This written in frustration. I need to vent somewhere. Having lived in the mid-west for some 43 years and having become a born again Christian 37 years ago, I am accustomed to having people talk about being 'born again', 'saved', 'asking Jesus into their hearts', 'receiving Christ' - all the wonderful jargon that Christians use. I'm also used to hearing people talk about loved ones when they die - whether they have 'gone home to be with the Lord' - whether they never accepted Christ, etc.

The frustraton comes because my relatives in New York never talk about these things. It's as though everyone goes to heaven when he or she dies. It doesn't matter if that person shunned church all his life, used the Lord's name in vain constantly - still when he dies, he's in heaven.

Please!

Now with my niece recently dead, no mention is made of her alcoholism, her life spent fighting demons -

I wish I knew that she is in heaven. It would give me peace. Did I ever witness to her? Yes, but never got any response. I'm not trying to say that because she was an alcoholic she couldn't be in heaven. I believe she could be. It's just that we have no assurance.

Next week when we go to her memorial service is going to be very hard. I wonder if the pastor who is doing the service will even mention Jesus' name. I'll let you know next week.