One year ago today the beautiful companion of all my dreams, my bride my queen, of fifty-three years, the gracious mother and grand mother of our children and grand children stepped across the heavenly threshold.

My sweet Dianne gave up her earthly form for her promised heavenly form. She let go of my hand while simultaneously, with her other hand, she took the hand of the one she so loved and served – the Lord Jesus.

I brought her to an altar just as her dad had brought her in 1971. Her dad gave his daughter into my safe earthly keeping. He had faith in me to love, honor and cherish her. With much joy, hope and anticipation he gave her away to me. She left their earthly home in exchange for another. In the years to come I would come to other altars and know the same experience with my children.

Altars are places where religious rites are performed, commitments and vows are made, where sacrifices are laid down before the Holy.

One year ago, on July 4, 2024, I would bring the one given to me at an altar to another altar. It was not an altar made with human hands or forethought. It was an altar of another kind, one made of the things of heaven. Things, that if I saw, I could not describe.

It was here, at 8:30 pm, that night a year ago, that I brought my precious life partner. I, like her dad placed her hand in mine those years ago, placed her hand in the hand of her Lord. I gave this gracious gift given by God back to him. I did so with anticipation of her good keeping in his hands. My hope is in the joy she is experiencing now and soon enough, I will too. She exchanged her earthly home for another. A heavenly home.