I was thinking about my brother, Rex and was remembering his funeral. He died in 1999 at age 33 of a brain tumor. He was my older brother but was developmentally delayed. Emotionally he was about an 9 year old boy.

When he died a lot of my worries left with him because I was already thinking about who would take care of him in his old age if I passed before him. Taking care of a special needs person, young or old, is a real problem in this country. Families are left to figure out a lot of stuff on their own. I was sorry he died so young but I was comforted that his suffering, physical and emotional, was over. He had a firm testimony of Christ and was not afraid of death. That was a real gift to me.

At the funeral home Rob and I had to plan the program for his funeral services. I was stumped for the music because the typical funeral church hymns just didn’t have Rex’s personality in them.

I don’t remember now how it happened, but I was sitting in a church meeting of some sort when the song “Be Thou Humble” was played and I burst into tears. I knew that was the song for my brother. At the last minute the funeral home reprinted his programs with that song inserted.

It has been 13 years since Rex passed and I still get choked up when that song is played.

What hymn touches your soul?

PS. On a brighter note, Rob and my’s song is Hark The Herald Angels Sing since he proposed to me during sacrament meeting while the congregation was singing that song. Great song, but difficult to have your First Dance to at the wedding reception.