A Voice From Heaven - Softcover

Reynolds, Sheldon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1438967721 ISBN 13: 9781438967721

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2012

Synopsis

When asked if he believed that God allows the departed to assist or intervene or divinely deliver to us from beyond this realm, Maurice smiled and said: AS real as the air we cannot see so can GOD deliver in any form, even as the most familiar sound.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

A Voice From Heaven

By Sheldon Reynolds

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Sheldon Reynolds
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-6772-1

Chapter One

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN ONE GOD, ONE MOM, ONE SON'S FAREWELL

I have spent the last several days wondering what I would say at this moment. So many emotions so much pain and yet what a joyous tenth of November for the lady we celebrate today. I had so many thoughts that I decided to write down most of what was in my heart and share it with you, so please bare with me now.

We know that between all moms and children there are those precious days that make the heart sing and then there are those days they wanna shout Jesus name in vain. And I guess I could stand here for days telling you all about all the memories and experiences my mom and I shared. There are so many moments that I received unconditional mother love and so many that I felt proud to give to her. From taking her to London, England during my first ewf concert there to getting her a secret tour of the white house to having her present in beautiful Tahiti when I married. Mom and I even co-wrote songs together including one that was the title to a cd called In the Name of Love. But really there are so many experiences that I feel it inspires a greater focus today than recounting all of one son's wonderful memories. Today the focus is on One God greeting One Mom,

When you are away from all the city lights and you look up and behold all the stars you can see above, realize this. We are seeing the light of two hundred billion stars. But, that is only the light of our own galaxy called the Milky Way. Do you know there are known to be hundreds of millions of galaxies housing billions of stars each throughout the known universe ... so it must be true that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on earth.

And so On that cloudy November 10, at noon One God suddenly changed the view for one mom. She had seen so much pain and struggle in her life that the warrior was tired. She was happy that her son's life was all she hoped for and he had made her proud with his career. So God said it is time. I am, is bringing you home.

Now I would like all of you to close your eyes and imagine this 10th day of November. Suddenly after one last struggle you realize you feel no pain. Suddenly after all you have been through you feel such a sense of peace yet you cannot express the feeling in words we on earth could understand. Suddenly all the questions you have had all your earthly life, are instantly answered. And they are answered with a clarity that surpasses mankind ability to reason. Suddenly not only do you see this galaxy we are in you now see all that there is. You realize and say to yourself, "truly I Am spirit".

In a flash your earthly concerns become irrelevant. What was a typical November cloudy day in Seattle has suddenly been replaced by a surrounding of endless perfection and the sweet sound of true peace fills every part of your spirit like the most wonderful embrace. Quicker than the blink of an eye you are so far from anything unpleasant or hurtful you find yourself in absolute awe. Then you hear the sound of uncountable numbers of folks singing so you join in and begin to sing a song you've never even heard as if you have always known it.

Then suddenly you behold that amazing glow. The glow shines brighter than all the stars of the universe together and is absolutely beautiful. It is the glow that has always been. It is the one "that never wasn't". The one you see has been referred to as the light of eternal mind. All the loved ones who have gone before you are there to lead and embrace you and with them you now rise. Together you sing a great praise melody no writer on earth could have written.

Yet on this day if your Mother Sylvia Taylor you may hear one of the songs you wrote that celebrates your love for the eternal one. Your song says ...

With you I Rise, with you I sing, the love in me, is eternity. With you I rise with you Im free, to fly higher and higher eternally.

Imagine that you are seeing the "One God" that all your life you have studied about. The one whose essence is like no other. You have called his name, you have asked for his help. When you have stepped out of line you have begged him to forgive. Suddenly you are in the comfort, the surrounding, and the presence of the all in all, in this case known as The Lamb of God or "Jesus". In a flash of life you are now with God....

Imagine that moment. Now I ask you all to open your eyes and let us put our hands together and, rejoice for my mom. November 10 was the hardest day of my life as a son for I had to let go of my one and only mom. Yet for my mom it was her first day of true freedom. It was her first day eternal. It was her first moment of peaceful forever. It was her first second of no pain no tears, no worries.

Not even the leader of hell can ever bother her again for the One God greeted One Mom and said welcome to your first day Eternal.

* * *

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN

She stood in the doorway, watching her only son whom she so lovingly referred to as her blessing from God walked away to go out of town for a business trip. As always she sent with him her undying love, true devotion and her eternal prayer that God allow grace and mercy to follow him wherever he may go. Maurice turned to wave to his mother. His heart took a picture of her face, smiling that warm smile. His heart heard her say ... "Always remember, in whatever form GOD allows, I will be here for you my son, Amen".

Though she had not told her son she had told her best friend who he knew as his aunt Carolyn that "The warrior was tired". From day one of her arrival on this earth mother Taylor's life had been one filled with extra-ordinary challenges and injustices, which would make nearly anyone of us kind of eager to move on down the eternal road.

The list of atrocities is recipe for dysfunction at the highest order.

Rejected by her mother as a mistaken life. Knowingly given by her mother the last name of a man who wasn't her father. Abused by a mother she would later refer to as Mother from Hell. She never knew who her real father was till a miraculous event in her hour of need. Mother Taylor had a song she wrote stolen from her and sung by one of the worlds most celebrated queens of vocal. It was called "My song" ironic. Then two awful marriages made way into her life leaving an already "why me o lord" spirit silently saying take me lol....

But the lord had heard her cry long ago and sent a blessing, which made way for life's greatest blessing. For God allowed her the joy of the continuation of life.

One night while in the hospital at age 21 she awaited a next morning test that would confirm earlier results saying an operation needed to be done leaving her un-able to bare children. If so they would do the operation that next day ...

Late that night a kind spirited man entered her room and sat and prayed with her. He would only say that he was a deacon from his church that went around hospitals praying with folks who were in an hour of need. They talked for hours then he left. All she knew is he was known as brother Mose T. The next day doctors could find nothing in the x-rays and sent mother Taylor home. 2 years later she would have her only son. 7 years later she would be told to go visit a church where an important funeral was happening. This message came from her mother. She arrived and greeted folks she had seen before but not known. They led her to behold the man in the casket. When she realized it was brother Mose t. whose real name was Moses Taylor she fainted because they told her "he was your father" and we are your true family, the Taylor's.

But even with the Taylor's there would be struggles for a half sister did not wish to share Moses estate nor anything else.

So after years of amazing challenges and equally momentous blessings the warrior was tired. The struggles of a black woman from her era along with family rejections and inner turmoil had left its mark as her body began to fail.

She told her best friend Carolyn often that her life's greatest blessing was her son. Because of him she had seen everything from the white house to Buckingham palace to the Hawaiian Islands. She also told Carolyn that she had hoped a dna test done on a young man named Brandon had come back positive in proving him to be her grandson. Mother Taylor was known to have great intuition and a greater faith in GOD so it was interesting that for some strange reason one autumn day she told Carolyn, "I don't know why but I thought sure that DNA test would be positive". Maybe it was just that I wanted to be a grandma. It would be the last time they ever spoke.

Amen.

* * *

Arguably Maurice Taylor had earned his way to a respected life. He started life in Ohio growing up first with dreams of being a star baseball player then saw the entertainer he would years later audition to tour with. The entertainer was known as the thriller. At that same time he heard the guitarist known as the king of the blues "BB. King" and that was it or better yet Guitar was it. Later in his teens he was introduced by his mom to the sound of the man known for reinventing the way the guitar plays the Star spangled banner! To Maurice music was his life his soul and his best avenue of expression. That feeling heightened the day he heard sly and the family stone and his life was forever changed when he heard "EWF".

Though raised to believe he could achieve his big dreams his hometown didn't always inspire the potential for them becoming a reality. Maurice spent most of his teens flipping burgers or waiting tables. Mother Taylor had bought him his first real guitars. One was a white Stratocaster. She had promised it to him if he won first and second place in a local high school talent show. She thought that would never happen but it did lol. Mother Taylor never let him down with her unconditional love. Unfortunately he could not say the same of his DAD who almost never seemed to connect with Maurice as a real father he could learn from.

Maurice became member of several local bands that where respected in the city some of whom mother Taylor acted as manager. One day when leaving home his phone rang. He was receiving the call all entertainment folks pray for or dream of. It was the manager for the Commodores. By the next morning mother Taylor who was working at ford motors supporting she and her only son was seeing him off at the airport with that proud smile of support. God had blessed him to become guitarist for the commodores and he was off to Los Angeles. Though mother Taylor was worried as any good mom would be, all she showed him was that "Always remember expression". It all happened so fast he had hardly the chance to tell friends and say bye to them or the lady he was dating. Little did he know, they would never really say goodbye. For the next four years he would travel the globe with one of his favorite bands. Then one day that phone would ring again.

For years he had sat in the back of tour buses blasting the music of EWF literally studying them like an exam to come. Now he was on the phone with its founder Maurice White being asked to become a principle member of his favorite group. All along the way mother Taylor had never let him doubt that with GOD all things are possible. Even still he wondered how he had become so deserving for so many in his book could have been chosen. He had attempted to be a good person but he wasn't innocent of some typical "rock star" behaviors like being a playboy at times. Deep down he wasn't proud of it and often asked GOD to forgive him. Of course then a voice from heaven would answer, "I did the last time lol". Yet the creator seem to be giving him Grace for this call would lead to a 14 year membership in arguably one of entertainments most respected groups. During that time he would produce perform and write for a host of famous talents. Suddenly after this call he was being called for recording sessions for records and commercials and films. Though he wasn't getting rich with endless money he was now doing what he loved.

Often he would sit in his hotel rooms after first rejoicing doing shows for millions on TV and live or playing for presidents and celebrated world leaders but his mind always returned to what or who was missing. Deep down there was an inner loneliness that surrounded his spirit. Though he found great joy calling mother Taylor late at night telling her who he had met or performed for even taking her on some travels he still missed seeing her and he knew time was only getting shorter for them. Then there was his first real love who he had never stopped loving even though they had parted ways long ago. He wished so much she could see all that GOD created, the way he was seeing it. Then there was that main missing link. No children of his own. Maurice had been a stepfather and cherished it as a highlight of his life but he could have wished no greater joy than to look into the eyes of his own child. Many times he would see a father and son or daughter together and just cry inside. He thought maybe his musical success had somehow been a trade off for not being blessed with his own kids. He as well thought GOD was punishing his youthful behavior as a playboy. Whatever the case was there was a void in his life in area's that could not be fixed by fortune and fame. He wished he could have undone two marriages, one that ended in betrayal against him and the second ending with absolutely, idiotic classless behavior carried out against him and his family.

They say if one lives long enough they will spend more time reflecting than living. Maurice was a prime candidate for doing just that. Spending most his adult life seeing the world through plane, train and bus windows offered endless hours of reflecting on blessings and curses. Often when talking to fans are unaware friends he would smile when they assumed his life was an easy ride. He wanted so much to tell them about the Cinderella nights of playing for thousands only to sleep on some ones floor because he or a band he was in didn't get paid. Would they believe if he told them of nights where he sat in restaurants or walked the streets all night cause the only bus to where he was staying left hours ago. He wondered if anyone would see the pain in his eyes if he were to tell them about the daughter of an African ambassador Maurice fell for who one day told him he would be a father of a beautiful daughter only to find out she made it all up then disappeared because she didn't have the guts to tell him herself.

But then they also say good things come to those who wait and they who believe know that in our darkest hour there is still a light, leading the way like a Drum major.

THE DRUM MAJOR

Although Louisiana is known for fun, food, family the most important thing for this father and son is family. Maurice was filled with emotions as he arrived in the Bayou to spend Christmas with his son, Brandon. The anticipation of the upcoming holidays rendered Maurice overcome with joy and pride. There was also sadness in his heart because of the departure of his mother just two years before. Knowing that if she were still on this side of heaven, she would have been there with him to witness the miracle that she longed for, Maurice often looked off to the sky with a sense of reflection about what would have been. She would have had the opportunity to meet her grandson and to be a part of this fellowship of family. No other time, other than this holiday would have been so befitting for this father and child to begin their journey in this life together. Christmas time. The time another special little boy was born.

His Grana and Grandpa in part raised "Brandon" with help from a very special Uncle. They provided that sense of stability, love and consistency that little Brandon needed. This decision by Brandon's Mom was in its own way, a blessing in disguise yet deep down Brandon had painful issues with his mom. And he would often ask and wonder "who and where is my Dad.

* * *

It was Christmas morning and all the past pains were put aside for now! Gifts were exchanged at the crack of dawn. Nothing compares to the feeling of warmth and security when a family gets together. Brandon felt a feeling of security like never before because he was blessed for the first time to have his father with him to make this day even more special. As the feast began, the house was filled with family, friends and good fellowship. All was perfect in Brandon's world. As his dad looked around the room, he was reminded of his mothers teaching that in this life, we should always walk by faith and not by sight. Prayer is the substance of things hoped for but our faith is the evidence of things not seen. When it seems that all is lost, then is the time to hold on because a miracle is on the way. Maurice's miracle was Brandon. The unbelievable way the union came to be was nothing short of miraculous. Yes, it was evident that Dad was the proudest person in the room. Or, was it Brandon?

(Continues...)

Excerpted from A Voice From Heavenby Sheldon Reynolds Copyright © 2009 by Sheldon Reynolds. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1438967721
• ISBN 13: 9781438967721
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64