I have often told friends that I never think of the afterlife -- that heaven to me is so abstract that I have no vision of what it is like, nor desire to dwell on it. Heaven is what it is. As God's throne and dwelling place I am content enough to know that it is perfect, and good.

Then, someone like you passes away. From this temporal life, to one that is eternal. From a world of brokenness and pain, to one of perfect onenness with God in his glory. Every soul reconciled to God and to one another. And, I think for a few short moments, I indulge in thoughts of what it must be like -- to only know love -- pure, unconditional, undeserving love.

God has taken you away from us -- your family, and friends, and countless strangers you've touched -- to bring you home. And I am at peace with that. Not without tears, and heartache at what seems like a loss... but knowing that you are free again makes it easy for those tears to fall, dry up, and disappear. A rainbow of memories follows. And thanksgiving for how you touched all of us.

You asked the other day that we sing "When the Saints Come Marching In" in rememberance, and we did so, albeit awkwardly (there was no version at hand in our Lutheran hymnals).

Coming across this song, How He Loves Us, through friends at MyChurch, I am reminded of love, and of grace... so, share with me this song of praise, dear cousin, for those of us still on this side of life who need to seek and feel and touch God,

Until we meet again,

--eric

He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.
Oh, how He loves us so,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.

So we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves