Heaven

We were driving to school this week when we passed a church. It was relatively early in the morning, I had forgotten to make coffee, so was completely unprepared for the following conversation. (and no, I'm not exaggerating, this conversation really happened.)

Anna-Kate said, "Oh look Mommy, the cross where Jesus died!". I said that yes, it was just like the one He died on and that they put it there so we would remember to thank Him. She said, "but then God brought Him back to life, right Mommy?". I said God did and isn't He a good and loving God. (I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit choked up at this point--this is big stuff for such a little girl, especially unprompted.)

Then she said, "Mommy, does Jesus live in heaven now?" I answered that He did and she said, "are you and I going to go to heaven?". I said, "one day we will and we will live with Jesus." She said, "are we going today?". Now at this point I wanted to say, "well I hope not", but in an effort to keep her excitement up about heaven I said, we don't know when we'll go to heaven honey." She said, "where is heaven Mama?". Hmm, now that is a puzzler. All I could think of is, "well, it's kind of in the sky, but it's so far away that we can't see it, but Jesus can see us from there." She was looking to see heaven and said, "I don't see it. I don't know how to get there." Then she said the words that catapolted me into full-on tears: "Mama, when it's time for me to go to heaven, will Jesus show me the way to get there and take me there?" Fighting back tears and trying not to choke I said, "He sure will honey." She said, "He is a good God Mommy."

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Since then I've been thinking alot about heaven and how to have *that* conversation with your kids about death and salvation, because, it's coming, I'd guess sooner rather than later (and, of which I'm glad about). I am so encouraged that she has absorbed so much of what she has been taught, but at the same time I feel like she's so young for such weighty thoughts. Any advice is very welcomed.