So today in church my pastor said that we all have people with whom we are brothers and sisters, whether we are biologically related or not. This got me thinking of Kaleo and the life we shared for eight months. It got me thinking about how much you all meant to me. How great it was to go down to the office and hear the latest hilariously controversial thing that Nate just said or to walk in on Abby punching someone out of pure joy or to be sitting and reading or just chilling my computer and have Katie come over and ask me the deepest and most personal questions she could think of. I miss walking into my room and hearing what new genre of music Bo had discovered and was now obsessed with or walking out into the hallway to see the new way Bob had modified his appearance. I really miss walking into the office and hearing great conversations about the stuff we were learning, or hear JL and Claire and James practicing Greek. I miss hearing borderline but not quite cursing from Matthew as he played dutch blitz or even seeing Johnny wandering around in his boxers outside his room strutting his stuff for the whole hallway. I miss Jeremy's random side flips and his great one liners that always seem to last for months after. I miss walking into the library to see Nick studiously pouring over his recent essay and yet he would always to turn to smile and ask what you were up to. He would also always stop working if you needed help, as if he was already done his essay when he wasn't. I miss sitting in the office and having Kristie randomly ask me some question that I had never thought of and then watch it devolve into relentless sarcasm. I miss Jimbad always sitting in the corner giving advice and wisdom to those of us who were struggling with questions of life and love and why for our essays. I miss worship sessions with Emma who always sang at the feet of her King or Kaitlyn who always prayed in reverence and with bold confidence for every occasion. I miss Mark coming home from Church and telling me how thankful he was for the graciousness of God that day in providing the most simple and pure pleasures like a good meal or a solid conversation. I miss Haley and Nicole arguing about who beats the other more and trying to justify their early morning laughing that disrupts their brother room directly below. I miss Ben's taste for terrible jokes and always wanting to do something fun. I miss how Rivs would never give a serious answer to a question the first time, she always threw out some sarcastic response then would answer seriously as if she hadn't just made a joke. I miss having Marrissa crocheting (spelling???) constantly as she talked with people in the lounge. I miss Trent always whipping past the lounge window on his bike, just playing around having fun. I miss Jenna's laugh (enough said) and I miss how she would completely destroy people in soccer. I miss how Ellie and Jess were always dancing when ever a hip hop beat was being played. I miss Bria's smile (again, enough said). I miss finding out that Jaderade and I loved even more of the same songs and I miss laughing at the hilarious thing that Caroline just said by accident. I miss eating MacDonalds with Matt at every opportunity regardless of location or time of day. I miss Josh period.
I miss hearing all your hearts and having sweet adventures and struggling through pain and suffering together and praying together and learning together. And while some of this stuff still happens thanks to God graciously keeping in contact with one another, it isn't the same now that we are all over the continent. I am not bitter that we had to leave, I am thankful that we had the time we did and that God made a family out of us. Praise Him from whom all blessing flow. To me that means praise God for all of you flowed into my life from Him and out of his grace and his mercy and his steadfast love.
Now the confused part. To be blunt, I feel out of place here on PEI. Lately I have been feeling very much so that I do not want to be here for a whole year. The summer seems long enough as it is. I have some thoughts on where to go but nothing solid. Even still I don't know if I am supposed to stick out the year or leave sooner. I feel like God is keeping me from taking steps to a more permanent life here on PEI. I am trying to discern my place in the fall, where I should be heading. Just any prayers/encouragements/thoughts at all would be greatly welcome.
I love you all very much family, I love you because you loved me and you are all wonderfully made and because I see our Father living in each of you. Grace and peace be with you all. Cheers.
6 comments:
Tim... your making me cry - there goes the nice face I put on for church this morning :) I too miss everything you listed in your post. Tim I miss talking to you - I miss debating with you and hearing your heart and sometimes just listening to you - Listening to how you wrestle with God and struggle to know him more. I remember our bus ride that day at the Olympics it was just us and I remember you saying that God would work out his purposes in me, that it might not be easy and it might not even always feel right but that he would because he is faithful. And let me tell you those words have stuck with me this summer. TIM my favorite image of kaleo is actually of you - sometimes when I pray for kaleo I see it - your sitting on the couch in the lounge and you are clinging to your guitar singing how Great is our God, tears pouring down your face bringing each of us to tears in the lounge at three in the morning right after the first group of Kaleos headed for home. I could almost see your prayer and praise being lifted to God from a contrite heart - a broken heart - true praise. And it was so beautiful because you had stuck to your fast and hadn't played your guitar for so long. I miss you Tim and appreciate all that you brought and continue to bring to K7.
Trust this: no matter where you end up in the fall - the LORD wants to use you. He wants to fill your heart with Joy and he wants his strength to be made perfect in your weakness - he is not expecting great things from you but for you to allow him to do great things through you. Following Christ does not always have the glamour of the Kaleo program sometimes it looks bland in the province of PEI feeling out of place - But Tim - there is purpose there. Keep seeking, keep living, keep following him who promises to lead you.
I am praying for you - and with you, my heart's going out to you brother. Thank you for this post.
i think kaitlyn said it perfect (other than my pretty church face falling off) i cant wait to see you dude and ill be preaying for you
Haha well I had made it through Tim's post with dry eyes, but Kaitlyn's comment undid my composure, Tim there are so many things i miss about you - once again I'm sitting on the skytrain, and reminded of the times we spent here last summer before the big adventure had even begun. I was on the phone with Caroline and sitting in the room at Allana's where you, me and John said our goodbyes. Every single thing seems to remind me of everyone. I keep hearing quotes about brotherhood and friendship all over the place, and I am blessed to know that it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, and a testimony to God's grace and work in my heart that I look back on the year and on the relationships developed with the perspective that I do.
Anyways, now I've missed my stop but that's okay. All this is to say, I very much understand what you're saying about not being bitter but missing everyone enormously.
I will also be praying for real clarity on what is to come for you, where you're supposed to be... I'm eager to see where that is as well because I have seen the Lord use you in huge ways and teach you huge things and I anticipate him giving us many more reasons to praise him for his works in your life in the future.
Next time we talk I would love to hear what your thoughts or ideas are for this next year.
Muchlove brother.
Tim, a word that comes to mind for you is "exposure." I think you need some more of it. And I can't say for sure but I am wondering if you will get enough of it on your little spud-shaped island. Miss you too, man, and I remember that song too (except it was in the office) that seemed to express so well the essence and emotion of this year of Kaleo. Thanks for the memories, Tim! Go make some more.
Timo, I miss our arguments about what is a skill shot and what is just downright cheap on the foozeball table. I think I miss this because I know that we both agreed that it was just downright... spectacular.
I am reminded of that chapel at Mt. Washington when we prayed for each other. That has meant a lot to me, it was a powerful time. I pray today those same things that I prayed that night, that you will grow into a refiner more and more. You have done this at Kaleo, challenging us and yourself, wrestling with God, always seeking out a purer and truer life. I encourage you to keep refining. This may not be any word of guidance or direction, but consider this a call to persevere and wait patiently on the Lord. I have observed you do that this year concerning your music fast, and pray that you may do this again. This verse comes to mind: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
I also read the prayer of the forsaken today in foster's book and i think that it has some good stuff to speak about waiting and listening.
Love you brother. I Miss jumping around with you.
Tim,
this gave me great joy as i read this and reflected about each person thanks for that. the way you perceive things is so refreshing and.. seek to learn more is inspiring.
Tim i will pray for you . God has huge things for you planned out. (bigger than an elephant.)
Enjoy this time of rest or even confusion because its building up your hunger for the 'next big thing', and there will be a 'next big thing', until than continue learning as you always do, continue disciplining to your colleagues, and i can't wait to see what our God has in store for you. And Tim you are a inspiration to me you have grown hugely this past year, and have truly loved us all. how appropriate of you to write this post.
so Enjoy the day. Dive in and take care :)
p.s visit anne for me will you?
Post a Comment