Star Wars Prom = Heaven?

When I have the chance to launch into a discussion about ConnectAbility and my passion for giving people with disabilities lives that are enviable, people have always asked me if I have someone in my family with a disability. The answer used to be no. But what I should have said was “not yet”!

Folks are curious about why I would be compelled to work with people with disabilities and their families and assume that I must have a sibling with a disability or something. Because why else would I be inspired? My inspiration comes from several people outside my family: Macy, Jerry, Christopher and many others. I will introduce you to them later. Ultimately, I believe my life’s calling is to work with people affected by disabilities and their families. Just like a car is designed to be driven, I believe that I am designed by God to carry out that mission – and it is my passion!

So, let me explain why my answer to the question about a family member has changed. I am now blessed to be a [fun] aunt to 10 nieces and nephews! Three of those kids are diagnosed with a disability of some sort. Both of my younger sisters have youngest kids adopted internationally and both have a disability. My baby sister Ellen’s oldest son has physical disabilities.

My sisters and I have a great relationship and now that we are all “grown up”, we are seldom in the same place at the same time. But, we were all under the same roof on April 23 at the ConnectAbility Star Wars Prom. And it was awesome! I met my newest nephew Titus (3 years old & adopted from South Korea) for the first time under the disco ball & dance lights. Seems like a strange way to be introduced to a new family member, but it was perfect! Chuck, our DJ, played Gangnam Style and Titus’s face lit up at the familiar K-pop tune! Before you know it, he was joined by some Storm Troopers!

Well, what does all this have to do with Heaven? My sister explains it best on her blog – (read the full post here) – but here’s a quote:

And there I was, surrounded by my family (super rare occurrence!), watching my kids and their cousins dancing the night away with so many special friends.  Friends with Down Syndrome, friends with CP, friends in wheelchairs, friends with hearing aids and iPads to communicate with, friends with autism, “typical” friends, all together.  I stood back watching and got so choked up, and I couldn’t help but think this was truly a little slice of Heaven.

I had to laugh thinking of it…heaven, a place with blaring hip hop beats, a fog machine, dj, Storm Troopers, and stage lights?!   Well, no, maybe not, but yes! Heaven, a place where everyone belongs, everyone is free, everyone is celebrating, and the joy is palpable. And I thought, isn’t that a funny thought?  The kingdom of God, what will it look like when it comes to fruition?!  I think we all have our ideas- be they theologically founded or not- but I’m not sure we have any idea what it will really be like.  What if those at the ConnectAbility Prom- those special friends with pure joy, abandon, and freedom!- look more like heaven than we ever thought?!

Depending on what your beliefs are or what you place your faith in, you may have a different viewpoint on heaven or afterlife or whatever. But I believe that a part of heaven will be a place of perfection – no pain, no tears, no struggles. A place where the weights than tie us down and hold us back on earth will fade away in the glorious presence of God. It will be a place where disabilities (we all have them!) will disappear. Somehow, for a couple hours on a Saturday night in April, we got a small taste of that. One of our guests said the part he loved most about the Prom event was the fact that there were no disabilities. And if we can “make disabilities disappear” for an evening, just imagine the far greater promise of the real Heaven where all challenges disappear. Forever.

Will it be a dance party? I have no clue.
But it is a good reason to work on your dance moves on this side of heaven.

Star Wars Prom