No one should

Early this morning we got word that our next door neighbors son Taylor, their only son, the son they loved so fiercely, died. He was playing in the first football game of the year, and was struck in the side. I don't know what exactly happened.

Walking in the home this morning was surreal. People were standing around in shock. The boy's dad, a decorated SF major was still in ACUs, as he had been away at drill when the call came in the night before. I walked up to him and hugged him. We cried for a couple of seconds. We talked for a minute about how his wife was doing, how was he doing? That sort of thing. I let him know we were asking everyone to pray for him, his wife and their family. Then he led me into his office.

He asked me if I'd look over his son's obituary - to see if it was okay. He was due at the funeral home and had to leave in a minute. Here was a man who in the course of his service has probably had to write someone's family a letter, telling them that their son "died valiantly in the service of his country and the defense of freedom. That he was "a great soldier and a credit to the company/division/regiment whatever." But now he was concerned with making sure that his own son's life was summed up well.

I had already given him the benefit of my years of studying the Scriptures by crying with him. Now I gave him what I could from my years as a writer. "There's no way to say it all, today." Taylor was an incandescent spirit. He lived in a perpetual state of smile, it seemed to us next door. Unfailingly polite, frequently funny, one of those kids who just seemed to be headed for great things. "What you've written is good. Others will write a lot more." And he headed out to the funeral home, his son's obituary in his hand.

I hate it for him - for Kathy, Taylor's mother. I hate it happened. No one should ever have to write his 15 year old son's obituary. No one should.

So today we weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. We pray for our friends next door with an empty room for the first time in 15 years. We pray that the grace of Christ will flood in and cause the darkness to flee. We pray for everyone who hurts tonight, and since this is a small town, there's a lot of people hurting. And we remember again just how sin-sick this world is. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Taylor Haugen, we'll miss you. But we will see you again.

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:20-21 (NLT)