A Week Ago Today...

A week ago today, My Father passed away due to a hunting accident.  While there is so much I have in me that is aching to get out, the time is just not right.  I am hesitant to post this, but know how much it has helped people and going to continue to help them in the days to come.  My husband Nick, was given the honor to officiate my Father memorial service.  While it was extremely hard for him as he was dealing with the grief of losing a Father figure, friend, and mentor, the words he spoke brought so much comfort, that I just have to share.  Peace be with you all~Kassie

Thank you for coming here today to celebrate the life and memories of Tim Bush. The family has been humbled, honored, and encouraged by your presence here today and your gestures of love during this past week.

Tim Bush, to me, was a man’s man. He led a quiet life and worked hard with his hands. He respected and honored others. He was the type of guy that rooted for the underdog. He loved to hunt and fish. He could cook any type of meat in any manner you could think of and he loved to share with whoever was hungry.  But most importantly, he knew how to love. Proverbs tells us “above all else guard your hearts for they are the well spring of life.” Tim in his own way was able to guard your heart. Whether you were his family, friends, neighbor, coworker, a principle, or a student in the hallway being picked on by bullies, Tim knew how to love you in the way you needed to be loved. He knew how to stop and invest and protect your heart in a subtle way that you are somebody, that you are valued.

Over the last few days I have been really struggling with why such a terrible thing had to happen to such a great person like Tim. Really it’s the age old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people.” Especially the best ones like Tim. It is in Tim’s life that I believe to have found my response.

A few months ago the water supply for the town of Macy went bad and Tim gathered a truckload of donations of water and sanitary wipes to take up to the town. Just a few weeks ago Macy had a tornado go through it and Tim went up there with his chain saw to help remove trees. Though these were the most recent of Tim’s acts of servant hood and love, they are not the only ones. From saving the neighborhood cats to helping the elderly evacuate the Benson Towers from a fire, Tim was always there when help was needed. Tim had seen plenty of bad things happen in his lifetime and Tim knew they were inevitable. Tim also knew it was his job to do whatever he could to help in those times of need. 

It is because of Tim’s willingness to help regardless of the cost that I am now able to look and see that the question is not why do bad things happen to good people but what do good people do when bad things happen. Bad things will happen, hard times will come, they are out of my control but what I can control is my response to those moments. Yes what happened to Tim really sucks but, I also know Tim would want me to press on. He would want me to continue to love and encourage my family and to never fail to lend a helping hand when needed. I believe the best way I can honor Tim and I encourage you to do the same, is to continuing living our lives in such away that instills peace, hope, and love in the hearts of those around us. To fight for what is good and pure and bring light and healing to the broken world around us, just as Tim did. And I will leave you with this verse from Ephesians 2:10; "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I believe Tim gave us a pretty good example of what this looks like. It is my prayer that you will not let the bad things that happen in life let you miss the opportunities to protect the hearts of those in your life and do the good things God has prepared in advance for you to do.