Minnie Goes to Heaven (36)

(a novel continued)

For the rest of the day the people and angels visited with each other, exchanging thoughts and life stories.  Every so often someone would burst out with praises to the Lord and everyone would spontaneously begin singing and dancing again. The feasting on heavenly bread and wine continued into the evening. 
Then the angels flew up into the heaven above the throne and the people laid down in the meadow to sleep, although there was absolutely no darkness. Everything shone brighter than the brightest day on earth. 
Minnie simply closed her eyes and fell into a very deep sleep. She dreamt of men and angels and of her Lord and Saviour.

When she woke, it was Sunday. The praising and dancing and eating and drinking continued throughout that day as well. It seemed such a short time later that Hershal tapped her on the shoulder. “Time to go.” He lowered his back and once more she climbed aboard. They flew up into the heaven up over the throne, singing praises to God Almighty.

At the cottage somewhat later, Minnie sighed. “Can we do that again?”

“Of course,” Hershal said. “It’s why we are here.”

Minnie reverently hung her star-white gown in the closet. She put on her silk pajamas and slept.

All the next week Minnie went out to her lake first thing in the morning. She watched as the stars disappeared from under the bowl and prayed as the voice of the Lord—that voice she heard in her thoughts— directed. She prayed for her husband, for her children and for her town. She prayed for salvation and she prayed for righteousness. She prayed, “Our Father, here in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as here in heaven. Lead the people on earth not into temptation, but deliver them from evil. For God, yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.”

As she prayed the rain came down, and the lake filled up. Each day a little fuller, until on the fifth day the lake began to tip.