Cyndy Goodwin Benton
“I’ll see you in the morning!” …….It’s an often casually spoken phrase we say at night to our children or spouse before going to bed. Yet, on this particular night in 2013, these were the last words that Momma heard Daddy say until the morning of December 25th, 2018. They were words he spoke with deep love and great conviction to her.Other than short naps in his wheelchair at her bedside, Daddy had been awake for 42 hours. At his age of 86, or at any age, that is a long time to go without sleep.As much as he wanted to remain at the side of his bride of almost 67 years, holding her hand and speaking words of loving encouragement to her, Daddy resigned himself to the fact that he had to lie down and get some sleep.He agreed to let me take him to the hotel next door to Baptist Hospital for a few hours, even though he knew there was strong probability that Momma would be carried home by the angels before he could be back at her side.As Daddy kissed her goodnight, he said, “I’ll see you in the morning” … and that is exactly what he did very early on Christmas Day five years later, according to time as we know it on this earth.There are two places in the Holy Bible where we are provided the same information regarding the difference in how time is perceived in heaven vs time perception on earth.Psalm 90:44 says, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”2 Peter 3:88 tells us, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”According to these explanations from God, for every minute that passes in Heaven we spend approximately nine months on this earth.Daddy’s goodnight farewell to Momma when he left her side at midnight on March 17, 2013 was correct. It was less than 8 short minutes, to her in heaven, before her beloved was back with her.When he said, “I’ll see you in the morning,” Daddy had no way of knowing he would spend 69 months and 7 days here on earth without her … yet, he knew without a doubt that he would see her again.Because Jesus chose to die in our place, with His precious blood paying the penalty of our sins, once and for all … and because He rose from the dead conquering death for Himself and us, and then ascended to heaven where He lives at the right hand of the Father, we too can share in everlasting life with Jesus and our loved ones who have gone home to be with Him forever.As I sat by his bedside on Christmas morning 2018, holding his body as he took his first joyous breath in heaven with his Lord Jesus … and moments later he got to see his dear sweetheart again … I kissed my Daddy’s cheek and said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”~Cyndy Goodwin Benton