Friday Countdown...updated at 10:26 pm

Hello everyone. Annette and I are on our way to Indy today. My father is not doing well and doctors are giving him just days to live now. If you would, please remember my mother and our family in your prayers. The KP family is a praying church and I know you will be lifting us up all the way. I love and appreciate you!

Update on Dad, 10:26 PM

Dad is resting now. He has had a lot of stimulating today...most of the family was up here throughout the day. He pretty much went to asleep around 4:30 pm and has been sleeping pretty sound. He cannot swallow at this point. So we can't give him anything to drink or eat. However, the doctor says the Parkinson disease is keeping him from realizing that he is hungry and thirsty.

Tonight, I read a little from Don Piper's new book, "Heaven is Real." He is the man that wrote "Ninety Minutes in Heaven" a few years ago that is still selling off the shelves. I read tonight where Rev. Piper said death is like a bridge between earth and heaven. He said for him the second he died he was instantly in heaven...no transition, no long tunnel, etc.

Last night as I was praying late the Lord gave me a vision of dad entering into heaven. I saw lots of familiar faces coming up and hugging him and patting him on the back. I first saw his dad and mom, Arlice and Amy Ballard. Both of which received Christ toward the end of their earthy lives. Then I saw dad's three sisters hugging him: Midge, Doris, and Helen. They were really, really glad to see him. Midge had only been there herself a few weeks and she seemed the most joyous of all of the three sisters to see dad. Then, I saw his oldest brother, Gene, who lived in Oregon, who dad never got to see very much after he left home. And then, there was Elmo Robinson, dad's best friend. Elmo died in the late sixties when he was fairly young. Him and dad were really close. We went to their house seemly every Sunday night after church. Elmo left a wife, Daisy, and four children. Dad I think kind of tried to take Elmo's place as Diane, Gary, Mary, and Sheila grew up.

In my vision the people just kept coming: Sister Silcox, Sister Wright, Pastor Jack Gambill, Pastor Rick Philpott, and many, many others. There was my grandpa and grandma on my mother's side who were waiting anxiously in line to greet and hug dad. There were many people that I didn't think he knew but they knew him. As my vision of dad in heaven ended, he seemed overwhelmed and caught up in what seemed to be a personal homecoming just for him. He had crossed the bridge and what was waiting on the other side was only the beginning. Wow!

I know I will miss him when he crosses over sometime soon. He has been a great dad and I would rather God heal him and keep him here. However, what awaits him is so much better than anything he could experience here. Someone once said, "When were born, we cry and the world rejoices. When we die, we rejoice and the world cries." Well, I would rather cry now knowing that my dad is rejoicing in heaven for eternity!

-Pastor Randy Ballard