Just like parents all over the country right now, I want to wrap my children in my arms and never let go. I want to protect them from all the evil in the world.
I want to shield them from the horrific images and stories of the tragedy
that happened in Connecticut on Friday.
Unfortunately, I have to drop them off at school at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Now I will pray all day long that they make it home safely at 3:00 p.m.
I will spend my day with angst and worry, knowing they are not even safe
a half a mile down the street from our home at their elementary school. First day of school -August, 2012

Even though I cannot protect my children 24 hours a day,
I do my very best to make them feel loved and cherished and safe.

About a week ago, my eight year old son and I began reading the book "Heaven is for Real"
by  Todd Burpo. I read the book last year and it really had a profound effect on me.
As a child, I found the subject of death quite terrifying.
I had several people in my life pass away suddenly.
These experiences left me very fearful of death.
When I became a mother, my fear of death became much less selfish.
I stopped focusing on me and what I would miss out on and I started thinking of all the things my children would miss out on not having a mother in their life.
Deep, dark stuff, people.

Reading the book "Heaven is for Real" made me, simply put, not afraid of dying.
The idea of going to a place, for all eternity, that is beautiful and safe and full of angels
actually sounds pretty wonderful. Not that I'm in a hurry to get there, but when I do, God willing,
I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it will be a million times better than any place here on earth, even the beach!

Tonight when I picked up the book to read with my son,
I thought of the 20 little angels heaven gained on Friday.
I know their parents would give anything in the world to be holding them in their arms right now,
but I find peace knowing that Jesus is now holding them in his arms. If you haven't already read the book, I encourage you to do so.
There is also a children's book out now, "Heaven is for Real for Kids". You can find out more about the books and the story behind the books here.
[null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/navbar-24.png", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/navbar-24.png", "formatted_filename": "navbar", "rendered_width": 1055, "rendered_height": 50}, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l9HxNeS5clA/UM6XxgLLTzI/AAAAAAAAFkk/KN0okivC_YE/s640/IMG_0118.jpg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l9HxNeS5clA/UM6XxgLLTzI/AAAAAAAAFkk/KN0okivC_YE/s640/IMG_0118.jpg", "formatted_filename": "IMG", "rendered_width": 640, "rendered_height": 596}, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tO_619voIo/UM6dhkW-WHI/AAAAAAAAFlg/P-29zXltbns/s1600/Heaven.jpg", "src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tO_619voIo/UM6dhkW-WHI/AAAAAAAAFlg/P-29zXltbns/s1600/Heaven.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Heaven"}, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKTZz_bFaQc/UM6cmHzIc8I/AAAAAAAAFlY/0g42Wqiqq2o/s640/Jesus.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKTZz_bFaQc/UM6cmHzIc8I/AAAAAAAAFlY/0g42Wqiqq2o/s640/Jesus.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Jesus", "rendered_width": 500, "rendered_height": 640}, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wp8uI_g1Xtk/UM6efEBKH6I/AAAAAAAAFlo/JG6glsYfg-g/s1600/Heaven-Is-for-Real-for-Kids-250x248.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wp8uI_g1Xtk/UM6efEBKH6I/AAAAAAAAFlo/JG6glsYfg-g/s1600/Heaven-Is-for-Real-for-Kids-250x248.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Heaven Is for Real for Kids"}, null, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/facebook1.png", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/facebook1.png", "formatted_filename": "facebook", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/pinterest2.png", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/pinterest2.png", "formatted_filename": "pinterest", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/instagram4.png", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/instagram4.png", "formatted_filename": "instagram", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/email4.png", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/Oak%20Ridge%20Install/email4.png", "formatted_filename": "email", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/designby-4.jpg", "src": "http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd408/lizzygal18/designby-4.jpg", "formatted_filename": "designby", "alt_text": "Photobucket"}, {"document_url": "http://oakridgerevival.blogspot.com/2012/12/heaven-is-for-real.html", "unformatted_src": "http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png", "src": "http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png", "formatted_filename": "pixel", "alt_text": "Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger..."}, null]