How do you know there is a God? A Heaven? An Eternity? How do you know there is anything "beyond a breath of life?"
My girlfriend Kristy and I hung out at our friends house last night. Charles (Cheesy) and his wife Allie. Both are 23 years in age, and both are mutes, Allie being a deaf mute. Allie was born a deaf mute and has just lived her life as normal as you and I, void the sounds on earth. Cheesy lost his voice to a car accident a few years back when him, myself and Brooke (my brothers wife) were on our way to eat. Cheesy was in the front passenger side that took a direct hit by a pickup truck which was being driven by a drunk driver. After all was said and done, his voice box was crushed and left him speechless. Always a survivor, he came back from that accident minus his voice.
It has been very challenging to learn this new form of communication but myself, our friends, and even my family members have worked on our ASL (American Sign Language) skills. Right down to the little's in our lives, Olivia (2 1/2, Dude 6 1/2, and Bonkz (2). There was nothing going to prevent our friendship with Cheesy and Allie from nurturing into the very best we could be.
Last night was full of fun and games, we played cards, we played scrabble, we caught up with everything going on in our lives. Cheesy and I told stories of the two high school years where we bonded our friendship. We talked about the day we added Kristy into our mix of our high school gang. She reminded us about how we used to bake weird things and bring them to the "girls" table to try to worm our way into their gaggle. Just a great great night with three of the best friends a guy could ask for. Using ASL I told them all how thankful I am to God that he placed me in the lives of the three of them.
I know that Cheesy struggles with heaven after earth. I know he struggles with the belief that eternity is real and that we will all reunite one day when each and every last breath on earth is exhaled. I know that he was this way before he lost his voice in the car accident and has yet to find it with in himself to open up his heart to God and the plans He has for each of us. Even Allie will let Cheesy know that it was by God's design he sacrificed Cheesy's voice for her so that they would meet. Cheesy is as accepting of me and my beliefs as I am his. It's not something we talk about much really, not that we do not respect what each other has to say but we just have a million other things we talk about to build out friendship.
It was surprising to me last night when Cheesy just looked at me and asked me these questions. How do you know there is a God? A Heaven? An Eternity? How do you know there is anything "beyond a breath of life?" I just had no idea where this conversation was headed. So in a nutshell, this is how I explained what my beliefs were.
How do you know there is a God? Nothing to me in my life is certain except that if you are born you will also die. However, my wishes to one day be with those already gone from my life gives me hope of eternal life where we will be reunited.
How do you know there is a Heaven? I believe that as sure as earth is our living hell as we make it, there is a heaven where we will stroll through not only the natural beauty of God's creation but the beauty of the souls that left before us.
How do you know there is an eternity? I believe that forever is always a moment away and that the eternal happiness God grants us is a life of peace where there is no worry of it ending like there is here on earth. Here, we tend to think if something good has come our way something bad is sure to follow. I believe Gods eternity is an end to worries and sorrow.
How do you know there is anything beyond a breath of life? Because I believe in God, and I believe he provides us a safe place called heaven, and I believe he gives us eternity where we can enjoy who we are without the judgment of others, the crimes against us by others, I believe he provides us with unconditional love despite our sins and our fears and our sorrow. I believe this all takes place beyond a breath of life, and that to know this, to experience this, you have to take your last breath on earth.
It was not a heated argument at all, it was as if we were discussing the daily news, casual conversations taking place between two friends. But I had to ask that one final question, perhaps because I wanted to hear what he had to say, perhaps because I wanted to disprove anything he might say in response.
How do you know there isn't a God, or Heaven, or Eternity? I do not know if there is or is not a God. I do not know if there is a heaven or an eternity. I do not know if there is anything beyond a breath of life that helps us get to beyond our grave on earth. This is what I do know. In May Allie and I received news that makes me want to believe in all of that. In February a little chunk of cheese will take his or her first breath of life and that my friend, makes we want to believe all you have taught me about Life. Beyond. A. Breath. Of. Life.
Congratulations Cheesy and Allie! May the Grace of God fill you up with all the Faith, Hope, and Love you will ever need to accept his love and guide you through one of the greatest gifts he can provide you. A new born child, due on Valentines Day 2014. A true sign given by God that life indeed exists, BEYOND A BREATH OF LIFE.
My girlfriend Kristy and I hung out at our friends house last night. Charles (Cheesy) and his wife Allie. Both are 23 years in age, and both are mutes, Allie being a deaf mute. Allie was born a deaf mute and has just lived her life as normal as you and I, void the sounds on earth. Cheesy lost his voice to a car accident a few years back when him, myself and Brooke (my brothers wife) were on our way to eat. Cheesy was in the front passenger side that took a direct hit by a pickup truck which was being driven by a drunk driver. After all was said and done, his voice box was crushed and left him speechless. Always a survivor, he came back from that accident minus his voice.
It has been very challenging to learn this new form of communication but myself, our friends, and even my family members have worked on our ASL (American Sign Language) skills. Right down to the little's in our lives, Olivia (2 1/2, Dude 6 1/2, and Bonkz (2). There was nothing going to prevent our friendship with Cheesy and Allie from nurturing into the very best we could be.
Last night was full of fun and games, we played cards, we played scrabble, we caught up with everything going on in our lives. Cheesy and I told stories of the two high school years where we bonded our friendship. We talked about the day we added Kristy into our mix of our high school gang. She reminded us about how we used to bake weird things and bring them to the "girls" table to try to worm our way into their gaggle. Just a great great night with three of the best friends a guy could ask for. Using ASL I told them all how thankful I am to God that he placed me in the lives of the three of them.
I know that Cheesy struggles with heaven after earth. I know he struggles with the belief that eternity is real and that we will all reunite one day when each and every last breath on earth is exhaled. I know that he was this way before he lost his voice in the car accident and has yet to find it with in himself to open up his heart to God and the plans He has for each of us. Even Allie will let Cheesy know that it was by God's design he sacrificed Cheesy's voice for her so that they would meet. Cheesy is as accepting of me and my beliefs as I am his. It's not something we talk about much really, not that we do not respect what each other has to say but we just have a million other things we talk about to build out friendship.
It was surprising to me last night when Cheesy just looked at me and asked me these questions. How do you know there is a God? A Heaven? An Eternity? How do you know there is anything "beyond a breath of life?" I just had no idea where this conversation was headed. So in a nutshell, this is how I explained what my beliefs were.
How do you know there is a God? Nothing to me in my life is certain except that if you are born you will also die. However, my wishes to one day be with those already gone from my life gives me hope of eternal life where we will be reunited.
How do you know there is a Heaven? I believe that as sure as earth is our living hell as we make it, there is a heaven where we will stroll through not only the natural beauty of God's creation but the beauty of the souls that left before us.
How do you know there is an eternity? I believe that forever is always a moment away and that the eternal happiness God grants us is a life of peace where there is no worry of it ending like there is here on earth. Here, we tend to think if something good has come our way something bad is sure to follow. I believe Gods eternity is an end to worries and sorrow.
How do you know there is anything beyond a breath of life? Because I believe in God, and I believe he provides us a safe place called heaven, and I believe he gives us eternity where we can enjoy who we are without the judgment of others, the crimes against us by others, I believe he provides us with unconditional love despite our sins and our fears and our sorrow. I believe this all takes place beyond a breath of life, and that to know this, to experience this, you have to take your last breath on earth.
It was not a heated argument at all, it was as if we were discussing the daily news, casual conversations taking place between two friends. But I had to ask that one final question, perhaps because I wanted to hear what he had to say, perhaps because I wanted to disprove anything he might say in response.
How do you know there isn't a God, or Heaven, or Eternity? I do not know if there is or is not a God. I do not know if there is a heaven or an eternity. I do not know if there is anything beyond a breath of life that helps us get to beyond our grave on earth. This is what I do know. In May Allie and I received news that makes me want to believe in all of that. In February a little chunk of cheese will take his or her first breath of life and that my friend, makes we want to believe all you have taught me about Life. Beyond. A. Breath. Of. Life.
Congratulations Cheesy and Allie! May the Grace of God fill you up with all the Faith, Hope, and Love you will ever need to accept his love and guide you through one of the greatest gifts he can provide you. A new born child, due on Valentines Day 2014. A true sign given by God that life indeed exists, BEYOND A BREATH OF LIFE.
