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. 

   

Their House

This morning it is quiet here.  My sister is still with Mom so I have a day to just rest.  I was unprepared for the death of my father. Of course I knew that one day he would go to be with the Lord but a heart cannot prepare for such grief.  I understand today the total dependence of the love of the Christ that bore my grief, for without that gift we could not endure the  pain.   

The service was beautiful. My Dad was a grower for years and before the war he grew long stem red roses. Thus I had two beautiful arrangements made to sit each side of Dad and it was only long stem red roses. The   air was filled with such a sweet smelling fragrance.  

Dad had a military service with the 6 gun salute and taps.  The Air-force was there in their dress blues and they folded the flag and presented the flag to my older brother.  It was a day of great heartache but a day of great rejoicing. Dad was so weary and tired and now he dances.    

While getting ready yesterday morning I was standing in front of my  mirror fixing my hair and just as quickly as a blink of an eye I saw my Dad sitting on a bench.  He was about 40 something and he had his feet crossed as that is they way that he sat.  He was sitting sideways and there was a smile on his face.  It was quickly gone and I was  left with great peace.  

He will be sitting there when I get to see him again.   

Now comes the heart wrenching task of mother. Her dementia is progressing rapidly and she does not even remember yesterday or the grave side.   She is 24/7 and I am not able to do that. We have found a wonderful place about 30 miles from here an that will be her new home soon.  We have been there a couple of times and my brother Paul is a good friend of the owner an he knows most of the staff.  That is a good thing.  

I will struggle in the coming day and I peer across the yard at the little house where they have lived for 3 years. I know that in the coming months grief will turn to sweet memories and heaven has become and will become much sweeter for me.   

Thank you for all the card and emails

In Loving Remembrance of My Dad

Paul Edward Walsh Sr.   December 10th 1917 - July 2nd 2010

Dad beheld the face of God around 4:30 am July 2nd. He was ushered in to the presence of God with some of his family standing by to bid him farewell. 

Dad was my hero and always was.  I already miss him and I know that in the weeks and months there will be great times of sorrow for me. BUT I rejoice in the knowledge that he now walks on the streets where I long to walk. 

Thank you for all the support and prayers........  I will blog later at the wonderful things that the Lord accomplished in the 4 days as we sat around his bed side.

I celebrate the life of my father.......