Saturday, July 10, 2010

Where The Soul Never Dies




Dad was in the hospital for almost two weeks before he died. His care by the Dr and the nurses was beyond anything I could have known.  I have thanked them and we have sent a basket of fruit to 3 North at Valley View Hospital and a basket to Dr Steven Philmore.   What a blessing they were to us while we stood vigil for Dad.

Dad lived 48 hours longer than the Dr told us he would.  He had a strong heart.  I knew that Dad would not  leave this world until the Lord called his name so we stood vigil round the clock the last 48 hours.

Dad especially reponded to PE's voice, thus we knew that he could still hear us and was understanding of what was being said.  He struggled.  
I said all that to say this. If I had not been at the hospital when Dad died and if I had walked into that room 3 seconds after he left to go to be with God I would never have recognized him.  It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.  The shell of Dad's body had NO resemblance to my Dad. Nothing about that body remotely resembled him. We stood in the room for 30 minutes or so after Dad's passing and each one of us kept saying how very very different he looked. 

The next day I had to take a recent picture of Dad to the funeral home so they could see him as he was.  I got to thinking about that and later that day the Lord explained to me why we were so amazed at his appearance. 

The soul of a man is encased in his spirit. The soul of a man is his personality and actions and the sound of his voice and how he moves and laugh's and color of his eyes and attitude and all that we are that make us an individual lies in the soul.   God created man and made him a living soul.  

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

HE did not give him a soul, he became a soul.  We each have a soul that is uniquely us. 

When the body dies the spirit leaves and when the spirit leaves the soul leaves.  All that Dad was left. The body no longer held any resemblance to my Dad.  When the Lord shared that with me late Frieday afternoon I was overwhelmed with great joy.  Our bodies are just a vehicle and it carries no resemblance to who we are.  The funeral home did a great job on Dad and he looked peaceful and the coloring was beautiful. BUT they had to have a picture of him in order to restore some of who he was, but the expressions were not there and the man that I knew as my father no longer lived there. Now I have known all of that but to see it first hand. To see the body absent of the soul was profound and will be with me forever. Dad was no longer there. I feel so sorry for those that have no faith in God. Those that do not believe that when we leave here we are a home with God.  

What great revelation my Father God gave me that Friday afternoon just a few hours after Dad went home. 
How very peaceful is my heart knowing that my sweet Dad has left this temporary home to dwell in the house of the Lord. All that he was with his laughter and his beautiful blue eyes, his smile and the way he walked and talked is now beholding the face of God, and the very second that I cross over into that land I will know that face and that voice and I will recognize that man that I have called father for the past 63 years.  Then we will live and laugh and share for an eternity.
 So take a good look at me now for when I leave here you will not behold my face until we meet again in that golden city. 

   
Denise

23 comments:

  1. Blessings on you Denise. I know you will miss your daddy but we rejoice in that you will see him again!

    ~Beth

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  2. Tears of joy fill my eyes as I read about this great revelation the Lord gave you...your final statement makes me want to shout GLORY!...

    So thankful for this peace that flowed down on you, Denise...praying for it to continue to flood your family during the coming days....

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  3. Dear Denise, I'm so sorry to learn of your dear Daddy's passing....thank goodness for all the sweet memories you will always carry in your heart...with my sincere sympathies to you and your family... Linda

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  4. Praise God for granting you such peace, love you sis.

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  5. Dear Denise, I am sorry for your loss but I am so thankful for your revelation. Our Father is so precious. This is an amazing gift He gave you at just the right time. I rejoice with you anticipating that great reunion.

    You and your loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  6. Denise, My sincere sympathies in the passing of your earthly father. I didn't know he was in hospital, so this was somewhat of a shock to me. He is home now with the Lord. My He give you peace and ease your sorrow.

    Blessings,
    Mary

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  7. Denise, I just happened on your blog from a comment at someone else's. I am blessed to hear you share the passing of your father. I loved how you explained the soul. I feel for you in your grief. Mama has been gone for almost 8 years now and would you believe I still find myself caught off guard and the tears just roll. I don't think that grief ever finds a true resting place until we're together again in heaven!

    God bless you dear. I will be praying for you. It is a very tender time for you.

    Patrina <")>><

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  8. This was just beautiful.
    Hugs,
    Mama Bear

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  9. This post really touched my heart because it was the same way I felt when my dad passed away...it wasn't him laying there anymore, it was just his shell. His soul and spirit were in a much better place:-) You are so right, the soul is what makes a person and that's why when you see someone who is evil, commits murder, etc, they seem to have no facial expressions at all...they have no soul. I've always believed that. Take comfort in the fact that your dad's beautiful soul is shining bright right beside God. xoxo

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  10. Denise......thank you so much for coming to wish me a Happy Birthday even in the midst of your grief.
    That is really something...but it also says a lot about how you realize that your Daddy is doing JUST FINE where he's at.
    We do dearly miss those that go on before us...but we realize that life is a vapour and that one day...we will join them in that great city!!!
    Hang in there girl...I'm thinking of you!
    Be blessed,
    Joyce M.

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  11. I love you. loving you holding you in my heart trusting Him in you as you heal

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  12. Denise, I am so glad that your Dad's soul has gone to be with the Lord, he needed your father there.....
    It is hard for us to be the ones left behind, I am praying for you and sending huge hugs!!!!
    Love you sweetie!
    Margaret B

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  13. Denise.....When my daddy took his last breath here on earth I had the immediate "knowing" and joy that he was beholding the face of Jesus and experiencing the never ending joy, peace and eternal celebration of Him that we only dream about on this side of Heaven.

    I'm praying that you would feel the gentle breeze of the Comforter blowing upon you this day.

    Sweet Blessings!
    Jackie

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  14. Sweet Blessings to you Denise. I know what you are going through and God will get you through the pain. I try to remember all the good memories, but I wish dad were still here. There is so much ugliness going on and he would be so upset at what they are doing(meaning my siblings). I'm so glad I'm not like them. I will pray for you that God will comfort you in all your needs. Love and hugs, Pat

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  15. Stopped by just to let you know I'm thinking of you and you and your loved ones are still in my prayers. Thank you for stopping by. I'm glad that song by Karen Wheaton blessed you. My love and blessings to you dear sister.

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  16. You have me balling my eyes out!! I noticed that with my brother and my daddy but just thought it was because they had no more oxygen going through them, now its been explained to me by you, see God wanted you to post this so I would read it, havent been by cause I forget to pay some bills and when my inter net came back on you where the first I visited and now I know why, my Momma kept telling me at the cemetery when my brother left, "Come one honey, it's just his shell in there " I sat in my chair for along time, didnt want to leave that cemetery, til Momma came and hugged me and I laid my head in her lap and cried and cried and cried and she said it again to me, "It's only his shell honey" separation is so hard on the heart.
    I LOVE YOU so much, Thank you for this post.

    Hugs always~
    your sister in Christ
    Annette

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  17. Dear Denise,
    I have not been blogging for a while and came by to visit your blog.
    Your post is profound and affects me greatly. I am sorry for the loss of your father. Thank you for a wonderful explanation of the uniqueness of our souls, and for your discussion that you will see your Dad again. I too hold fast to the knowledge that I will see my Dad again, (he left this world three years ago) and I find this to be a very beautiful, loving, reassuring, wonderful post. Thank you so much for writing it. I'm wiping my tears, for it's beauty.
    Sincerely,
    'Tart

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  18. Thinking of you and just wanted to say hi...hugs, Linda

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  19. How are you sis. Thinking of you. lessings sweet friend.

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  20. Denise, just checking in to see how you are doing. I do hope that you are feeling better. I miss you. Take care my friend, Hugs, Pat

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  21. Just checking in to see how you are doing. Love you girl...praying you feel Him.

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