David Ray

David Ray Thompson, Jr
June 9, 1977 - June 4, 2010



Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God has laid you see.
I took His hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free.

David Ray went to be with the Lord on June 4th, just a few days before his 1 year anniversary and his 33rd birthday. Although it was so hard to say goodbye, after many months of suffering there is comfort in knowing that he is no longer in pain. Perhaps even harder than the first goodbye, were the days following, as it slowly sank in that he wouldn't be back. Sam said after the funeral as the family was all together, I just keep waiting for him to get here. It will never be the same without him. Click here to read about sweet David.... he was truly an amazing person.

I was so proud of Sam at David's funeral. He stood up and fought back his tears and told everyone in the church what a wonderful brother he had. It was something I never could done, but he really wanted everyone to know the David Ray that he did. He wore his outfit from David's wedding, just one year ago. He knew that David would have loved that. He talked about that day -his beautiful bride Ashleigh, and the morning surfing that they shared together. He said that his brother told him that it was the best day of his life, and Sam said it was the most fun they ever had together.




And then he spoke of the amazing servant that David was. He read Hebrews 13:1-2, "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." He told everyone that no matter who they were, if they knew Sam or anyone in their family and they called David for help, even if he didn't know them, he would drop everything to go help. And that is so true. Even in his last months of life, he would go check on our house every single day and send us pictures. That was often the only time he left the house because he was so tired and in so much pain, but he knew it made his little brother so happy. Sam challenged everyone there to follow that way of life, to live for others and not for yourself. And then he raised the bar even higher, he challenged us to treat people of all walks of life like your family. He described all of David's tattoos and piercings and explained that nothing on the outside changed his love of the Lord and others on the inside. He begged us to not judge others but to love everyone. I think that the least we can do for my poor brokenhearted boy is to honor these wishes.