It Is Well
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 10:33PM We have a blessed life.
Mike and I have been married for thirteen years. We've had ups and downs. We probably started with the downs, actually. We didn't have a chance to get to know one another in the eight months right before we got married because of distance. I was in Spain, he was in the United States. Weekend rendevous' were a little expensive for us. Then after I returned, I was in Virginia and he was in Florida. And we had moved the wedding date up (from after the school year to before school started - we were still in college). It was a crazy time. While we knew one another for quite a while before we got engaged, we were in the la-la phase...over the moon for one another.
Anyway, we've gone through a lot, and like anyone's life it hasn't all been easy. And I am often more of a malcontent than a grateful, joyful person. But, we've also had three healthy, wonderful children. We've always had a place to go, whether it was our home or the homes of our parents. Ever since we left Princeton, Mike has had a job. We have extremely generous family members. Mike and I have been blessed by congregation after congregation, people who have loved on us and bestowed upon us both material as well as intangible provisions.
When I was pregnant with Michaela, Mike was working at a small church in Pennsylvania as a Student Pastor and the folks that made up that body cared for us in so many ways. Someone often had us to lunch after the services. We were also given a baby shower and, well, showered with so much that before Eliana was born her dresser was full. Not to mention the department store's worth of stuff we got from a shower they gave us at the church I grew up in in Virginia.
These kinds of blessings continue to rain down on us, and it is a mystery to me sometimes, since it doesn't seem like we deserve such things. Since we've lived in Dallas people have brought us random meals, not to mention the six weeks' worth of meals after Eliana was born. We have been loved on by those around us in so many ways. You guys, there are women here who were willing to come and clean my house for me, when I just couldn't do it.
Just recently we were surprised by another gift. Our kids' piano teacher got in touch with us because one of the choir members had a piano that had been in storage for many years; he wanted to find a good home for it. She thought of us, since we have an electronic keyboard, but no actual piano. This gentleman wanted to give the piano to a family that would use it, and we ended up as the recipients of this wonderful donation.
He had it delivered last week, and was here to make sure that it was in good condition, since it had been in storage for so long. He was very kind and seemed grateful and glad that the piano was in a home where it would be played and well-loved. We also arranged for someone to come and tune the piano, which happened this morning. I came home from a walk and the tuner was here. I steered Eliana clear of the living room and let him do what he needed to do.
Have you ever been around while someone is tuning a piano? Here is my recommendation for you if you find yourself in this situation: GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
There is a great deal of, let's see...PING PING PING PING PING PING PING, PANG PANG PANG PANG PANG PANG PANG, BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG, BING BING BING BING BING BING BING, BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM
I think you might get the picture. At one point I did want to cry, and just about then he started to play a song. And it was lovely.
I went to see that everything was all right, and he told me that he had found some faulty wiring (Please don't ask me to explain in great detail...I'm still a little confused. It had to do with a built-in dehumidifier. At any rate, he found these bad wires and switched out the bar that they were coming out of, and now we should not have a house fire. At least because of our piano.), but that now everything was fine and it was ready to go. He said,"Get on there, bang it up, play it!" He went over a couple more things and then he handed me a piece of paper; he said,"By the way, this was in your piano. I don't know if you want it or not, but it's yours." I took the paper from him and as I read what was on it, tears sprung to my eyes.
A gift within our gift. And a perfect reminder of Whose I am, as well as an encouragement for my soul. I don't always act like "It is well with my soul". This hymn says everything about truly resting in the Lord, trusting Him and having that peace that does indeed pass all understanding. A man who lost pretty much everything still calls out to God,"Thou hast taught me to say,'It is well, it is well, with my soul!'"
It seems like everywhere I turn lately, from the pool to the baseball field to my living room, there are pictures that are being painted vividly as though the world around me were a huge canvas, and God the artist creating bold and beautiful images that illustrate in ways that are so very near, His love for me and His grace. How I long to grow into a woman who can one day cry out deeply joyfully,"It is well, it is well, with my soul!"
Reader Comments (8)
Wow. Of all the sheet music to be in there. And I love that song too!
I love it when God does things like that. That is my favorite hymn, by the way. Once I heard the story behind it, it became even more precious. How fitting that you found it in your piano. I can see it framed and hanging in your music room.
My heart just welled up as I read this!
What an amazing blessing...and then
for that "Piano Man" to have found
the notes to that beautiful hymn in there!!!
love. love. love.
I felt the same way as all of you! And I told him with tears in my eyes that I was going to frame and hang it. :)
Lovely post! I have always loved that song. It is so beautiful!
Hi Christina! I just LOVE that the music It is well with my soul was found in your piano. That's wonderful. We were just given a piano as well and are about to get it tuned. Thanks for the warning! :)
I love that hymn and I love this post!!
This is wonderful! So touched my heart!
Thank you for sharing and y'all enjoy the wonderful piano!
You are INDEED blessed.