"How do I get to Heaven?"

I knew the day would come. Actually I have prayed this day would come but man it hit me like a ton of bricks and I started sweating. Of course you would know that it would have happened when I was by myself and Philly was no where to be found (or rather in the other car listening to the sound of his own thoughts).

"Mommy how do I get to Heaven?"

That was the sweetest question ever coming from the mouth of my 4 year old. I froze of course because if there is one thing I don't want to get wrong it is my son's salvation.

"Well Nicky let's see..."

That is such an innocent simple question coming from a young child, but what about when I ask God about myself? How things become so complicated.

I often wonder about my earlier years ****three years ago**** and why I tried so hard to ignore God even though I knew what the key to Heaven was. I contemplate why so many people ignore the inevitable.

I didn't want to admit I was a sinner and that it is okay. I refused to look in the mirror and see the flaws and failures of my choices. My lies, my temptations, my theft, my murderous ways, my adulterous thoughts, and my oh so many idolatrous ways....

I didn't want to let those go no matter how many times I pleaded to my Father, "Forgive me. Never again."

Then one day...like the sunrise...like the new ocean tide...like the first Spring rain...

All my transgressions are illuminated and all my sins are washed away.

I live for some ONE and my old self dies.

The sins still come and go but they never are allowed permanent residence. It is a daily fight with a winning Spirit overtaking the evil.

"Well Nicky let's see....Think about everything you did today. Did you want to do good stuff like being a big helper and sharing your toys or did you want to be bad all day? When you spend your whole day trying to be good and you start feeling bad when you make big mistakes like fighting; then you are trying to please God. When you are ready for Jesus to come live in your heart so He sees everything you do, you just ask Him to enter. And He lives there day and night to hug you when you are sad, to high-five you when you do something really good, and to catch your tears when you are scared. You start realizing that life is so much easier and funner when Jesus is around. Instead of not listening and disobeying you want to do good things to make Jesus proud like mommy and daddy are proud of you. He becomes your best friend and in that very instant Jesus tells our Father God to let you spend forever and ever in Heaven with Him. God then makes you a room of your very own with your name on the door and Jesus will be there with you always."

Okay so that is what I came up with. Probably not the best biblical way but it was a start. I think about my words and realize that is exactly what I want everyday. It can be that simple and innocent. I just want a best friend who CAN'T and WON'T fail me. I want to be good and stop being bad. I want my own room in eternity.

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

Matthew 18:3-6

God bless to all of my faithful friends and followers...