Child like faith

Do you ever wish you had a child like faith? You belive in... Santa, the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, you believe in leperchans and fairies. Of course you believe Ronald Mcdonald, Rudolph the red nose reindeer and the fairy godmother are real, why wouldn't they be. (some people would add Mickey Mouse to this list... but I don't know what they are talking about, he is real. I've seem his house, his garden, his car, and his big tent fair grounds where he is Mayor, come on people!) As children we believe... We believe because ... Why wouldn't we? We haven't seen or understood anything to make us doubt. No we believe whole heartly that Santa knows us and therefore we are good for presents that the monster in the closet lives, so we call our parents in to save the day. We believe with everything that we have that our teeth are taken away by a lady who loves to give money away. (where is she now? I think I have a few teeth i could live without, especially for how much she pays now a days!!) We believe ... We believe... We Believe.

What about Christ? What about the Holy Father? I think we've all heard the statement "child like faith". That faith, that believeing because there is no reason to doubt. God is God. God is the Heavenly Father that sent his only son here, to this sinful place to save us sinners. Kids get it. Sin is easy for them to understand, as simple as right and wrong. I love talking to kids about God because they get it. They believe and have faith whole heartly before we make things complicated. Before we let the world take us over. Before we doubt and debate and wonder and worry. Before all that... We believe. I wish I still had a child like faith.

My uncle Johnny has a child like faith. He loves Jesus, he has a relationship with God. So pure and innocent. He wants everyone to know his Joy and his Light.
My uncle Johnny has Down Syndrome. I don't think I ever really recognized or acknowledged this until I was 14 or 15?I mean sure I knew... But it wasn't how I thought about him. He was always Uncle Johnny. He always had a smile on and he always had the joy of life shining out
of him.
My Uncle passed away yesterday. It's hard when something isn't a complete shock and yet still takes you completely off guard. It's kind of
like when they are going to take your blood or put in an iv, they tell you it will pinch or sting or whatever. But then they do it and it still
surprises you.
I should clarify he was my great uncle, but he was born 9 months before my aunt and 2 and a half years before my dad. He was 47 when
he passed away. What a remarkable man. He lived far longer than anyone ever expected when he was born. What a remarkable man. My
grandma just called on her way to Arkansas for his funeral and told me within the last months of his life he lead one of his 9 year old great
nephews to Christ. The little boy "wanted what uncle Johnny has". Man what a testimony. What a testimony to his life, to parents that raised
him with strong beliefs in God and himself, that he could to anything. What a strong testimony to God and his plans for our lives. He uses EVERYONE for greatness. Anyone can plant the seed. Anyone.

I have a such peace about his passing. Just to know his Soul is in heaven with God, Jesus, my grandpa, his parents, and so many more
people, Souls. To think he is there, his perfect soul not held back by his broken earthly body. Instead he is in his perfect heavenly form. His
perfect spirit, his soul, finally able to communicate in a way he was never able to here on this earth. I think of the joy on his face as he sits
with God saying... I tried to tell them Father, you are the easiest thing to believe in, to have faith in. You are REAl. You are Truth and life.
To see his parents and my grandpa and communicate the things he could communicate to them that he couldn't ever before.
What joy, what excitement, what a party heaven must have had at his arrival. I can imagine God said, well done son, well done. You filled so
many purposes on Earth and you brought people closer to me. Thank you son.

Well done Uncle Johnny. Well done. I hope to have the faith you have. I hope to not let my broken humanly body hold me back, just as you
continued on through your difficulties. I hope the light and joy of Jesus shines through me as you let it flow through you. Well done Uncle
Johnny. Well done. Now go rest, and taken in the splendor of Heaven. Thank you for being you, and living life to it's fullest.

We are all better for having known you.