In a small rural town a young couple had known each other since childhood. Now that they were mature adults they noticed that they still enjoyed one another's company. Their friendship grew. Finally the young man presented the young woman with a ring and proposed marriage.

Their engagement period had flown bye as wedding plans were made. Together their emotions and hearts joined and finally the big day arrived. The childhood sweethearts, having grown to love God, had each kept themselves pure and had eyes only for each other. Their friends and families shared in their happy day. Their honeymoon over, they couldn't wait for work to finish so they could get back home together.

Everyone could see that their love for one another and happiness was genuine. There was an occasional disagreement but because of their love and respect for one another both worked at resolving their differences quickly. Weeks passed into months and after a year the young wife confided in her husband that the doctor had confirmed it - he would be a daddy! They were so happy and couldn't wait to tell their parents the good news!

Eventually they couldn't hide their secret anymore and everyone they knew rejoiced with them. The husband lovingly supported his wife through morning sickness and being pregnant as the months flew bye. The ultrasound had shown it was a girl and they both worked with great anticipation to get the new bedroom and everything ready for the new addition to their family. The doctor was happy that the unborn baby was growing as expected without apparent problems. As the due date came everyone was wondering when the baby would arrive.

Finally, both husband and wife became excited as labour pains had begun! The husband carefully got his wife into their car and they drove to the hospital. The time was getting closer and the nurses helped the husband get prepared to enter the delivery room to accompany his wife. He did his best to encourage her in the midst of her waves of extreme labour pain. "Here she comes!" The baby safely entered the new world of the loving little family and waiting friends. There was great joy and celebrations all around! Everyone was happy that a beautiful, healthy little baby girl had been born!

And in that same way, great are the celebrations in heaven when a long expected loved one finally comes home! My wife and I watched as my beloved mother's frail 93 year old body took its final laboured breath here on earth. We imagined her excitement as she woke up in the presence of the God she had known and loved so personally for most of her lifetime.

Meanwhile preparations were being made in heaven. Jesus had let those who knew Mom know that her arrival would be soon. Decorations had been made and the birthing room was ready! Angels had been dispatched to my mother's bedside to offer unseen comfort and strength both to loved ones waiting and to my mother in her last few days and hours.

One time during the week before my mother's passing my wife watched as my mother's eyes turned and gazed towards the door of her room. My wife looked to see who had arrived because my mother's whole face had lit up in a beautiful full faced smile of sublime peace and joy. My wife saw no one at the door and looked back at my mother's still joyful face!

Many in heaven had missed my mother and were waiting for her. They watched with uncontainable excitement, anticipation and joy as "The Great Shepherd" gently received my mother into His arms and presented her with great joy and humility to those waiting! Her guardian angel was there too smiling with great happiness. His assignment now over - the one he had watched over and fought many a battle to protect those many years was finally safe at home! We watched her off and they watched her home. There was one small instant in time where both worlds met. Absent from the body and present with the Lord! (2 Corinthians 5:8)

I finally understood the verse I had read in Psalms 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints." As the skeleton of a body that I was watching cooled, and again later as the casket closed, I said my goodbyes knowing that I would see my precious mother one day again and that we would all enjoy heaven together in God's presence forever free from sin, sadness, sickness, pain and anything else that would cause unhappiness! That is the Christian Perspective! Do you personally know this God we know? I would be happy to introduce you to Him.

Here are some additional background comments written by the author about the above Christian Perspective article that the author wants the reader to know:

This one comes straight from my heart as I mourn the recent loss of my mother, Eva M. Carter, who slipped away while we watched her at the Shelburne Dufferin Oaks on Friday October 23, 2009 at 2:15 a.m. The description of the expression on my mother's face that my wife saw really happened as written in the article.

We as family wish to take this opportunity to thank the Personal Support Workers, Nursing staff, kitchen staff (for meals provided to us during the last days and hours we waited) and especially the Palliative Care Team at the Dufferin Oaks for their excellent care of my mother, myself and our family both before and after my mother's health began to worsen and up to and after her time of death.

Their help made our parting from our mother so much easier - and I can attest to that from experience! We as a community have much to be proud of in our Dufferin Oaks' excellent service to those who for one reason or another can no longer care for themselves. Thank you!

And my/our determination to be at my mother's side holding her hand until her last breath, until her body cooled and to personally witness the finality of death (from a human perspective) was something that will help me as I may have opportunity to comfort others as I was comforted - those who are in the midst of grieving the loss of their beloved ones. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4 (KJV) speaks of this, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comfort[s] us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

It came as a surprise to us that we were thanked and commended by the staff at the Oaks for staying with our mother until her death. I thought this would be something any loving family would want to do but apparently this is not always the case.

A few different people of the staff told me of many residents who have no family at their side and are lonely even while they are dying! They said that there are some times where the Palliative Care Staff are the only ones at the resident's side. May we all take better care to visit our elderly family members during their last years, weeks, hours and minutes of life! We are all busy and yet I think you would agree that this is something that we should all do when we can!

There is another important issue pertaining to the article's story. We can only be sure of the parts that we humanly observed such as the description of my mother's happy face my wife saw. We at Bethel do however believe that the scriptures I quoted from the Holy Bible in the article are true for those who have a personal relationship with God. The rest is only a story that I believe was God's gift of comfort to me and my family during this time of loss. My hope in sharing this is that it may be of comfort to you the reader as well!

Jack Gault is an Elder and leader at Bethel Bible Chapel. You may contact him at jacktgault@bethelshelburne. com