the magic of heaven

We have had three pets in our house for quite awhile. Pets being a loosely used term as we have two fish and one turtle. I'm not a huge "pet" person. I love animals, don't get me wrong, but caring for two growing boys AND a husband doesn't leave much left for me to give to a furry friend. So, only pets in tanks for this family! Recently, we lost one member of our pet family when Ashtyn's fish went to fishy heaven. Even though he was Ashtyn's fish, both of our pet fish lived in Maddox's room (especially since Ashtyn got his turtle) and so Maddox took the fishies death espcially hard. We knew the smaller of our two fish wasn't doing well. In fact, I'm surprised he lived as long as he did! He had been pretty lethargic and not eating for days and days. When the time finally came to "bury" our pet fish Maddox lightened the mood inadvertently by informing the family that "his fishy was in heaven with Gray" and that "in heaven people can breath under water and swim WITH their fish!" He was actually excited dreaming of what his friend Gray and his new pet fish might be doing in heaven together! I never saw it coming, and those seem to be the most important reminders of all, but that morning, as we rushed to get ready for work and school and had to take the time to flush our poor little fishy to heaven, seeing death, once again, through my boys' eyes reminded me of how truly exciting heaven is. We tend to view it as scary and unknown but children...children view it as magical! To be more childlike. This is how Jesus was telling us to be.