One of my earliest posts was called "My Hero." It was about my dear brother, Rod. He would have turned 54 today. I can only imagine what he would have been like at this age. Still singing, encouraging people, making friends every where he went, and still making people laugh.
I taught our Youth Sunday school class earlier this year and spent quite a bit of time talking about Rod. While I was working on my lesson, the memories really flooded. He had more pain, but lived with more determination, joy, and enthusiasm, than anyone I have ever known.
What a brother he was! He had an incredible wit. You never got the last word with Rod. He had a comeback for anything you threw his way. I know, because this was the source of many fights between the two of us! As we got older, he knew when he was about to push me over the edge and would say something that would just crack me up.
Hearing him sing was a powerful experience. The second verse of "I'm Just Warming Up" with the words "all my pain and sorrow, up there I will forget", could not have been sung with more power or passion by anyone else.
If anyone had the "right" to question his circumstances or try to find someone to blame, it was Rod. But I can still hear him, not many months before his death, as we spoke about all he had been through in his life. He said, "Kathy, whenever I'm tempted to question or feel sorry for myself, I just read the book of Job. I can't complain."
Happy birthday, dear hero!
14 comments:
Wow! Your brother sounds amazing! Him and my mom are partying together now!!!
My Mom is there, too! It's gonna be a great reunion someday!!
sis mcelhaney you did a fabulous job teaching us it was really good the people who rarely listen in class were just listening to every word you said you did an amazing job I hope they get to invite you again!
Hey Chris,
Thanks SO much for saying that! I love our young people and want all of you to be saved!
Hi Sis. McElhaney. Thank you for what you shared about your brother here. It sounds like he had a wonderful attitude. I couldn't help but think of my older dear brother who passed from this life in 2011. So thankful we both have a hope of seeing our brothers again!
Hello Sis. Connell,
It is a blessed hope, isn't it?
I've always loved that last pic of you and your brother :)
It's one of my favorites, too. There's a ton of love, joy and laughter captured in it!
He used to tell me Happy Birthday on March 2... Because we both got the Holy Ghost and baptized on 3-2-75. He loved to see that confused look on my face (my BD is in May) until I got it... :)
He was so fun to be with. So glad my family made it to Truth Tabernacle in time to become friends with him and live right down the street from him too! One day after school, I was one of the last students waiting for my ride to pick me up, I didn't know what else to do so I just walked to his house since it was closer to the school than my house. He immediately called my dad and said, "Larry, come pick up your kid." At least that's how I remember the story. I also remembe crying and crying unashamedly at his funeral. Though I was a little girl when he died, I still have many fond memories of him!
Also....in the picture of him from the drama....who is the little girl in the back to the right?
Kathy, that is an awesome memory! Sounds like something he would do.
Nicole,
Your family was so special to Rod in the few years he knew you. He loved you all so much!
I zoomed in on the original and I think it might be Ashley or Brittany (one of the Regnart twins)? I couldn't tell for sure.
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