Have you ever received a message from a departed loved one? Some sign–an inside joke or shared memory–that came to you just when you needed it most?
That’s exactly what happened to our guest blogger James Hearn. He’d always looked up to his father-in-law, Harry. In many ways, he was more than a father-in-law. He was a friend, a mentor, a constant source of encouragement. And James wanted nothing more than to make him proud.
After Harry passed away in 2008, James couldn’t help but wonder from time to time: What would Harry say if he could see him now? Would he be proud?
Well, recently, James got a surprising answer. One that could have only come from up above…
Some guys cast a line, shoot hoops or run a mile to unwind. Not me. I prefer to rev up my chainsaw and clear brush from our land, all 11 acres of it, in Blanco, Texas. Sometimes I work all day, carving out trails and piling up branches. No one’s around but me to hear the birds in the trees. Find a fawn hidden by her mother in a thicket. Maybe glimpse a striped lizard dart across my foot.
One morning this past spring, I set out on my land, the sunlight illuminating the grassy slopes. Out of nowhere, my father-in-law, Harry, popped into my head. “I wish you could see how beautiful this place is,” I said out loud.
I’d only known my father-in-law two years before he died, but we’d grown close in that short time. He was the dad I never had. Growing up, my own father had never praised me. But Harry? He was always lifting me up, complimenting my work on our backyard gardens or some new landscaping theme I’d come up with. He took such an interest in my hobbies, and I lived for his praise.
We thought alike too…except for down time, that is. To relax, he preferred to play golf with his buddies and hit a bucket of balls across his property. Whenever I’d visit, there’d usually be a pile by the garage, ready for his next round.
“Bet you’re chipping a few right now, Harry. I wish you were here with me.”
I picked up my chainsaw and walked up a rocky slope, feeling myself pulled in that direction for whatever reason. Halfway up, though, I had to stop. Something caught my eye from a few feet away. Something nearly hidden by the cluster of oak trees. With my gloved hands, I spread the thicket apart for a better look and reached for the object. In my hand, I held a gleaming white golf ball!
I looked around, bewildered. The nearest golf course was more than 20 miles away. And I’d never spotted a golf ball in the years we’d owned the land. “Harry?” I wondered aloud.
It didn’t make any sense. And yet, somewhere out there, I knew Harry was telling me he was proud of me and all the work I’d put into my land. A message I heard loud and clear, thanks to a golf ball hit straight from heaven.
What about you? What signs have you received from up above? Share your story below!
