"It Is Well With My Soul", 1st Stanza

Ever stop to think about who'd you want to sit with you while you mourned the loss of a loved one? In Biblical times people did just that. I have to admit, I had mixed emotions when I first learned that. I am not very comfortable crying in front of people. I try to contain myself and cry later. Or I simply explode with emotions, uncontained, unreserved, hysterical, and full of words I don't always mean.

After thinking about how I tend to respond, I thought, "who on earth would WANT to sit with me?" Well, then it struck me. My family and my best friend Angie.

Oh, we've had lots of those ranting and raving kinds of days. Coffee and venting. Kids running all around and interrupting while we let each other have it with all our frustrations and annoyances. It's really rather hysterical. We usually get to laughing so hard that we nearly fall over. Boy does it feel good to get it off our chests!

Today was NOT one of those days! Today we tried to chat as usual, were interrupted a million times by our kids, a visiting neighbor, an MIA fish in the aquarium (what a hysterical story that one is), and a kitchen piled high with dirty dishes. Sound familiar? If you're a normal mom, you feel my pain.

While we tried to chat, I attempted to fill her in something that the Lord was challenging me to do. Something that nearly paralyzed me with anxiety. As I shared this with her, I could feel her praying for me. I then played her a song that when I heard it the first time I broke down in tears, overcome with emotion over the sheer magnamity of the music. While she listened, I was chipping away at the mountain of dishes. She was sitting at the dining room table. As she listened, I "caught" her with her eyes closed listening deeply to the song...or perhaps praying. All I know is that it caught me by surprise and the image is now burned in my memory.

So what's the point of all this? My best friend, who couldn't sing-- she would say-- to save her life, took great interest in my hearts desire, and I know is praying to that end. She's definately one of the people I want to sit by me when I mourn.

And I can say with this blessed assurance... whatever my lot...

"When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say
It is well, It is well, with my soul."