Singing in church....

Sometimes I find myself sad as we are singing in church. As we sing about heaven and how wonderful it will be when we get there I, of course, find myself thinking about my dad. I wonder what he is doing up there right now. I try to picture him in his beautiful robes and his crown..... One of Dad's favorite verses was, "Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attaied by a righteous life" Proverbs 16:31. So, I can easily picture him with his crown on because he was preparing for it when he was still here. 2Tim 4:8 says"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day". And I picture Jesus welcoming Dad into the gates of heaven, showing him the room He prepared for him, and replacing his earthly crown of gray hair with his heavenly crown. A tear trickles down my check as we sing of the wonderful place God has for us and I know that one day with Him is better that any day here (Psalms 84:10), and I yearn for that day when we are all together again. I know my dad wasn't perfect, none of us ever will be, but he was righteous, living out the relationship with God in the right relationships he had with other people - which is what righteousness is all about. Romans 1:17 says, "The righteous will live by faith" and dad's gray hair was a sign of his faith. So, as I sing my praises to God my eyes may fill with tears but I know God will wash them away (Rev. 7:17). As I go through trials, that I am sure will turn my hair gray, I will know that God is testing me and refining my like silver and a righteous life that reflects my relationship with Him is my purpose. I am thankful for this example my dad gave me in his life.