Heaven

Most people's idea of heaven has to do with one's soul transcending from earth to a spirit realm full of light and eternal happiness where they will be reunited with their deceased loved one. Typically one thinks of heaven being inhabited by God, Jesus, angels, and the souls of good people.

Other people's idea of heaven has to do with lots and lots of chocolate.

I'm not quite sure what I believe about heaven. I was raised in the Jehovah's Witness religion and taught that most deceased people do not go to heaven, but await a resurrection to life on earth again, after Armageddon. But like most JW teachings, I no longer subscribe to this.

But if the concept is true that people are reunited with loved ones in heaven, how does this work?

Let's say that Martha was married to Charles for 15 years, until he died of a heart attack. Then a few years later Martha marries Tom. 10 years later Martha dies of cancer. A few years later Tom marries Judith, and both die of old age.

Martha loved Charles, and she loved Tom. Which 'loved one' is she reunited with in heaven?

Tom loved Martha, and he loved Judith. Which 'loved one' is he reunited with in heaven?

As you can see, it can get tricky.

But this question was answered for me in the movie 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven', based on Mitch Albom's book by the same title. In it the lead character Eddie dies and goes to heaven, but it is NOT what he was expecting. No angels, no eternal happiness, at least not at first.

Eddie learns that upon arriving in heaven each person meets 5 people whose lives he affected while on earth. I expected scenes that would show the positive affects on other lives, such as Eddie mowing the lawn for a grateful widowed neighbor, or perhaps a former employee Eddie mentored. But instead, the 1st of 5 people Eddie meets in heaven is a man who died as a result of Eddie's childhood behavior!

But the 4th person Eddie meets in heaven is his beloved wife, Marguerite. She is the one who answers MY question of which 'loved one' we are reunited with in heaven. She explains that heaven is not a single place or state. Rather, after meeting one's 5 people, each of us receives our very own unique heaven.

Eddie's wife loved attending weddings, so her heaven was a never-ending wedding, with laughing and dancing and happiness and joy. Once Eddie died, he was present with her in her heaven.

Eddie grew up around and worked for many years in an amusement park, so his heaven was an amusement park. Its always warm and sunny, there are hundreds of happy families, and his wife Marguerite is present with him in his heaven.

So, each person gets their own unique heaven AND they are present in other people's heavens too. Get the picture? This would allow Martha, Charles, Tom, and Judith to all have different heavens with their 'loved one' present with them.

Of course, this is just a movie. But since no one can successfully prove what heaven is or is not, I choose to believe in the heaven portrayed in this movie. To me it makes the most sense, and it answers my question.

I believe my heaven will be a warm, sunny, breezy day on the beach, with Spouse and many other friends sitting in beach chairs beside me. On the radio Ella Fitzgerald will be singing, and my Cadillac (Big Ella) will be parked just over the dunes. That sounds like heaven to me!

So, what does your heaven look like?

Crush du Jour: Jason Chambers