Monday, February 08, 2010

peace in the valley

suffering loss feels like getting punched in the gut- it knocks the wind out of you. that's what i felt like when i learned of bro tim's passing. and i feel guilt at not knowing sooner, because i haven't been keeping current on my blog buddies' posts or really even circulating around the blogosphere much lately. i don't know that i have even wrapped my mind around the fact that tim is gone. i have blogging in some capacity for a few years now and in that time, i have found many kind, generous people; people who believe strongly in humanity and fairness and compassion. i have been lucky to belong to this network of bloggers and call them my friends. that isn't something that i take lightly- and anyone who reads here or has read here knows i don't make friends easily. enemies, on the other hand..... ;)

i don't remember exactly when or how i made bro tim's acquaintance- i believe he commented here and that was it- we were off to the races... i made the trip over to his blog and found out he was a 'churchie' but that he had peace signs all over the place and his posts didn't sound like a typical right wing 'churchie.' i was intrigued that he hadn't tried to convert me- and so began our friendship. there is no doubt that tim was a christian- he loved god and jesus and he didn't shy away from that. we talked scriptures and rhetoric and dogma and he didn't mind that i was a heathen at all. he was like that- inclusive. he would go out of his way to understand where i was trying to go in a post- not an easy task especially when i rant and sometimes he would go back to his place and post a response that i couldn't help but agree with.

bro tim was an activist and advocate for all of his god's people- gay, straight and beyond, women, children, minority groups- hell, he even defended the right when he believed they were right on an issue. he didn't back down and he didn't shy away but he was always willing to apologize when he felt he needed to. i admired his courage and conviction--- and integrity.

most recently, we had reconnected on facebook. i think it was a fun place for both of us to leave the ugliness of reality and war and essentially the world's issues for a time and just be. some of my fondest memories will be the strategy sessions for our cafe over the chat and the moments when chat would pop up and he would tell me 'quick, i have a pink cow for you' :) he knew i liked the colored cows the best in farmville. he was my blog buddy and my facebook buddy but most of all- he was my friend. i miss him terribly and there will be a hole in my heart for a long time.

namaste bro tim.

6 comments:

Jolly Roger said...

The Brother was a Christian like my minister grandfather was-if you WANTED to be converted, he was ready to take you in that direction, but he wasn't going to push it on you.

I have a lot of respect for the way Tim went about what he did. I also have a lot of respect for the fact that he actually believed in the New Testament's Jesus, a man most of today's "Christians" know almost nothing of.

I made a small post about the Brother when I found out what happened to him. I was too stunned at the time to say much more; I was thinking of going to Kansas later this year and would have made a trip to STL for the purpose of meeting him. I will have more to say on the subject later.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Hi Betmo.
I'm crying, kid.
As a person of Faith, I can tell you I believe I'll see Bro Tim again, but as a human sitting here, facing a blinking screen, and now having the answer to "I wonder why Bro Tim hasn't posted in awhile(at his "Blog of Revelation")...I simply feel sad, and even a bit angry.
I had so hoped to see him, in-person, at a peace event or rally.
Perhaps we can create a Peace Day(Maybe February 1st, the day of his passing?) for Brother Tim. I think that would be a great tribute.
Be kind to yourself, Betmo. You're a super-chick, and I love ya, kid.
Keep crocheting, and remember the pink cows! ;)

SadButTrue said...

Condolences. I didn't know much about Tim, but had seen his comments here and at JR's blog. He seems to have conducted himself in faith matters much as our own RevPhat does. There is no real reason for non-believers to have any quarrel with believers as long as neither exerts the dubious 'right' to control how someone else lives. This is a simple consequence of the Golden Rule that fundamentalists of all religions prefer to ignore.

R.I.P. Tim.

TomCat said...

He was a true friend over the course of many years. His picture is on termanent desplay in my sidebar to honor him and help us remember his example.

Dave Dubya said...

It is both rare and beautiful to see a person who actually left this world a bit more kind, loving, compassionate and informed place.

He left us with so much to soften the sadness of our loss. Our memories of Brother Tim will eventually bring more cheer to our lives.

I believe we are all better people for having his life touch ours.

HAPPY IN NEVADA said...

Thanks for your wonderful tribute, Billie.

Bro' Tim was a FB friend; I still have a wonderful 'blessing' he sent to me a while back - at least I can still look at his smiling face on his blog (and I hope they let it stay 'alive' in his memory).

A very kind and special human being he seemed to be - truly one with a huge heart.

Diane