Life and Death

ER just threw up in the midst of my discussion with AN for no obvious reasons. Guess it's indigestion. I hope it's indigestion! Please please please.

So, we went for my uncle's funeral in the late evening. AN went with us.

There was a service (Christian funeral) before we got to see him in the half opened coffin (with a glass layer separating him and us). I carried AN and she saw my uncle (her grand uncle) lying in there.

This was her 1st time seeing a person lying in a coffin, lifeless. It's probably uncomfortable for some of you reading at this point. I know, today is THE LUNAR 7TH MONTH. But my Lord is greater than my fears.

AN wasn't afraid but she was observing the whole walk through. My aunt cried as I hugged her (while carrying AN in my other arm) and AN stroked my aunt's shoulder to comfort her.

My little girl must have started wondering there and then, why my aunt was so sad.

And she started questioning (at the funeral):

AN: "Why is he lying inside?"

Me: "He's resting."

AN: "He will wake up tomorrow?"

Me: "No. He will wake up when he reaches heaven. Not tomorrow, not here anymore."

AN: "Heaven is not in Singapore?"

Me: "Heaven is where Jesus is."

AN starting to sound different. She's thinking fast now.

"Why is he not coming back?"

Me: "Because he was very very sick. He has cancer and it made him so painful everywhere."

AN: "You can put a plaster on him. Does that work?"

Me: "No. The pain is so bad plasters don't work. Jesus saw the pain and had to take him away so that he never has to feel that type of pain again. So, he is with Jesus now, and no more pain."

AN continued asking during bedtime.

"Mummy, when someone dies, they don't come back anymore?"

Me: "No"

She started sobbing, to my surprise.

She said she missed her yeye (Mr Liow's dad who passed away before I was even pregnant with her), and started crying very very sadly. I guess she's understanding death better as we talked. I'm no expert, obviously. But I know separation is not final. Not in all deaths.

I'm not sure where my FIL (her yeye) is now. But the Lord will not give up on him. I'll know when my turn comes.

For now, I need to comfort my emotional little girl.

It's easier to explain separation as it is when I have to leave them at home and go out. It's temporary (like the bible says, although the period mentioned is very different) but ER cries when I go. He misses me.

It's happy reunion when I come back home. Like when we see them in heaven again, it will be very happy.

I told her that responsibilities get passed on from people to people. As an illustration, Popo will leave when it's time (I've prayed that her and my dad's destination is to be where Jesus is) and I'll be popo to her (AN's) kids. Someday, I'll go and it'll be her turn to be a popo. We will miss each other and when we meet again, she can tell me: "Mummy, I missed you!"

I almost cried as I explained it.

And then ER threw up.

Thank God for the time out. It's too much for a little girl in a day.

I hated separation since my first experience with it at another auntie's funeral. I was 7 years old. And I kept crying.

That was the end. No more. No heaven, no reunion. That WAS eternal separation. Till I knew Jesus, the hopes I will have in Him, the reunion I can look forward to. Not everyone believes the same but the Lord gave me a future after the end.

I'm thankful AN is thinking. This is going to help in our sharing of the gospel with her.