I've spent the past month working and then driving to Fergus Falls on weekends. My uncle, Brad, has been in the ICU battling cancer. It took my breath away when I first saw him a month ago, and immediately tears came. He had changed so much since I'd seen him two weeks prior. Physically he looked very different, and he had so much intolerable pain. Until now, I'd never experienced something like this or seen so many men cry. Yet, when Brad would wake up and look around, he would grace us with the biggest smile. Those moments were so special. I don't even have words to explain it. He was often disoriented due to all of the pain meds he was on, but he still managed to crack jokes with his very dry sense of humor. And there were moments of clarity that he would say the most profound things. He always came back to his faith and told us that "God has been so gracious".
On Tuesday afternoon Brad went home on Hospice. He said that he wanted the morning sun to shine on his face there. Unfortunately, Wednesday morning at about 4am, he lost his battle. He wasn't alive to feel the sun shine, but it did shine on him. My dad had his hand on Brad's chest when he took his last breath.
This whole experience has really made me look at my life and how I choose to live it. I had no idea that one person could impact so many people by their faith. Brad was the prayer warrior of our family, and within this experience our family has dramatically changed. We talk about how we can literally feel something happening.
Yesterday was Brad's funeral, and I'm still having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he's gone. Everything feels very surreal. Even though I feel like my tears are never-ending, there's a part of me that wants to keep this feeling always; I want to remember Brad and how he left his thumbprint on me and everyone that knew him. And to always remember the bigger picture as I wake up each day. Brad left this world a better place, and I know he's being rewarded greatly in heaven.
We laugh as we think of him probably playing his best round of golf right now and cracking jokes. :)
I can't wait to see you dancing on the golden streets of Heaven, Brad! See you on the other side. Thank you!
Ephesians 2:4-9
