Saturday, June 19, 2010

laying him to rest

We buried my brother today.


It was dreadful and beautiful. We celebrated his life and mourned his death, and again saw evidence of the transformative power of love.


In one room today, there were hundreds of hearts knit together in love for one young man and for his family. The spirit of God was abundant and poured out peace on us. We were not of one mind philosophically, religiously, politically. But we were of one heart.


The world glows differently after such an experience. The insignificant falls away. And what is left?


Love.


Love for Brent.


Love for family.


Love for friends.


Love for our Maker.


Love for the shining glory that lies within each one of us, but so often goes unnoticed.


The terrible price we've paid for the gaining of this understanding is too high. My Brentie is gone from this world. His body is under the ground. We miss him like missing a limb. This pain won't be healed quickly. But as we move gently back to the push and pull of our normal lives, I think it will be a reminder of the beauty from ashes that we've experienced this week. I hope it keeps us in mind of the love that ties us all together in large and small ways.


We love our Brent and we love you.

7 comments:

Wendi said...

Kerri, you really know how to express yuor feelings SO well. That was perfectly written/said. I'm so glad you can write things down for us to read and feel. Thank you

Tracy said...

I too truly love how you express your love and your feelings. I feel blessed by your words. I am so glad the feelings of love are so strong. Still in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

Brent always said what he believed in, even when others were strongly opposed. He was a Man among many children. His integrity and loyalty were at a level incomprehensible to many, and that left him often misunderstood. But for those that took time to understand him, his influence was strong and beneficial. His wisdom and knowledge knew no boundaries of a particular creed or discipline. His spirit lives on in all those who knew him. Wish I got to tell him in words how much he meant to me.

Anonymous said...

I'm so so sorry.

Janae said...

I sooo wish I could have been there!! To support you, to love you, to hug you, to cry (oh the crying) with you. I love your family so very much that it crushes my heart to hear of news like this! I will always have a place for Brent in my heart. Families are truely forever and I'm blessed to call you guys my family. I hope to see you at the reunion. I'm anxious to be reminded of how truely wonderful our youngberg family really is. It's been too long. It's time. LOVE YOU KERRI!!

Holly said...

Kerri, I'm sad for you. I'm sad for your great loss. My prayers are with you and your family.

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