A Daughter's Gain and The Ponderings of a Father ~ by Willie

In years gone by, Fall always stirred a certain romance within me. The cool air, the changing leaves yielding a stir within me of the hunts ahead. The frozen mornings on the sound greeting the sun as it broke the horizon, the fog ladened wood watching the doe..... waiting on the one to show himself proudly. These times when man and nature gently collide with one another. When the handiwork of the Creator could be observed without human stain.

But Fall has been reworked to stirs of a different sort as of late. Stirs that prone me to ponder the depths of sovereignty, grace, and an ultimate love between a Father and his child.

How is it possible to say that, " Lydia's death was something beautiful."? I realize many may scour at the statement, but you must understand the love story. You see, I never was her real Father. Biologically yes, but Spiritually no. We had the relationship most dads have with their daughters... she was the proverbial " apple of my eye" and I was her Dad. She is my girl and I love her deeply, BUT there is One who loves her perfectly and infinitely deeper than I do and Lydia was in love with Him and the place He resides..... Heaven.



Somewhere between Lydia's diagnosis and last October, which was a span of two years, Lydia developed a fascination with what Scripture refers to as Heaven. These obsessions would often yield a nervous churning of the stomach for her parents although looking back, I think He was preparing her. He was preparing her for a place she longed for that she had never been, a place that was her home and no other would ever satisfy. Most of all, He was preparing her for Himself.

In a blank paged book, Lydia once wrote
"Heaven is the most special to me.  Jesus is there."

No other statement was made... not that one needed to be.

How profound that she saw the ultimate love and longing for Heaven being the prize of Heaven.... the Lord Himself. She taught me so many things.

So this day, last October, Lydia met her Prince Charming face to face. He rescued her from a body of disease and a world cursed with sin. As I go back to that scene sitting by her bed, my wife on the other, the sun once again breaking the horizon, I ponder..... what was it like for her? What did she see? What happened in that few minutes or even seconds as she passed from life to life? We could assume a lot of things, but I think I could conclude that Lydia was ushered into Heaven by angels. After all, Jesus said that happened to the Lazarus of Luke 16:22

"The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side." 

Was Lydia greeted by the angels of Matthew 18:10 just before they ushered her into the presence of her King?

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

One's mind can only wonder if she was able to see me holding her sweet frame? Me weeping over her... mourning over her. In contrast,  was her reaction upon death, 

"Wow, I feel great... better than I've ever felt! 

My head doesn't hurt anymore. My thoughts are so clear. 

Who are you and who are you?" 

"We are the ones sent from the King to take 

you to your inheritance! He is waiting for you, precious daughter of the King. He has prepared a place for you... a place where He resides. He is exceedingly joyful at the thought of you coming Home today." 

In response she is filled with laughter...

"Yes, Yes, Yes!!!" But what about Mommy and Daddy... Luke and Sam? 

He is going to take care of them isn't He? 

I know He is... good bye guys, I love you all.... and I'll see you soon!"

As we left her earth clothes in bed waiting for the good doctor to come, my lovely warrior wife crawled into her bed to rest. I made some phone calls announcing the news. As I walked by her room, I noticed something different about her body.... something strange on her face. As I drew closer to my girl's body, it was there that I saw it. 

A smile... an unexplainable smile. Even the well-aged good doctor was perplexed.

One thing I know for sure, whether angels and Lydia's spiritual body lingered observing us or not, she soon entered the presence of the Lord. Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians in 2 Cor.5:8,

"We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord."

For Lydia, home was not here.

Not even close. 

For the believer, neither is ours. 

For Lydia, a Father's love for His creation was best of all.... 

far more than this Father could ever provide. 

I'm glad we share the same Father.