Returned With Honor

 Today we were with Charlotte's cousins.

My nephews.
They are that adorable kind of boys.
They remind me of my boys.

Big beautiful eyes.
Unbelievable eyelashes.

 

And as we were leaving a store, a friend I've not seen in a long time, greeted me.

She looked down at Charlotte, then next to her, my nephew.

This nephew is only older than Bradley by 4 months.

He does everything Bradley never did.

He talks. He walks. He's curious. He giggles. He runs.

Her eyes got very big and she said pointing at my nephew, "He's doing SO good!"

 

She thought it was Bradley.

And I told her he was my nephew with a chuckle.

And her heart sank as she said, "Where is Bradley?"

 

I hugged her and I told her Bradley was in Heaven.

She got tears in her eyes.

I guess she hadn't heard.

I thought everyone had. 

 

 

She got more tears in her eyes as she told me,

she knew we were the perfect family for Bradley to have come to.

I told her I was grateful I knew he was in Heaven with Jesus.

 

I told her about the respiratory failure.

I told her where we buried his body.

And I told her he had served his two year mission and had returned with honor.

 

 

 

I am so proud of him for so many reasons.

 

He never walked, talked, giggled, asked questions, or ran around a store.

But he effected people.

Everyone remembers him.

He was quiet but unique.

And he has left ripples.

All across a pool of people.

 

Tom said tonight at dinner,

 after I recounted the story,

that he is sure Bradley was and is a somebody in Heaven.

A very righteous disciple of Christ.

That he was not a fence sitter.

That he knew who he served

when he took the body he was given.

 

And his salvation was guaranteed through his sacrifice.

It's a lesson I've learned over and over.

"Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven";

especially for Bradley!