19
Strange Critters
I turn back around setting my sights on the big pearly gate in the distance, then take a small sip of wine and tie the pouch that Samson gave me back to my side. I start my journey alone to the City of Heaven.
I walk for several hours enjoying the beauty of my surroundings, thinking of Allayer and Nipper, wishing they were here so I could pound them with a thousand more questions. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of something moving. My curiosity gets the best of me, so I change direction just a little to solve this mystery… then I see it again.
Other than the herd of donkeys, I haven’t seen any other living creature.
I slowly walk over to a thick grove of trees near a small running stream, and whatever it was has gone. I’m thinking this would be a good place to kick back for the night. I look around and see all sorts of wild berries growing along the creek.
I’m thinking, No one but me; a good cool creek; well why not. I strip off my clothes down to my birthday suit and dive in.
S o refreshing … I think back on my childhood when I would swim in Black Creek, our little piece of Heaven on Earth. You know, it’s no t much different than what I’m experiencing at this very moment.
I’m suddenly startled when I hear a twig snap.
“Hello, is anybody out there?” Nothing but silence, it must be my imagination. I dive back under the water and swim the width of the creek and when I surface I am face to face with two little spider monkeys. After catching my breath I say, “Well hello there little fellows.” They both just stare, and then at the same time turn around; one grabbing a sandal while the other takes my pants.
The chase is on. As I claw my way up the steep creek bank, I grab my other sandal and shirt. I run as fast as possible, ducking and dodging tree limbs, trying to keep both monkeys in sight. I start thinking, what do I do if I can’t get my pants back? Just walk up to Heaven’s Gate nude and say, hey everybody I’m here on special assignment.
Still chasing the two monkey thieves, we break out of the thick brush into an opening. I see both spider monkeys clearly now. They are both headed for what looks like an old timey barn. With every stride, I’m praying there won’t be any people there. I’m gaining on them over the open terrain, and suddenly I have a funny thought that Allayer and Nipper would get a kick out of this scene.
Both monkeys stop right before going through the barn door and at the same time throw my clothes and sandal up in the air, turning and scurrying inside the barn.
At that point I change my gait from a full speed run to a slow, cautious walk. This has got to be the most ridiculous situation I’ve ever been in.
With the cool air hitting my lower parts reminding me I’m walking across an open pasture nude, I silently pray, Please God, don’t let anyone see me.
I wonder if these two little rascals are setting me up for something. You would think from me chasing them, they would have quickly run up the nearest tree.
* * *
I finally get to my clothes, looking around to make sure no one saw this embarrassing moment. I hear a familiar sound; it was the whickering of a horse. Then again, I hear neighing.
After tying my sandals, I walk inside the barn and there they are. A pair of the finest horses I’ve ever seen. They both look like twins bred from the same stock. As I’m admiring each one, I notice they both have the rear ends and chests of quarter horses and the height and length of a thoroughbred with the long erect ears and head of a Tennessee Walker. I am looking at horses made in Heaven.
“ I wonder who you guys belong to, and I wish y’all were mine. So awesome… oh well, I got to get going fellows; I’ve got a long way to go.”
As I turn to head out of the barn, both horses neigh at me. I look back and they are both shaking their heads up and down as if trying to tell me something.
“Sorry friends, but you don’t belong to me and I sure don’t want to be labeled a horse thief right out of the batter’s box.”
I look up at the great wall of Heaven with the barn blocking part of my view. I try to guess how many miles away it is when I suddenly have a memory from my childhood. I was around eight or ten years old and our family went on vacation to the mountains. I had only seen pictures in books or watched Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on our black and white TV, so I had no real idea of the grandeur of the mountains. When my dad said, “Hey, look at that kids, I can see the snowcapped mountains.” My brother and I thought we would arrive in the next few minutes, but after a couple more long hours staring through the windshield we finally made it.
So I’m guessing I probably have at least a two or three day walk before I reach the base of Heaven’s Gate. Looking back at the setting sun I’m thinking this barn is as good a place as any to camp. When I walk in the barn, both horses whicker almost to tell me, welcome stranger. I rub both on the head as I pass, heading for a pile of hay in the corner of the barn.
As I lie down, I look up at the two horses, both staring at me with their huge dark brown eyes. With feeling a sense of peace, I chuckle as I ask, “Hey guys, where did your little thieving monkey friends get off to?”
I close my eyes, still thinking back about our childhood vacation to the mountains, and a funny memory came to me. We were staying at a cool ski resort hotel with a beautiful river running right behind it. With my family being from Louisiana, we loved to fish. It didn’t take long to figure out our fishing skills from the Deep South didn’t work in the mountain streams. When we gave up on catching trout from the icy cold waters, we were all exhausted from the trip and turned in for the night. Well, except my older brother. I don’t believe he had ever seen a fire alarm and was curious to what it would do if you pulled the red thingy down.
Jarred from our deep sleep, we all jumped out of bed and ran for the stairway. Yep, he found out what the red thingy was. Oh yeah, country came to town.
I open my eyes one more time before falling asleep and notice a beautiful sunset. The last few rays are shining through the open barn door, and I see dust particles hanging in the air from the occasional movement of the horses.
As I close my eyes, sinking further down into the soft hay, my mind drifts off into a dream. I see myself sitting by a small camp fire laid back with my head resting against a leather saddle. Out of the shadows of darkness, a great lion appears. Someone with me says, “Fear not, be still and know that He is God.” The Lion has something in His mouth. As I turn to see who spoke to me, I’m suddenly at a different place, I can see millions of people all walking together, their path has a glow but they are surrounded by total darkness. The width of the line is six people across and the length is unending.
A bright light flashes and I’m now looking down from the sky at the barn. I hear a soft spoken voice, “Take these animals, they will lead you. ” I ask, “Where will they lead me, where will they lead me?” over and over. As I wake and slowly open my eyes saying “Where will they lead me?” for the last time, I see the nose of one of the horses no more than an inch from my face. I feel the warm breath coming from his huge nostrils and suddenly he snorts and blasts my face with horse spittle.
“Thanks a lot for the morning wake up and a big double thank you for the shower.” As I reach up and shove his head away, I notice I have a spider monkey still asleep wrapped halfway around my neck. As I stand up from my night’s sleep, I look around and see the other horse standing, holding a saddle blanket in his teeth. I chuckle, “So my hairy friend, what are you doing with that?” He walks over just like he knows what I had asked and places the blanket on the back of the other horse.
Well, if that doesn’t beat all! In all my years of owning horses I have never seen anything like that.
I suddenly remember my dream, “Take these animals they will lead you.”
I just wonder if God set this whole thing up from the beginning. The monkeys stealing my clothes and leading me here to an old barn, with two of the finest horses in Heaven… what are the odds of something like this happening? Considering I’m way out here in the middle of nowhere… and come to think of it, Allayer and Nipper told me someone would show me the way, so I guess this is God showing me the way. Wow, not to mention providing transportation .
I re-adjust the blanket the other horse had placed on the back of his friend, sliding it forward a few inches. I grab an ole timey saddle from the floor of the barn and start getting my stallion ready to ride.
I hear something at the door of the barn, when I turn; I see the other spider monkey dragging a burlap sack with something in it. The little guy drops it at my feet, with both horses whickering at the same time sounding just like my horses at home when they knew it was time to be fed. The one already saddled nudges me from behind as if to tell me, “Open the sack, dummy .”
As I reach down to grab the sack, I could smell the strong fragrance of fresh apples. Another nudge now coming from both horses, “Okay, okay, hold on to your hooves.” I reach in and pull out some of the largest apples I had ever laid my eyes on. After sharing the nice breakfast the little spider monkey had provided, I tie my wine pouch and the burlap sack with the remaining apples to the saddle horn.
I lead the saddled horse out of the barn over to a tree stump. With the height of these stallions, I need all the help I can get. As I climb up on the tree stump, I notice my new horse bows, almost touching his stomach to the ground. I laugh as I jump off the stump and easily hop in the saddle of this mighty horse of Heaven without even using the stirrup. After he feels me settle into a riding position, he stands and we are now headed for Heaven’s Gate.
* * *
With the other horse taking the lead, we pass underneath the shade of a great big cypress tree. Out of nowhere, the two spider monkeys drop down from the low hanging branches onto the back of the lead horse. They both turn and look at me as each one grabs a handful of mane. I smile, “I’m glad you guys decided to join us on our journey. ”
Both horses at the same time take off in a pretty fast gallop. I occasionally catch glimpses of the giant wall of Heaven as I look through the tall trees. The smooth gallop of my horse reminds me of riding my Tennessee Walker back home, as we dart in and out between scattered timbers. Through creek bottoms and foot hills we get closer with every stride.
Both horses slow down to a walk as we come around the side of a big ravine. The two spider monkeys bail off the lead horse, and then run over to the edge of the ravine cliff. My horse comes to a stop and does his bowing trick. I slide out of the saddle and walk over to the cliff to see what’s going on.
As I peep over the edge, I see three old men fly fishing in a beautiful stream. Something catches my attention coming out of the brush behind them. As I watch for a bit, I see a giant grizzly. I immediately start hollering at them to watch out! They all three at the same time turn around and wave at me. I shout at them again and point at the grizzly. Oh my God, they can’t hear me for the sounds of the water rushing over the rocks ! I stand helpless on the cliff watching as three guys are about to be eaten.
The bear walks right up behind them, stands up on his back feet; Oh no, this thing looks like he’s twenty feet tall, maybe even taller. I hear the two spider monkeys squealing, both jumping up and down.
One of the old men turns around, walks over to the bear and starts scratching his belly. I hear the bear letting out a huge roar, but it wasn’t a roar of attack, it was more of a happy playful roar. Then the old man reaches in his wicker trout basket, pulls out a couple trophy size trout and gave them to this friendly bear.
The old man turns walks back to his spot on the river bank, and with the precision of a ballet dancer he takes his fly rod swinging it back and forth slowly releasing more and more line. The motion of his rod is perfect with the fly line circling, gleaming in the rays of the morning sun, enticing the trout underneath the crystal clear mountain water, to strike as the fly touches down.
I hear my horse whickering to tell me it’s time to move on. After a few more hours in the saddle, we come to a split in the trail. The passage to our right is angled in the direction of the wall, or should I say the City of God.
The lead horse turns, heading down the narrow path to our left, with my steed continuing to follow. “Whoa, fellow, we need to go right!” I attempt to turn my horse in the direction of the city, “Come on now; get over there.” I pull back on the reins, he starts prancing with a little pitching then starts to buck, finally he snorts one time then settles back down and continues down the trail to the left. “What’s the matter with you, you crazy lug head?”
Both monkeys on the lead horse jump up and down chattering as if they’re laughing at me in a foreign monkey language.
I start to think, if God set this whole thing up, apparently they are bringing me somewhere special and I need to chill.
I reach down and rub the side of my horse’s neck, “Hey ole buddy, sorry for talking to you like I did. I understand you know where we’re headed.” And with a couple gentle pats on his neck we continue on.
Walking slowly through the narrow canyon I am now convinced God has more mysteries He wants me to see.
The clattering sounds coming from their hooves as they make contact against the loose rocks lying in our trail echo through the narrow canyon. The cliff walls on each side reach up for several hundred feet. As I admire all the different rock formations and colors, it reminds me of the old western movies.
My mind starts to drift off as the sound of the rocks clattering beneath the feet of the horses is almost hypnotizing. I have thoughts of the three fishermen. It would have been nice to have found a way down to the river so that I could have visited for a short spell. I could have asked about their huge friend the grizzly. The size of that thing was incredible.
I wonder if some of the animals here in Heaven are larger than what we had on Earth. Or maybe they were the same size and could have gone extinct before mankind could document their existence. Nevertheless, that bear was huge, and I can’t get over that old man walking up and scratching that big sucker on the belly.
I just wish Allayer and Nipper had been with us; I really miss those two Angels.
This well used path led us through the narrow canyon, up to a rock gorge overlooking a beautiful valley that you could see for miles in any direction. As my eyes came into focus after leaving the shaded narrow pass, I could see herds of animals strung out across the plush green valley. The distance wouldn’t allow me to make out what kind of animals they were.
As we turn to our right and start heading out of the canyon, the narrow trail has widened with a cliff wall only a couple feet to our right and to our left a bluff bank with a two hundred foot drop. The sure footed stallions go into a comfortable lope as we continued down the steep decline leading us to the valley.
As we gallop along, I can see layers of gold streaking across the cliff wall. I had the funny thought, “I wonder if this is where the gold was mined for the pavement in Heaven ?” I chuckle inside and look back across the valley.
The horses slow down to make their way through a herd of elk feeding at the foot of the mountain. They all look up as we pass within a few feet, and without any fear, they drop their heads back down and continue munching on the tender grass.
On our journey across this wide valley, I see Heaven’s wall more and more clearly as we continue to close the distance .
My amazement grows as we trot along; the different kinds of animals were so spectacular it would make a safari hunter go nuts. We were moving through giant herds of exotic animals that I have never seen before, even in books.
To my surprise, a large flock of lambs are grazing within a few feet of several Bengal tigers; neither is paying any attention to the other. Three tiger cubs just ran out from under one of the lambs, and then back under as to be playing inside the flock. I can remember Allayer and Nipper reminding me of the saying; The Lion shall lay down with the Lamb. Well, it’s not lions, but its sure close enough.
We travel another hand full of miles and the terrain changes from a flat plush valley to rolling green hills. Dandelions growing everywhere all nestled in tall bent grass. The smell of jasmine is in the air. Is that the dandelions giving off that fragrance? I actually don’t know what a dandelion smells like. I guess it could be.
* * *
Hill after hill we gallop along, and I start thinking of this gift of being here and seeing these great wonders, that I am so undeserving, a vagabond, unworthy to even be in Heaven. I suddenly feel the overwhelming need to praise and worship God. I look toward the great wall, letting go of the reins I lift my hands toward the City of Heaven. I feel the rush of the Holy Spirit slowly coming up through my feet, the warmth filling every cell of my body and finally leaving through the tips of my fingers.
Yes I’ve felt this before, back on Earth several years ago. Was God allowing me way back then to have a taste of true worship like they have here in Heaven? It has to be. So I guess this will happen each time we worship? How cool is that!
Both horses slow down as we break over a hill; my mouth flies open without making a sound. Behold the great woolly mammoth; there must be a hundred, all feeding on dandelions. I can’t believe my eyes; I’m actually looking at woolly mammoths.
My horse comes to a complete stop, and then bows for me to dismount. I grab the two sacks off the saddle horn, reach in and get both horses the last of the apples. I grab my wine pouch, lean my head back and squeeze a mouth full of wine, suddenly I feel both spider monkeys tapping me on the leg and reaching up. “What do you guys want? Surely not the wine?” They both start jumping up and down. I lean back for another swallow and they both start screeching. I laugh as I hand the pouch over to my impatient friends. As I turn and head in the direction of the giant mammoths, I point and shake my finger at both monkeys, “Not too much fellows and when y’all finish put the pouch back on the saddle horn.”
As I walk toward this great herd of mammoths, I’m wishing I had some of my close friends back home with me to share this awesome experience. I bet my ole buddy Matt would believe in God if he could see what I’m seeing.
I slowly walk up to what looks like the bull of the herd. He’s quite a bit larger than all the others. His tusks must be thirty feet in length. What a sight, the sun reflecting off of his beautiful white ivory tusk.
As I approach from his left side, I look into his big dark brown eyes, now staring back at me. I hold my hand out as a friendly gesture; I slowly walk closer, talking to him in a low soft tone. “It’s okay buddy. I just want to make friends.”
Of all things, at this very moment I suddenly remember a cartoon I saw as a kid. A little mouse runs out and scares the giant elephant causing a stampede. “Dear God, please don’t let a mouse around us right now, I’d hate to get run over by a herd of woolly mammoths.”
The great bull continues to munch on the dandelions and acts like he isn’t bothered by my presence. I reach up and touch the long hair of his jawbone, while slowly forcing my hand through the thick fur. As I feel the bone structure of his jaw I notice the vibration as he grinds his teeth while chewing his cud. After mowing down all the dandelions that he could reach with his long trunk he takes a couple steps forward. My hand slides away from his jaw as he moves; now I’m standing beside him. With his height I easily walk underneath his belly barely being able to reach his stomach standing on my tip toes.
Curiosity from the rest of the herd brings them all over to where I am admiring this giant. Now I’m surrounded, and if I were back on Earth, this would be one heck of a scary event.
Without any warning I felt something between my legs as a giant trunk scooped me off the ground. It was the bull- He picked me up, swung me around and before I knew it I was sitting on his back. I caught my breath and grabbed a hand full of hair making sure I wasn’t going to fall off this two and a half story building.
I looked back at the horses, then back at the other mammoths and everything looked so peaceful as though this was all planned.
As I get over the shock of the giant trunk elevator, I crawl around on his back as he continues to graze.
Sitting on this giant reminds me of my horse back home, Ellie Mae. Sometimes a white crane would come and sit on her back while she grazed. The egret would wait on horseflies or other insects that would come flying around. I hope this bull mammoth didn’t sit me up here to swat flies. I actually haven’t seen any insects the whole time I’ve been in Heaven.
I feel the mammoth take a few more steps as he moves up for fresh dandelions. I don’t know why but I lay down across his wide back with the right side of my face pressing down in the soft fur. As I lay still for a few seconds, I hear his heart slowly beating. It sounds like the slow rhythm of a distant bass drum. With the mesmerizing, boom… boom… boom; like a soothing trance, I fall into a deep sleep and begin to dream.
A great lion walks out of the darkness, his eyes glistening from the reflection of a smoldering fire. I feel a hand on my shoulder, someone whispers, “Fear not Little Soul; fear not.” The lion has two scrolls in his mouth as he walks closer and closer. “Who are you lion? Why do they call me Little Soul?” I’m suddenly alone and afraid, I hear the sounds of wings getting closer and closer. I try running as fast as I can, my legs are bogging down in black tar, I’m at the edge of darkness, I’m falling, I’m falling.
I suddenly open my eyes, Oh no ! I reach to grab fur as I roll off this two story mammoth, bracing for impact. I splash down in belly deep water. As I stand up embarrassed, I reach up and pat the big bull mammoth on his front leg, “Thank you big guy for standing in water. Thank you.”
Totally disorientated, I look around to get my bearings. Apparently, I must have slept for a while because the terrain looks different.
Wow, that was one crazy dream, it seemed familiar, a lot like the one I had last night back at the barn. God let me know in my dream that it was okay to take the horses, I wonder if there is something significant about the scrolls? Oh yeah, horses; where are the horses?
Okay, let me get my bearings, I see the wall, but no horses in sight, and where are those two little spider monkeys?
I pat the mammoth on his back leg as a gesture of thanks and friendship while wading out of the stream. Standing on the dry shore, I turn just in time to see the giant mammoth stick his huge trunk into the surface of this crystal clear creek and take in gallons and gallons of water. Reaching over his back and with the sound of a gushing waterfall he releases his payload, drenching his entire body. I can’t help but laugh, “Hey ole friend, thanks for letting me get out of the way. ”
Now, where did my horses get off to? I hope they didn’t head back to the barn.
I walk up the gentle slope leading out of the creek bottom, still no horses in sight. Well, I guess I can whistle like I use to for my horses back home. Taking in a deep breath I let out a long Louisiana whistle, wait for a few seconds, nothing. I walk a bit further up the hill, and let out another. I listen with my ear turned in the direction that I think they may be in, and suddenly I hear the familiar sounds of hooves pounding the ground, heading in my direction.
Now that’s an awesome sight. As I witness one of the two horses breach the top of the hill in an all-out run heading right for me, not slowing down, I throw both arms in the air. “Whoa buddy! Whoa!” He tucks and locks both back legs underneath his long body, sliding up to me and stopping within inches of where I am standing.
“You lug head! You spooked me, and I was about ready to run for the creek. Where’d you leave your buddies?”
He quickly spins around and does his bowing trick allowing me to easily mount, and then we’re off.
I can see the other horse grazing under a big pin oak tree, but no monkeys in sight. As we join back up with the other stallion I look around, still no sign of our little buddies. “Okay guys, I need to be going, maybe they’ll catch up to us later. Let’s go.” I try to turn my horse in the direction of the wall and he won’t move. “Okay, it’s going to be like this.” I lean my head back, look up as if to ask God for some help with my stubborn horse. As I look up, what do you know; I spot two monkeys asleep about twenty feet up, both sprawled out on a limb with my wine pouch hanging on a branch between the two. I start shouting, “Hey you guys wake up! Come on, we need to go!” Nothing, neither of the two move, they are completely out. Suddenly I remember how anxious they were for a drink of wine. “Are you kidding me? Are you guys drunk? That’s all I need, a couple of stone drunk spider monkeys on my hands!”
My horse takes a few steps and stops directly beneath the lowest hanging tree branch. After an easy climb I retrieve both monkeys. I take their limp bodies and drop them in the empty apple sack. Before I tie it off to the saddle horn I peep in the burlap sack to make sure they’re okay. They’re both curled up and still sleeping soundly with what looks like smiles on their faces.
Both horses wheel around and get into a good smooth gait heading for the Great Wall.
* * *
As we put the dandelion meadows behind us, I can now see a road in the near distance. The entire thruway seems to have huge live oak and sycamore trees growing down both sides of the road. The horses slow to a trot for the last quarter mile. Both horses are now high stepping in a sort of prance on our last quarter mile before intersecting with the shaded road.
I feel movement on my left leg coming from the burlap apple sack. As I look down both spider monkeys poke their heads out. “Well hello little fellows, how are my hairy hung over friends feeling today?” They both give off a screech, and then climb out of the bag. One swings himself around to the back of the saddle, the other hangs onto the saddle horn with one hand, while rubbing his eyes with the other. “Well now, that will teach you not to drink too much wine.”
To my surprise he reaches down and tries to untie the wine pouch. “You little rascal, no more wine for you. It says in the Bible to beware of strong drink. Nope, you’re going to get me in trouble.”
In an attempt to take the wine pouch away from my persistent hairy friend, I notice the lamb skin is bulging like it’s full. How could this be? Samson, Nipper, Allayer, both monkeys and I have been drinking from this pouch, so how can it still be full? The story of Moses comes to mind. They walked in the wilderness for forty years and their sandals never wore out. God provided food, water and everything else they needed. Well I guess I’ve just witnessed a miracle. Come to mention it, I’ve been munching on the sweetest fruit that I have ever tasted. This all has to be the hand of God.
The sounds of my horse’s hooves change as we step on the gold pavement. The beauty of the golden road leading under the mighty oaks is unbelievable. The limbs of the oaks and sycamores stretch out, almost touching the ground on all sides. Now with both horses walking side by side, the two monkeys jump over to the other horse. “Hey guys y’all feeling better?” They both stare ahead, as if to tell me in their own way; ‘look!’
Through the shaded tunnel of trees, I can see a large group of people walking down this highway of gold. I feel excitement start to swell up inside me as I see what looks like a portal. Every few seconds someone walks out and they fall in behind the rest continuing toward the base of the mountain.
Before we reach the group of people, both horses stop. The one I’m riding bows down to let me know to dismount. As I slide out of the saddle continuing to stare at the portal, my horse nudges me from behind. I turn, reach back and rub both horses behind their ears, “Well I guess this is where we say good bye, right?” One of the monkeys jumped over to my horse untied the wine pouch then tossed it on the ground. “Well I guess it is good bye. Thanks for showing me the way and providing me with such a smooth ride fellows.” Both horses swing around and the click clock of their hooves on the golden road fades as they trot away.
I grab Samson’s wine pouch off the ground, tie it to my side and start heading further on up the road .
As I walk past the portal, I can see the faces of the new arrivals. I remember what Allayer and Nipper told me about the folks just getting to Heaven with so many questions, and then their minds are opened and they have their answers. Yes, they were right, I can see their expressions changing from a dumfounded look to a nice smile as they realize all is well and they are now in God’s hands. I remember Allayer also saying our minds would continue to expand with knowledge after a short time being in Heaven. I wonder if he meant after we’re on the planet or inside the city of Heaven, Oh well it doesn’t matter. I’m just glad to be here.
I continue to follow the scattered group of people slowly making their way up the golden road.
Coming up on the base of the mountain, the trees that were paralleling the road split off as to be growing around the base of the whole mountain. As far as the eye could see, in either direction the line of trees continued.
At the foot of the mountain, the golden road changed into a golden stairway. The stairway seemed to go for miles, right up through the low hanging clouds.
What I was witnessing reminds me of Moses in the Holy Scripture, Exodus 24:15-18,
“Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.
Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.
So Moses went up into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain.”
It makes me wonder if the way I feel right now is how Moses must have felt a few thousand years ago. With each step, we are getting closer and closer to the dwelling place of the Almighty God!
As I look back at the portal, the people coming through now look like ants as we are almost at cloud level.
I can hear a few people having conversation as we move along. I chuckle inside as it seems they are asking some of the same questions that I pounded Allayer and Nipper with.
As I think back over my journey I know God is so good. He gave me Allayer and Nipper for the first part, then the two little spider monkeys. Then the two wonderful stallions; Yes God is good.
Just before we get into the clouds, I step aside as to allow everyone behind me to easily walk by. I have the sudden urge to look back over the distant landscape, and the beauty can’t be put into words. I had been at several mountain overlooks where tourists would stop and look in awe at God’s creation. It was no doubt something to see back on Earth, but this was much more. It looks like a thousand rivers and lakes scattered through colorful rolling hills with the rivers all intersecting. Tops of distant snowcapped mountains line up on each side of the golden highway. The light reflecting off the golden road gives the appearance of glass. I see thousands of large birds flying near the wall. The wall glitters as to have different kinds of stone; could that be jasper?
Yes, I remember somewhere in Revelation, I believe around chapter 21. John the Revelator wrote, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.”
I count twelve layered foundations at the bottom of the wall, at the top of each foundation it looks like several hundred feet to each edge. Each foundation glitters with all sorts of precious stones. The first is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. John the Revelator saw this very thing in his vision. He also said, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
As I continue trying to soak in the beauty of my surroundings and focus on the giant wall, I hear the sound of wings. This really sounded familiar. As I turn to look, oh my goodness! Those aren’t large birds, they are Angels! Thousands of Angels; I wonder what they’re doing? Maybe this is just a normal day around the kingdom.
I turn and make my way back in the slow moving line, continuing to hear the chatter and excitement in the voices of God’s redeemed.
The clouds feel refreshing to my face and as I breathe in I catch the same fragrance of jasmine that I did back near the dandelion fields. How can this get any better? Blessing after blessing!
I see old and young in line and I’m wondering how the old people are making this hike. We have to be at least two or three miles up this stairway. I feel great. As a matter of fact I haven’t been tired the whole time I’ve been here. But I felt the need to sleep the last two nights. I wish Allayer and Nipper was here, I could ask them.
I step aside again and let a few people by until I spot an elderly gentleman. “Excuse me sir, do you mind if I join you?”
He looks up and with a big smile, “Sure young fellow, I would love the company.”
“Thanks, ole buddy.” I reach out to shake his hand and join in the walk. “So what’s your name and where do you come from, ole timer?”
He laughs, “I might look like an ole timer but I feel like I’m twenty-one again.”
“I know what you mean. Isn’t it great? ”
“Yes indeed, I’ve been lying in bed helpless for the last fifteen years. My poor lovely wife has waited on me hand and foot every minute of it.”
“My goodness, bless yawls’ hearts. I know that had to be tough on both you and your wife.”
“Yes it was. We both prayed every day that God would just bring me home and He did! Glory! I made it to be ninety-six and we spent all those years in Douglas, Arizona. Everyone around Douglas called me Ole Chet. My real name is Sheppard.”
He stuck his hand back out for a second greeting. I chuckled as I shook his hand, “Pleased to meet you Ole Chet, my name is Chado Cole.” We both start laughing.
“I know I know… my nick name sounds a lot like O Shet. Well I got stuck with that name by my best friend, you see he was tongue-tied and every time he would talk to anyone else about me, he would say, ‘You know O Shet.’ Do you get the picture?”
“Sure I do, I can see how someone would have a bit of fun with that. Don’t feel bad, I got the nickname Codzs when I got hit you know where with a baseball when I was playing short stop during a tournament, and the name stuck. I hated it at first, but it didn’t bother me after a few years. So Mr. Chet, is your tongue-tied friend still back at home?”
“No sir, he passed last year; he was ninety-seven and I’ll be looking for him the first chance I get after we pass through the gate.”
“I understand. I’ve got a few friends I can’t wait to see also. Okay ole buddy, maybe we’ll cross paths again.” The ole man tips his head as I step back out of line.
I look back down the stairway and I see people scattered for miles. This visual makes you stop and think, if the lost back on Earth could only catch a glimpse of what I’m seeing, they would humble themselves and cry out for God. Come to think of it, if they could see into the Realm and know the darkness that surrounds them with the demons and power of the fallen angels that patiently wait on their passing, they would run to Christ!
I lift my voice to God, “Please surround my family with your love, Lord, that none will perish, Amen.”
I slip back in line and continue my ascent up the golden stairway. Every so often I catch a glimpse of Heaven’s Gate through the scattered clouds. I step to the left then as far to the right trying to see around the slow moving line of saints. The swirling clouds hovering over this mountain seem to be getting denser as we move along.
I can see what looks like the end of our line up ahead, but I don’t think it’s the end at all. It’s just they are disappearing as they walk through the mass of clouds. This is so cool; we have to be near the gate, my stomach feels like a thousand butterflies are floating around. I wonder if everyone is feeling the same heart-pounding excitement as I am.
As I get to the thick grayish white clouds where the people seem to be disappearing, it reminds me of a foggy Louisiana morning.
When I begin to walk through the heavy vapor, goose bumps flood over my entire body. I have an overwhelming need to shout with joy and happiness. Almost embarrassed inside, I look over at a lady to my right and ask her, “Excuse me Miss, but I have to ask, how are you feeling, right now?”
She looks at me with a growing smile and suddenly starts shouting and jumping up and down hollering to the top of her lungs, “Glory is to God, and His Kingdom, hallelujah, hallelujah!” And before I know it, all the people in the mist of the cloud are shouting and praising God, including me. I am so glad to know I’m not the only one experiencing this strange feeling when we entered the mist of the cloud.
As we walked through this mist I noticed our clothing had instantly changed into a brilliant white cloth. The lady standing beside me was feeling of her sleeve, she rubbed the cloth with her thumb and index finger, and then held it up to smell. She looked over at me, “It’s pure white cotton and has my favorite smell of roses.” I immediately lifted my sleeve and pressed it against my face and I could smell jasmine, Could this be my favorite smell? I never knew I had a favorite smell, but as I think of it, I believe it is.
I burst out laughing, “God has thought of everything to give his children the desires of their hearts.” As I think back over my journey I remember catching the fragrance of jasmine several times. The blessings of God are unending.
After the excited group of saints settled back down from the infilling of the Holy Spirit and our new clothes, I notice a change in the mist. It was thinning, I could see further and further ahead.