Timothy Nunn, Rest in Peace

Today I attended the funeral of Timothy Nunn, a fourteen-year-old boy, the son of one of my former teachers.  I had only met him once when he was small.  He was in apparently good health and died unexpectedly while on a Boy Scout trip in New Mexico.  As the pastor said in his sermon, "This isn't the way it's supposed to be."  As a parent, I cannot imagine the pain of burying a child.

I was very impressed with descriptions of this young man.  In particular, one of his Boy Scout leaders eulogized that Timmy embodied the Boy Scout oath and law.  I grew up with two brothers in scouting and was familiar with its tenets, but I have never given them much thought.

The Boy Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

The Boy Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

I would love to raise a son that people would describe as embodying the above, and I congratulate the Nunns on a job well done.  I pray for consolation for Timmy's family and friends during this time of sorrow, and for eternal rest for Timmy.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.  And let perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.