A Little Piece of Heaven

A big question for Jason and I when sweet Tucker went to be with Jesus was "how do we tell our kids?" We got this questions from lots of people as it swirled in our own minds, and frankly, we didn't really know. Noah is too young to really comprehend, but Lincoln is just old/mature enough to understand, but not old/mature enough to really understand.

Lincoln loved his cousin Tucker...he always had a sweet spot for him and was super caring and considerate of him. He was always willing to share his toys, teach him new games, and help him do things. We always talked about how encouraging his interactions were toward Tucker, foreseeing that's how he might be with Adelynn when she was born.

A few months back at Noah's 2nd birthday party, Lincoln invented a game called "Tucker Down!" where him and Tuck would "wrestle" - sometimes Noah joining in, and when Tucker would fall down first, Lincoln would have everyone yell "Tucker down!!!" Tucker would just chuckle with that giggle of joy and delight. He loved wrestling with his cousins, and we all joked and quickly observed he was already tougher than both his cousins!

Lincoln, Tucker, and Noah had gotten to spend the two previous Saturdays together before Tucker died. They were all at such a fun age of playing together...Amy and I had just discussed how we need to start getting them all together at least once a week for a few hours to play together because they all enjoyed it so much.

Tack that on to the many plans we had made for these cousins so close in age since the day we discovered Amy was having a boy...the camping trips with dads/grandpa...the playdates...the beach trips...the wild, hyper annual holidays filled with boy cousins so close in age...the strong bonds and friendships we would foster between them...the day they would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior and share an even deeper bond that, we prayed, would influence the Kingdom as a power of 3 someday...oh the plans.

But God had different plans in mind for these boys. And we can only trust they are much more deeper and eternal than any we could fathom. And though it still hurts that we won't have the chance to see those relationships blossom, I wonder if perhaps Tucker's testimony will someday be a catalyst to leading Lincoln and Noah to the Lord...the same, mighty, powerful Savior that holds sweet Tucker in His arms.

So back to my original...when we told Lincoln about Tucker, we focused on where he was and not how he got there (that will come as he can understand more). Lincoln already knows about heaven - as much as he can comprehend - and his eyes lit up with wonder. We talked about other people that were already there too, like David, Joshua, Sampson...he asked if Peter, James, and John were there. Yes. He said, "And that's where Bob and Larry are, too, huh?" Sort of...on the right track. And then he said, "What about Wolverine and Spiderman?" Hmmm...getting off track a little, maybe?? :)

Then he declared to us, "Mommy, daddy - I bet Tucker and Jesus are playing wrestle right now! And I bet they are jumping on a BIG trampoline!! Oh - and I bet they are going to play Hungry Hippos!"

Then he wanted to know when we all got to go there and play with Jesus and Tucker...faith like a child. Part of me was sad that we didn't hammer home the fact that this was a tragic loss for us and that we were all really sad about this.
But then I stepped back from the moment and thought of how perfect Lincoln's perspective was...faith of a child.
Since then, we have had several conversations throughout the week about Tucker in Heaven. One day, he was jumping on the trampoline and stopped, looking in the sky, and emphatically started yelling and waving at the sky "Hi Tucker!!! Hi Tucker!!! Look mommy and daddy, it's Tucker!! Hi Tucker!!!!!"

And then today we were talking about it before naptime and he talked again about how one day we would all get to go play with Jesus and Tucker in Heaven. His only concern was "What about if Noah's poops?? Should we take a diaper?" Then he goes, "I know! We can just borrow one of Tucker's!" He told me he thinks Peter, James, and John are changing Tucker's diapers for him.
I love these little conversations we have about Tucker...about Heaven...and most importantly, about Jesus. This morning we taught Lincoln the verse Nathan prayed over Tucker:
"The Lord is with you, Mighty Warrior!" Judges 6:12