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“Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.”
Psalm 123:1 (NKJV)

Ready to be Home

Since my husband, Steve, left this earth for his heavenly Home, after a massive heart attack he suffered in July 2016, our three adult children have found old birthday messages from their daddy on their phones.

Because I lived with Steve, my birthday messages were always given in person with a birthday card from him.

I missed his voice.

Would I forget what it sounded like?

Those times I heard, “I love you” or when he yelled, “Kathy, come here! I want to show you something!” seem like forever ago now.

Searching through a ‘catch all’ drawer in our kitchen, I found my old cell phone, found the old charger, and plugged it up.

It didn’t take long before I found a message from Steve.

Pushing play, I heard his voice…

“Hey, it’s ten-’til-nine. Just checking to see if you were on your way home.

I love you. I miss you. Can’t wait ’til you get home.”

Tears began to fall down my face, then great hiccupping sobs as I held that phone close and hit play over and over.

Steve was a card-sender and note-sharer.

He signed all of his cards and notes with an “I love you” and would draw the cutest little bald, smiley-faced guy with little hairs sprouting all over his head. They still make me smile every time I see one.

Before leaving for one of his fishing tournaments one morning, he left me this note.

“Call me when you get home.

Love you, Steve.”

Over the years of our life together, there were many times we would be gone for the day. So many times, on our way home one of us would usually say, “I am so ready to be home.” And upon driving through the gate and up the driveway, one of us would whisper, “I am so glad to be home.”

There is an old saying, “Home is where your heart is.”

Have you felt a shift in your heart when you think about home now?

Over the past seven years, I have cried many tears heading home knowing that I would be arriving at an empty house, but at the same time so desperate to be there.

Not long ago, sitting and missing Steve, I thought about that voice message he left for me – and that note that sits on the refrigerator.

Steve was Home.

In a moment, an instant, his heart stopped here on this earth, but life was not over for Steve McCain,

for his very next heartbeat was in Heaven.

Life might have felt like it was over for you and me when our husbands left for Heaven, but can you imagine what their first moment in Heaven was like?

“But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
Philippians 3:20 (ESV)

My goal is to keep my eyes heavenward.

I imagine it to be like Steve has headed out on a fishing trip to the most beautiful and wonderful place. Though I was not able to make the trip when he did, I have a travel pass coming up to join him.

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
2 Corinthians 5:1

My prayer is that I will not live each moment in the sadness of missing my husband, but with great anticipation, I will begin preparing for my leg of the journey to Heaven.

What will I need for this journey? As in fishing trips I was invited on with Steve, there will be no need for bug spray, no fishing license, or working on my casting skills to keep from back-lashing.

Everything I will need for my journey Home has been provided for me –

Because I belong to the same Jesus my husband is with every moment now.

And I will consciously and with intention invite others to join me one day.

I look forward with great anticipation to the last page of my story here on this earth.

For when the story says, ‘The End’ here, it will be the greatest first page, first chapter, and new beginning of an eternity with no more goodbyes and absolutely no more ‘The Ends’ …

Ever again!

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

So today, Steve’s voice message and that note have taken on a new meaning to me.

“I love you. I miss you. Can’t wait ’til you get Home.

Call me when you get Home.”

My sweet sisters, let’s walk together as we prepare for the next leg of our journey Home.

Dear Father God, we thank You that You have provided a way Home through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. May we be instruments sharing the Hope we find in Him. Help us lead others to You as we continue on our journey Home. Amen