Heaven?

How do you explain Heaven to a 3 year old?

The other day when Officer Slot was killed, I had the news on and Isaac was enthralled by the police cars he saw on TV. He asked about it and I told him a simple version of what happened.

Tonight, we went to our neighborhood association meeting. There was a police officer there and Isaac was SO excited to go say "Hi" to him. When we left, he wanted to run back in because he "forgot to tell him something". We didn't go back in, but I asked Isaac about what he wanted to tell him. He said he wanted to tell the officer that another police officer died last week. I told Isaac that Officer Slot was a friend of the officer we just met. Isaac got a really concerned look on his face, and I said, "That's pretty sad, isn't it buddy. Should we pray for Officer Slots family?" His response? "YES! We should pray that he comes back to life again."  The faith of a child. He certainly listens when we read stories of Jesus bringing healing and life to many in the Bible. He got a little smile and said, "I know where the police officer is!" "Where?" "In heaven!". I told him he was correct and that heaven was a beautiful place where we get to be with God forever. He asked if the officer was going to be back for his next birthday, as if Heaven were across the country or a mere plane trip away. I told him no, and that he wouldn't be able to come back to life and be with his family like he hoped. Isaac literally teared up and told me he didn't want to go to Heaven.

Oh how I wish I could have tape recorded the conversation that followed about what heaven is and what it isn't, who would be there and why people get to go, and how old will we be when we die, and if Young is going to be in heaven, and how he's already seen Adam & Eve in the bible, so he doesn't need to meet them, and how he thinks it would be so cool to have a body that doesn't get hurt and on and on it went...

How do you explain heaven to a 3 year old?