Remembering Those in Heaven

The death of Billy Graham got me thinking of family and friends who are in Heaven.  People that though they are no longer living in this world, I will be able to see again soon.

My mother went to Heaven in March of 2012.  She was diagnosed with cancer in 2002, but believed that God told her that her time on earth was not yet done.  God told her she had ten years yet before she would meet Him, and it was ten years later that she did exactly that.

Another that I look forward to meeting is Jess.  He was an old Navy boatswain's mate whose son was murdered and Jess brought his son's murderer to belief in Christ.

One of the people I look forward to meeting the most is Loyal Anderson or, as everyone called him, Butch .  We grew up together and though he was a couple of years older than me, we became good friends.  He had a motorcycle and we would ride to nearby towns and do things that could get us into trouble but we never got caught.

He got into trouble with the law (thankfully I was not with him) and the judge gave him the choice of jail or joining the military.  He signed up for the Army and was sent to Vietnam.  The army did not help keep him out of trouble.  He started his own whore house to pay for the drugs he used.

When he got back to the states he started selling drugs and got caught by the police, but only for possession.  The judge gave him a choice, Jail or Teen Challenge.  He went to Teen Challenge where they helped him kick drugs.

Butch had used a lot of LSD and he would get a lot of LSD flashbacks.  More than once he would be singing in the Teen Challenge choir and suddenly go on an LSD trip.  During choir practice one day he went on a trip and the choir leader got mad.  "Ok, that is enough of this."

He marched up to Butch, put his hands on Butch's head and prayed that God would cease these flashback and they would never come back again.  Butch suddenly was out of the flashback and that was the last LSD flashback that ever happened.

After Teen Challenge Butch went to Bible School and became a preacher.  He got married and had children.  He loved the lord and served him until a car accident took his mortal life.

But all these people are not dead; only their bodies are dead. Someday I will be able to see them again and enjoy their friendship.  Christ has conquered death.