All Is Well With My Soul

All is well with my soul doesn’t seem like something one might say during a time like this.  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Tammy.  I’m 48 years young, mother of two humans and two dogs.  I have been, correction I was, married for 25 years to a wonderful man.

That wonderful man died in a car accident on April 16, 2012.  He and two of his good friends were coming home from dinner out, somehow lost control of the car, hit a utility pole and killed instantly.  I did not find out until the next day that my husband, Bill, had gone to be with Jesus. Two police officers arrived at my home and, with regret, informed me of his passing.

I had to quickly make decisions concerning my husband’s Celebration of Life Service, figure out who wanted some of his ashes and who thought it was a gross way to remember him and console the many family and friends who are grieving his loss along with me.

It has not been an easy three weeks.  Just when you think things couldn’t possibly get worse sometimes they do.  The day after my husband’s service my mother ended up in the hospital, my husband’s dog broke out with some sorta of skin problem ($160 freakin’ dollars later), my dog, Ming, went into heat, my son broke out in shingles, found out we didn’t have insurance, toilet broke, overflowed, leaked into the downstairs bathroom staining the ceiling and just for good measure right after I cleaned up the flood, I stepped in dog poop that my puppy left on the kitchen floor.

Yet, all is well with my soul!  I feel a peace that goes beyond all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  A quiet strength that I know that does not come from me.  People have been praising me telling me how strong I am and how they would not have been able to handle the situation if it were them.  I keep telling them it doesn’t come from me.  Trust me.  I’m the chick who has a pastor who felt inclined (more like pity) to give me a hall pass for swearing the last few weeks.  If I don’t have the strength to refrain from saying….um, well let’s just leave it at that.

What I can say with complete strength and confidence is if you  know the Love of Christ, if you know the love of God’s people, then there is nothing you can’t get through.  Nothing is impossible for those that love the Lord.  Philippians 4:13 NKJV “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”