Tomorrow we'll go to his memorial service.
His daughter in law messaged me yesterday and asked if I'd bake a few dozen cookies for after the service. You see, Brian loved goodies, so we're going to celebrate his life and then enjoy some milk and cookies. I don't know whose idea that was, but it's perfect. I'm sure that Brian would love to see us all standing around munching on home-baked bits of goodness.
So today, I bake...and remember him.
Brian was a wonderful man, extremely generous and thoughtful. He would give you the shirt off of his back or the burger off of his plate. Whatever someone needed, Brian would do what he could to get it for them.
He was gifted in fixing things and building things. I can't remember how many times we called Brian to ask for advice regarding our home-owner-horror stories nor how many times he came over to set things right.
He loved his tools (and he had a lot of them!) but he was always happy to loan them out. In fact, I was constantly reminded of what it means to value people over things (even prized possessions) by witnessing Brian's actions.
I never heard him say anything unkind about anyone. Not once.
Brian was always thinking about others and their comfort and happiness. One time I was at his house for a women's ministry meeting of some sort. I had brought Delaney with me. (She was about 8 years old at the time.) She was getting quite bored as the women assembled there were having our meeting. Well, Brian must have sensed her boredom, too, because he grabbed a couple of popsicles and invited her into the adjoining room to chat. I could overhear them talking. He asked her what kinds of pictures she'd been drawing lately and what her favorite animal was, all sorts of kids' stuff. That might not have been the easiest thing for him because he wasn't someone who talked much. Yet it was important to him for visitors to be happy and comfortable in his home, no matter what their age and regardless of their inability to admire his new 54-piece socket wrench set.
Yeah, Brian didn't talk a lot, yet his actions spoke lavishly of loving others and walking humbly with God.
So today, with misty eyes, I am mixing some sugar, flour and real butter in a bowl, getting ready to dollop spoonfuls of it onto a baking sheet...and remembering the good things that comprised a precious man named Brian.
We love you, Brian.
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