Daisy's baptism day

I had originally included this post at the end of my previous post, but excluded it at the last minute because of its sensitive nature. I wanted to check with a member of the Taylor family for appropriateness and was given a green light, so here goes:

Many of the readers of this blog know the Taylor family. Brent and Bryan Taylor went to school with Justin and I, and Brent is one of Justin's very best friends. After Justin went on his mission, Brent was one of the lone friends who hadn't left yet (he had a late birthday) and while he waited for his call he and I (and friends) got to hang out for several months and become good friends ourselves. My parents affectionately refer to Brent as "Captain Courageous" due to his ROOK strategies when he played with us as a rookie but took risks like he'd been playing for years (ROOK has been the Ellsworth family game for decades). Brent has always and continues to be someone that Justin and I have so much respect for and we consider he and his wife, Jennie, dear friends.

We were shocked to hear last weekend that Brent's youngest brother, Troy (15), had taken his own life. It's not my business or story to include more details, but we were and are so sad for he and his family. We love them and we have been praying for them, and ask those of you who know them to do so as well. Justin decided last minute to drive up to UT with his friend David to surprise Brent and be there to support him at the funeral. Justin said it was an amazing service and very touching. I am so inspired (if that is even the right word to describe it) as I look at the pictures and see all six of the remaining Taylor sons. Five of the Six are currently serving our country in the Army National Guard and the other is currently on active duty. At least three of them (to my knowledge, maybe more) have served and sacrificed for our country overseas at war. One of them was serving in Iraq at the time of Troy's death and was released from duty to return home to his family. I imagine in these pictures below, these men are completing what is likely the most difficult task that they have ever been assigned...

Troy was so much younger than the rest of the boys that they spent a lot of time carrying him around, nurturing him and loving on him when he was a child. I imagine that those tender memories make this loss that much more difficult for them.

I don't doubt that those who end their own lives this way do so because they are experiencing a pain that only Heavenly Father truly understands and can see. Justin and I have both lost grandfathers to suicide. We were not privileged enough to meet either of them in this life. More important for me personally to remember is not how my grandfather died, but how he lived before he lost sight of himself. I do not think his (or Troy's) judgment will be made solely based on how his life ended. All things will be taken into account. All the good he did, the service he rendered to his God, family and community, the fight that he fought with his pain for so long before giving up, will all be visible and will speak on his behalf. I believe our Heavenly Father takes all things into account and with a great deal of love and compassion, will provide opportunities for our loved ones to redeem themselves so we will all be together again one day, as is my prayer for the Taylor family and their youngest son, Troy.

If you knew the Taylors, you can view the obituary and sign the guestbook HERE