Email
Print
Mysterious Ways: This Way to Heaven
Where do we go when we die? One widow got a clear answer.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
After sixty years of marriage, my husband Don and I had developed our own particular shorthand methods of communication. Kids these days text message… Don and I wrote each other little notes. For example, if I went out grocery shopping, I’d usually return to find a little scrap of paper taped up somewhere by the front door. “Upstairs, sleeping. Please wake me,” the note might say. “Love, Don.” At the top of the note, there would always be a little arrow pointing up, as if I might forget which direction upstairs was.
“Don! I’m home!” I’d yell up. A few minutes later, he’d shuffle down to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. “Hi Virge,” he’d say. “Let me help you put those away.” We’d unpack the groceries and his little notes would go out to the trash with the empty bags.
Try Guideposts magazine Risk-Free! Get 2 Free Issues - plus a Free Gift! Try it today
Then one night, I woke up and found Don’s side of the bed empty. No note to say where he was. I went downstairs… and found him collapsed on the kitchen floor.
The ambulance rushed Don to the hospital. But his condition worsened. In the days that followed, pneumonia set in. I had a few last precious moments with Don to say goodbye. Then he was gone.
The day of Don’s memorial service, I paced the front hall of the house in a daze waiting for my sons to pick me up and drive me to the church. I couldn’t comprehend the fact that Don was really gone. Will I ever see him again, Lord?
I stopped pacing. Something on the floor by the stairs caught my eye. I bent over and picked it up.
It was a scrap of paper. Nothing written on it, save for one thing. At the top was a simple arrow, scrawled in a familiar hand… pointing up.
I didn’t need to wonder where Don was. He was home.
More Inspiration
An Air Force fighter pilot, was in trouble over Vietnam.
|
I missed my parents so much. If only they could be here with me again.
|
My wife and I had prayed for years to have another child. Would it ever happen?
|
Though a minister fears a Good Friday performance will be botched, God has other plans.
|
Your Comments
My husband was seriously ill and not expected to live. He told me on Thursday before he died on Saturday that he wished Jesus would speak to him. I told him to ask Jesus to give him a word and he would. Later that afternoon, I asked him if Jesus and had given him a word. He opened his eyes and looked and me and said, "Yes, Jesus said it is time to come home, let me go. I knew I couldn't argue with Jesus if he said it was time for him to come home. The Holy Spirit sang to me all night the words of the song "Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and for me; See, on the portals He's waiting and watching for you and for me." We used that song at his home going celebration the next week. My son said he was go glad that Jesus spoke those words as we could never doubt that it was time for his dad to go home.
My husband died December 6 2011, He had selected this very same song to be played at his celebration of his life among others. We had been married 43 years and it is hard to walk into a room and for me to realize he is not here but in heaven. I know I will see him again, he is waiting for me.
My husband will be gone two years this May and I still miss him every day, but I carry a tiny little note in my billfold with the words "I love you" written on it. He would leave notes on little scraps of paper all over the house for me and for some reason I kept this one. I am so glad I did. You never know how precious something like that will be to you once the writer is gone. I know that I will see him again someday when we are both with our Lord, but in the meantime, I have that little reminder of his love that I carry with me everywhere.
This story is very touching! It really makes a difference those notes. My husbsnd has nicknames for me in our 36 years of marriage. All cute names. Now for Christmas on his gift cards. I'd put that nickname on the cards and a little saying. He loved them so much that he showed them to his friends all his ladies he got gifts from. And they were one person; me! He looked forward to reading each and everyone because they were all different. That was special to my husband also! These special stories from the other readers were touching. I enjoyed reading about other families who do the same with the notes.
I currently have a male friend and I gave him my late husband's key to my apartment. If I am expecting him and I have to step out for a short time I will leave a note on the kitchen table. If he drops by when I am not expecting him and I am out I will find a note on the table when I return. We both have cell phones but this is his prefered way of communicating. I never thought to keep them but I may start. Thanks for the idea.
YOUR STORIES ARE WONDERFUL TO MY EARS.
I don't have a husband, but I was dating a man named Michael and he used to write notes to me. I still have them even though I broke up with him. I am 37 and he is 68. When he is no longer with us, I will have these notes and whatever else he gave me. I have everything in a bag. It was only for six months, but I won't throw anything away. I didn't treat him too well. He didn't deserve that. But again, what he bought and gave me meant something to me and always will.
Several yrs ago my husband and I used the same car to get to work- he worked days and I worked an evening shift keying the mail. I started leaving notes in the car and he'd reply the next morning. It is such an awesome idea if you don't do this yet, try it- leave notes in his/ her lunch or in places he goes- just surprise each other- it could strengthen your marriage.
I sometimes have a problem getting the correct words to use when I am trying to speak but I can write much better because it slows my brain down enough to keep up with what I want to get across to someone. So I leave notes all over the house for my husband sometimes asking him to do something for me around the house but mostly I write cute poems of love.(no, not good ones) but funny all the same and hide them where he will find them. On the half and half bottle in the refrigerator, on the dog food bag, on the plates for when he will set the table and even in the toilet for when he had to "go"!!! (that was funny!)
The laughter that fills the house when he finds these notes is one very precious moment for me because it reminds me of when we first fell in love....... And that was 42 years ago and I still love him more every day. Who would ever believe that nowadays? 13 me and 15 him still together after all those years. Thank you God for my Forever Valentine!
"through better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health"... Etc. you have to have o have laughter together and that makes it all come together and keeps you together. Been there - done that. had the better and worse rich and very poor, health and sick.
Sue
Thank You, Lord!
Thank you for a beautiful story. My husband and I leave notes aslo. Thank you for making my day.
When my adult grandson stayed with me a few weeks he left several notes aroung the house ..."I love you bunches, I love you with all my heart, I love you, etc. the day he moved out. I taped these sticky notes on the side of my refrigerator. My husband of 33 years passed away 6 months ago. A few days later a large envelope fell off my dresser near the doorway by the refrigerator and when I picked it up one of these notes saying "I love you was laying next to it. I will always feel this was my husband letting me know he loved me.
I love to read all these wonderful and touching stories. My parents loved each other so much that when my father passed away my mother was hurt and angry and why my father died first before she did. I told her that dad is heaven with God. Dad is meant to be with God. The third day after Dad's funeral I called Mom and asked her how she's doing. She told me that miracle happened. She was sweeping the front porch and a gust of wind blew a peice of paper infront of her but the wind kept bringing back the peice of paper. Mom picked it up and it's a beautiful post card of Jesus embracing a shadow of a man. My Mom showed this photo to my uncle who is a priest and told my mom that my father is in heaven with God. Also, my priest uncle told my mom that this post card is a miracle that he never seen anything like this before.. I told my mom to framed the photo to always remember that Dad is in heaven.
My husband is blind now but before he lost his sight i would find little "love notes" and i kept them.Now i have them taped to the inside of cabinet doors as an added reminder that he loves me.I will always cherish the notes and him .He will soon be 89 years young and is still the love of my life.
Your story was so touching. I have a similiar bond with my fiance` we always search for each other in the house but we never leave notes. I think that leaving notes is a good way to had to the humor that we enjoy so much.
Thanks for your story and you should have saved those notes you could put them in a scrap book and leave for your children.
May God continue to bless you.
This story wa so touching. I texted my darling husband and thanked him for deing such a blessing. I enjoy guide post so much God bless you
I have been reading your paper for awhile. I was wanting to write a story and reture it to you. If you find it helpful to others please print it. can you let me know how i would get it into the right hands. Thank you.
Sandi
My husband used to leave me notes too. When I opened my wallet to pay for the groceries I found a note "I love you". When I opened a drawer to get my socks there would be another. Sometimes I took the note and hid it in one of his drawers and we would pass t back and forth like that for weeks. He died in May, but I still have some of those notes tucked in different places to remind me of our wonderful life together. Tell someone you love them today!!!
Comment