Resolution #3 – Soul

This week of my resolutions focuses on the SOUL aspect of Body – Mind – Heart – SOUL.  But with the recent passing of a close family member I’ll touch on faith in general.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

It is well, it is well with my soul                               Horatio Spafford                      

IS it well with my soul?    It IS well with my soul! 

This old hymn came to mind this past week as we said good bye to my step mom, Joyce.  The hymnist wrote the hymn after losing all his children to either Scarlet Fever or shipwreck and yet even in the face of such heartbreak and tragedy he had faith.

Joyce had been married to my dad since I was 8 years old up until his death almost 6 years ago, I remember singing this at his funeral with tears streaming down my face, tears of sadness and of joy knowing my Dad was a man of faith, gone from this world to meet his Maker.

You could say Joyce was a bit of a fire cracker.  She was feisty and had strong opinions and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, she was determined and loyal, she was active (until recent years), fit, fashionable, a talented painter and devoted to my Dad, in sickness and in health, to the very end, even when his dementia at times was so bad he didn’t remember her.

I’m so thankful for all she did for my Dad but I think my Dad did a lot for her too.  They were two very different personalities who complimented one another.  I think a part of her died when he did.  Slowly she withdrew and her health began to deteriorate.

She passed away peacefully and I feel she was ready.  Ready because things were right with her soul.

My step mother did not have an easy life, her childhood was tough, her first marriage was a bust, even her relationships with some of her own family was far from ideal but her faith was strong and she had the assurance that in death she would find eternity, she would have peace.

In this world we WILL have trouble…but if we have faith, we know our troubles are temporary and so as Horatio said; ‘it is well with my soul’.  I have faith.  AMEN

Rest in Peace Joyce and say hi to Dad!