Chapter 26

We enjoyed our boat ride on Town Creek. I held my right hand up in the air and hollered into the wind, “Yeah! Feels good on a boat ride with my sonny boy.”

Ned lifted both of his arms in the air and mimicked, “Yeah! Feels good on a boat ride with my daddy boy.”

In sight was the sandbar where Eileen and I had stopped to visit with her parents. There were no clouds today. A gentle wind chopped across the water, dappling the light on the surface.

“Look, Daddy!” hollered Ned as he pointed to the sandbar. “There’s Granddaddy Sanders! I was hoping we would see him today.”

“What?” I replied in shock as my head snapped to look at Ned and follow his arm to the sandbar. There on the sandbar was my dad waving at us.

“Ned, it sure is!” How did he know Daddy would be here?

“How did you know that was Granddaddy Sanders?” I pressed.

“He came to visit me when I was younger,” replied Ned assuredly. I could believe it or not, but Ned believed it; therefore it was true. “He told me he saw you not too long ago, too, Daddy. He told me that in my dream last week.”

Oh, the profound acceptance and faith of children. Adults doubt more and are less trusting.

“Hey, Granddaddy,” called Ned, waving excitedly.

“Hello there, Ned.” My dad beamed. “It’s nice to see you two. I’ve got some more folks for you to see.”

I looked toward the crest of the sandbar and saw Jake and Helen Snellgrove.

“Oh boy! It’s Grandy and Grandma!” said Ned as he waved like crazy standing up in the boat.

We beached the boat. Ned leaped from the bow and ran toward Granddaddy Sanders, who wrapped his arms around his grandson. Then he bolted over to Grandy and Grandma, and they embraced him in a three-way hug.

“Hello, my little boy,” crooned Helen. “We are so glad that we get to be with you.”

I looked at my dad and shook my head. “Ned has seen you before?”

“That’s all part of the learning of things on this side, Son. “It’s easier for us to reach children because they are more innocent and willing to believe. I’ve visited you over the years; you just didn’t believe enough to see me. I think you do now.”

“Yeah.” I smirked. “I’ve felt your presence, but I couldn’t see you.”

“Part of it comes from knowing how our appearance can frighten you. God warned us to be careful about that. We have to do it when no one else is looking or when there’s cameras and people wanting to report a story. Remember, when Jesus came back to life after the cross, He appeared only to the ones who already believed in Him. He didn’t spend time with those who questioned Who He was. His appearance was an affirmation to those hundreds of people to say, ‘Yep, I honor your belief. You have seen and believe, but what about those that haven’t seen and yet they believe?’ That was talking about us yet to be born. I’m not sure why God has allowed us this chance to be together, but thank goodness He has.” Daddy placed his hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to the sky.

“Thank you is an understatement,” I cried in a voice brimming with emotion. “Look at my son there; he is eating it up—seeing his grandparents face to face, knowing full well that . . . ” My voice trailed off.

“Daddy,” interrupted Ned, “aren’t we lucky that Heaven has come to us?”

There it was. One sentence, by an eight-year-old boy. Heaven came to visit us! While Ned chatted with Jake and Helen, I listened to Daddy’s wisdom from the world beyond as he spoke in a gentle voice to me.

“At night or early morning, when Ned was about to go to sleep or wake for the day, I would lean over his bed and comfort him to sleep. He would smile at me and point at me with a giggle. I whispered, ‘I’m your granddaddy Sanders. God and I are watching you. We are here to protect you, my little boy.’ When we heard you or Eileen coming into the room, I would tell him, ‘Bye for now, Ned,’ and disappear.”

“Is that why he was crying?” I asked.

“Could be, but he also needed his mommy and daddy to be there to comfort him, too,” said Daddy. “The other night, he was having trouble going to sleep because he was thinking about going out on the boat. I came to his bedroom and whispered to him softly, but he couldn’t see me. I told him, ‘Ask your daddy to take you fishing, and maybe I will see you at the lake.’ Then, I hummed him to sleep.”

Daddy continued, “Son, I don’t know how long God will allow this portal to be open, but it could stop anytime. That’s up to Him. In the meantime, soak up everything you learn here, but don’t tell anyone outside of your family. Not every person accepts this world beyond like you do.”

I nodded in affirmation and clutched my hand over my heart.

Daddy and I walked over to Ned and Grandy and Grandma. Ned was chatting away with stories of what was in his room and how much he loved all the colors of the rainbow.

“Oh yeah,” chirped Ned. “Grandy, Grandma, and Granddaddy, we caught a bunch of bluegills today! I’m so happy my dad brought me fishing. I love fishing! We will have an amazing fish fry tonight. Thanks to Johnny Bruce, we can see y’all today. Now, maybe Mommy and Daddy will believe me when I say I heard from y’all.”

“Definitely will now, Ned,” I assured him. “Can’t deny it.”

“See, Daddy,” replied Ned knowingly, “believing is seeing!”

“I see why Jesus loved being with the children so much,” I reflected. “We adults just don’t always get it.”

At that moment, I heard the soft sound of a bell, much like a church bell in a downtown church building. The air vibrated with each ring.

“Oh, that’s our signal.” Helen sighed. “Ned, we have to go now, but I am so grateful we had this visit together.”

“Aww.” Ned pouted. “Do you have to go?”

“Don’t worry,” comforted Jake, “we will still be around watching after you and your sister. We continue to be helpers to your mommy and daddy.”

“Oh, okay.” Ned sighed in disappointment. “I can’t wait to tell Mommy and Eva we saw all of you today!”

Ned hugged his grandparents and grabbed my hand to lead me back to the boat. “Let’s show them the fish.”

We hopped in Johnny Bruce. Ned opened the live-well and said, “See! We got a mess of bluegills.” Grandma, Grandy, and Granddaddy stood by the side of the boat and peered in.

“Great catch!” said Grandy. “I imagine what they will smell like when you cook them.”

I pushed the boat off of the sandbar and hopped aboard the front deck. Daddy, Jake, and Helen stood on the sandbar and waved at us. Ned waved furiously and called out, “See you later! Bye! I love you!”

“We love you, too, Ned and Dalton,” came their reply in unison. They vanished into the background.

“Okay, Daddy,” insisted Ned, “let’s go home now.”

I smiled and nodded in agreement, at a loss for words. We pointed the bow toward the ramp. I looked up at the sun, and it was in the same spot when we approached the sandbar. Time stood still during these visits.

We ate our sandwiches while we rode back to the ramp.

Ned looked at me with a cheerful face. “Daddy, we have a miracle boat. I sure am thankful for Mr. John’s gift.”

I wrapped my arm around Ned and squeezed him tight. “I am, too, Ned; I am, too.”

Sharon saw us pulling the boat out of the water. “Did y’all catch anything?”

“Yes, Ms. Sharon,” hollered Ned. “Twenty-three bream! Now, we are going home.”

“That’s great, Ned.” Sharon clapped. “Sounds like quite a fish fry for tonight. Have a safe drive home.”

With a belly full of lunch, Ned was asleep in the car seat before we rounded the first turn on the two-lane road.

Thank you, God, I prayed as I glanced at his sweet, sleeping face in the rearview mirror. Thank you for everything.

Once we were back in the town of Guntersville, I heard my cell phone chirp. I pulled off at a gas station and checked my text messages. It was from Eileen.

Hope y’all are having fun. BTW, Eva has something to talk to you about when you get home. Be safe.

I sent a reply.

Will do. On the way home now, Ned has something grand to tell you about. Get ready for a good fish fry.