All must be well

I awoke early today thinking about our Easter gathering one year ago. Yes, the 23rd was Easter Day 2008. We were blessed to have all sixteen of our family with us at our lake house in Indiana. The morning greeting was “The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed. Hallelujah.” We enjoyed attending the early church service, brunch together and an exciting egg hunt with 2-year-old great grandson Joshua. Dozens and dozens of eggs were collected and I was still finding an occasional one hidden in the bushes many weeks later.

It was a time of great joy reflecting upon the Lord’s goodness to each of us and being together as a family. There was also some serious discussion about eternity and we distributed copies of the book One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer. In the afternoon we had the promised discussion about possible funeral plans with our daughters, receiving their blessing for the thoughts which we had. We were so thankful for the extra weeks for Carol that the Lord blessed us with, making it possible to be at Justin and Laura’s wedding in Michigan on June 21 and then being able to get back to Charlotte in preparation for Carol’s “arrival” on July 8th.

Upon our return home, Carol quoted an old hymn by M. Peters which spoke to our hearts:

Through the love of God our Savior
All will be well
Free and changeless is His favor
All, all is well
Precious is the blood that healed me
Perfect is the grace that sealed me
Strong is the hand stretched out to shield me
All must be well.

I expect a bright tomorrow
All will be well
Faith can sing through days of sorrow
All, all is well
On our Father’s love relying
Jesus every need supplying
Or in living or in dying
All must be well.

With both joy and pain I reflect upon those days past. But with hope in His future, I am determined to continue on as He gives strength and health until it is my time to pass through that curtain and join Carol and our loved ones that have gone ahead.

Thanks for your prayers. They do sustain me!

Love,

Chuck