All the Colors of Heaven

                                      
                                        All the Colors of Heaven  
                Rainbow over the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast of Georgia
                                      Photo Taken by Marilyn Lynn 2010
                                                            Used With Permission

                                    
Numbers 6:24-26 NIV
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."

I worked several jobs as a young adult, but had forgotten one of them until a chance conversation at school today. 

The cafeteria staff had prepared a holiday lunch, which included turkey, dressing, mashed and sweet potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls and red velvet cake.  My friend on the staff asked me how I enjoyed lunch.

I bragged about how good it was considering the quality of food they had to work with. She rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement. She added, "We try our best. We just want to make you all feel like you had at least one good meal here this year."  I told her I understood what she meant because I had worked in a cafeteria, too.

I stopped and checked my memory. The Forum Cafeteria at Tri-County Mall in Springdale, Ohio, is such an ancient memory. I barely remember it.

However, one of the African-American girls who worked there left a lasting impression on me. She was barely older than me but looked younger.  She may have been mentally handicapped, or she may have just been undereducated.

She liked me, and I liked her. We talked all the time, and we always filled ketchup bottles together at the end of the lunch rush.

One day she caught me off guard with a question.

Laura--They ain't no color in Heaven, is they?

I stopped pouring ketchup and looked at her. She stared intently at me.

At first, I was too dense to understand her. Once I put aside my whiteness, I realized she wasn't talking about pearly gates and streets of gold. She meant racism. There wouldn’t be discrimination in Heaven.

In Heaven, we'll all be the same color, won't we?

She was enraptured. Her face looked Heavenward, eyes closed savoring a sweet dream, her broad smile revealed white teeth as she visualized a safe fortress of absolute equality.

I answered we'd all be the same in Heaven. She opened her moist eyes and hugged me.

I knew it!

I walked to another table to work on ketchup bottles. My tears kept me from properly filling bottles for the rest of my shift.

This was the day I started my list of questions for God.
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Dear Lord, let there be peace on Earth among the races.