Passing
In the past month, we have lost a few good men on this earth. Their mortal experience has ended, and I can only imagine the beautiful reunions that are happening on the other side as they continue their eternal journeys.
Just a few days ago, my Uncle Scott passed. He is my mom’s brother and is a true example of a disciple of Jesus Christ. When I think of my Uncle Scott, I think of faith. I think of patriotism. He was a military man and served in the Army almost his whole life. Because of this, he and his family moved around quite a bit. I remember in my growing up years they lived in Hawaii, Uruguay, and California for a time before finally settling in Virginia. While I didn’t see my Uncle Scott a ton, I always knew of his love for me. As an adult, seeing him fight through a cancer that would eventually take his life, I learned what a true man of God he was. Scott would send texts regularly to family, friends, and any other curious subscribers to give updates on his prognosis and (more importantly) to share his testimony of God’s power and grace as he traveled through a difficult path. His messages brought the Spirit, and his optimism and trust in God till the very end were so motivating. I am grateful to have known him. I am grateful that my kids have been able to pray for him by name for the past few months and feel a unique power that comes through prayer even when they didn’t personally know him. If I try to imagine heaven with Scott there, I am sure he is spreading the good news of the gospel to every soul he meets (while also surfing a few celestial waves on his down time).
My father-in-law, John Brackett, was the other man who passed away recently. He was Andrew’s step-dad and had been married to Debbie for 20 years. John could be a complicated guy. I often thought about him when reading a children’s book called Nobody Hugs a Cactus. You can imagine what that might look like for a person, but John really did have a soft heart. Maddy in particular loved Grandpa John, especially when she was a little toddler. She would ask about him often, but then she’d get all shy and embarrassed when she was actually around him. It was super cute. I know these last few years of his life were really trying for both him and Debbie. His health continued to decline, and his passing came as a sadness mixed with peace. We are so grateful to know that he is no longer in pain from his mortal body. We mourned the John of many years ago: his humorous personality, his handy-man skills, and his love. Rest in peace, John. We love you.
