Brother Oley

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

- John Piper (Don't Waste Your Life)

Tonight was Brother Oley Brown's "Celebration of Life" Memorial Service. I met Brother Oley at a youth retreat in 7th grade. It was my first experience going on any trips with the church (I've been going to ever since) and I felt a little uncomfortable. I had friends there and I was super outgoing, but it still didn't feel like home just yet. The few things I can remember about this weekend 7 years ago was that it rained the whole time, rock climbing is great exercise, and Brother Oley. I remember he was just there to help out and before we knew it, he had broken out his harmonica and we were all clapping and cheering for Jesus! Oley was a wrinkly faced, (then) 88 year old man with a huge smile and an even bigger heart. In all the years that I've known him, I've never seen him in a lousy mood. He LOVED helping with youth and preaching to us. When I came home from the retreat that Sunday night, I talked mostly of this sweet old man and his passionate heart. Also about how much he seemed to love us. I just can't say enough good things about this man.

Neither could anyone else, tonight at his service. Brother Oley passed away at the end of February this year, right after celebrating his anniversary with his wife of 72 years, Elsie. They were such a sweet couple who really showed what a marriage founded on The Rock looks like. Everyone was talking about how wonderful he was; how he begged to continue to mow the church lawn and baseball fields and how he wanted to drive youth to Camp Sharon, both when he was in his late 80's and early 90's. The man had such a hard working, obedient heart for Jesus! He even went on a mission trip to Honduras when he was 85!! By surrendering his life to God and allowing Him to do all He wanted through Oley, he preached his own funeral with the amazing legacy he left behind.

Oley wasn't a pastor or a worship leader. God had not called him to live overseas or adopt orphans from third world countries. God called Olaf Brown to lay bricks, serve in the army, love his sweet wife with everything he had in him, mow the church lawn, sadly (but for the glory of God) bury two of his children, and play that harmonica with all he had in him! Oley blessed others with such a humble life of his own.

This is the first death of someone I loved that I have encountered where I wasn't sad when I heard the news. All I could think about was the last time I saw Brother Oley (this summer when he and Elsie were visiting our church and talking about their 71st wedding anniversary and how God has blessed them so) and his radiant smile. I knew that Brother Oley was FINALLY home. After spending 95 years on this earth and letting God's light and Jesus' love flow freely through him as a vesicle for others, Oley was finally where he's always belonged. I feel SO blessed to have known such a wonderful, wonderful man.

Tonight, listening to all of the things people had to say about him, I realized something. I, under NO circumstances, want to waste my life. Not even a day. I want to be twenty years into retirement working hard for Jesus in all the ways He's calling me to. The only way I can do this is to truly surrender my life and all of my beloved possessions to God for Him to do with them as He so pleases. Through the marvelously exciting to the excruciatingly devastating, I want God's steady peace and joy in my life, and I want to glorify Him in every step I take for this is the only way to truly live.

Olaf Brown

December 10, 1915 -- February 23, 2011

Oley & wife of 72 years, Elsie

Playing the harmonica

72nd Anniversary card on display at Brother Oley's "Celebration of Life" memorial service