Awake

 

 This photo of Tim was taken earlier this year, yes the garter was on the football!!!

Finding myself awake at 2:00 am and what do I do but look at Facebook!  I am glad I did. I was able to read more about my nephew Tim....not only that but thinking as well about the service on Saturday celebrating his life. As I mentioned in a previous post, I learned football by watching both Tim (and Rob) play.  As a young adult, I would sit with my sister and she would say, "Now watch Tim (#12) he going to pass the football and try to do this....." and on it went till I got the gist. 

Then as my son Jake played, Tim was so excited to see his cousin play football. He was one of his greatest mentors and to say the least, one of his greatest supporters!  Since Tim was a high school football coach himself, he was disappointed that he couldn't make a lot of Jake's games but I remember him calling me Jake's senior year and saying, "Sis, I can make all of Jake's home games but one." He was pumped! 

Throughout the years I would hear stories about the teams he coached. Needless to say he was passionate about the guys and the game. Now I do not have half the passion of football that Tim did, though I thoroughly enjoy watching the game-especially the Ravens!  Saturday at the service, many of the Panthers 2007 team lined up as one of the young men, Chris recalled the years Tim was their coach. To hear the impact he made on these young men was another reminder of the man he was.  (Tim was famous for writing in all caps, and apparently many people said something to him, he knew what it meant, but for the most part he didn't care:-0! But I smile because that shows his passion!)  This, among many other things is an email Chris shared with us from Tim to his 2007 team ...

"IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW PROUD I AM OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. IF YOU COULD ONLY FEEL IT FOR A MINUTE, YOU'D BE FLOORED. YOU ALL DO NOT REALIZE HOW PROUD I WAS AT THE END OF EACH PRACTICE, IN THE HALLWAYS, AT THAT LONG REACH SCRIMMAGE, AT THE END OF THAT JOPPATOWNE GAME, THAT LINGANORE GAME (NOW THAT WAS MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!), THAT BEAUTIFUL SATURDAY AFTERNOON VS.TJ,THAT DESTRUCTION OF WESTMINSTER, THAT HOMECOMING (PUT THAT IN YOUR ARTICLE) GAME, THAT TUSCARORA THRILLER, AND ESPECIALLY LEADING YOU OFF OF THE FIELD AT PERRY HALL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZED IT, BUT I MADE DAMN SURE I WAS THE ONE LEADING YOU TO THE LOCKERROOM ONE LAST TIME. YOU ALL NEVER POINTED FINGERS (TEAM), NEVER MADE EXCUSES (PRIDE). YOU PUSHED EACH OTHER TO WORK HARD (COMMITMENT) AND YOU HELD ONE ANOTHER ACCOUNTABLE(LOVE). THAT IS SEVERELY UNCOMMON FOR THE AVERAGE TEENAGER, BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU WERE ANYTHING BUT AVERAGE, YOU FINISHED IN FIRST PLACE. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FIRST IN MY HEART BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU."

Tim had an infectious enthusiasm, an exuberant heart, and a genuine love for people. He displayed passion and compassion. Tim had lot of good words about many things and he lived out his faith. Thank you Lord for the gift of Tim.
 

"Tim, gone from our presence but not from our hearts...."