A SLICE OF HEAVEN
by Kathy Anne Harris

When man became aware of good and bad, of heaven and hell, of
darkness and light, he questioned God. "What is heaven like, God?
God sat down with man, in a quaint little garden, took in a big
breath, and explained what heaven was like to man. Barely breathing,
man watched -- enraptured, not interrupting.

When God had finished with his description, man dropped his arms
down at his sides, shook his head and mumbled, "It is all so grand
and beyond anything I have here to compare. I cannot envision the
place of which youspeak." With a perplexed look on his countenance
and fearing he had disappointed God, man hung his head and moisture
collected in his eyes.

God stood up, wiped debris from the back of his garment, and walked
over to man. He laid a hand on man's shoulder and said He was sorry
He had not been able to convey the glorious nature of heaven.
Feeling disheartened that he had let his creation down, God turned
and walked away from man.

Man did not move. He still sat there, head hanging down, arms at
his sides. And a tear rolled off each cheek and fell to the earth.
You see, this human was yet a boy. Not the man he would become.
While understanding came easily to the boy, more so than it might to
an adult, the boy still needed a frame of reference when learning
about the more abstract concepts -- especially ones that required a
great deal of faith.

Several yards away from the boy, God paused. A smile sketched
across His face. The boy did not notice that God had stopped. God
held out his left arm, thrust his palm out and grinned. He was
still facing away from the boy.

God heard the boy sob, then God nodded to Himself and said, "Here,
lad, is something that will best express to you what is most wondrous
about heaven. And here, also, is a bright light, contained within
this vessel. No matter how dark your world, no matter how abysmal
your thoughts, no matter how long the nights -- the illumination
contained within this receptacle will shatter the blackest black.
This creation of mine will remain at your side through the lowest and
the highest moments of your life. This creation embodies the virtues
of heaven and all the joys.

He turned back toward the boy, left arm extended. "Here," He
whispered softly, "a slice of heaven. Now, you will understand!"
A sparkling dust gathered and swirled from the tips of God's hand.
It became substance, then bounded off, toward the boy. God canted
his head and watched, pleased with Himself.

Knowing the boy would wonder no more about what heaven was like.
Gazing down at the soil beneath his feet, the boy saw a shadow fast
approaching, lopping straight for him. Before he could stand to
flee, a pink tongue flicked across his fingers. A bushy tail thumped
against his legs. And a mouth full of white teeth smiled up at him.
Soft ears floppedback as the creature stared up into the boy's eyes.

A private communication was exchanged between the boy and the
creature. The boy giggled, bent down, and swept the animal up into
his arms.

"He is a living mirror of heaven, and therefore, a mirror of Me. Out
of a great affection for the creature that reflects back so much of
what heaven is, and in so doing, reflects back so much of what I am,
I have named him dog.

Treat him well, for no other will be as true to you, nor teach you
as much as this one small creature will."

-- Kathy Anne Harris

Natalie

:)

ttfn :)