised us that He would send part of Himself to live in us to help us live our lives, the Holy Spirit. Neat huh. That's a whole another story worth being happy about.

Jimmie, this day is dedicated to the most wonderful 36 years I have known you and been blessed by your presence in my life. See you in heaven brother. Much love, your sister in law.