Kindercare and Retirement Homes

This picture is of me with my Grandma Kirby- my mother's mother. She has been living with my mom and dad for about the last 15 years. She is a delight to my heart and to everyone who knows her. She contributes to the family in numerous ways and she enjoys the daily love and care of her family.

My wife's grandmother passed away yesterday after the long decline of alzheimer's. She was Stephanie's last living grandparent. Yesterday while I changed my son's diaper and enjoyed his young smile, I was struck by the fact that our lives begin and end in vulnerable need. Both children and elderly folks need a loving, helping hand.

What greater privilege do we have but to care for (or BE cared for by) our children and our parents as they need us (or as WE need THEM)? And yet on any city mainstreet in America you'll find dozens of "childcare centers" and "retirement communities." Are we really so busy (or so disconnected) that we find it easier to pay someone else to care for our immediate family so we don't have to mess with their needs?

In more "family-centric" cultures, this phenomenon doesn't exist- families stick together from beginning to end, making necessary adjustments to ensure that everyone's needs are met. I think our busy American culture has begun to bow down at the altar of wealth and affluence and has sacrificed one of the richest blessings any of us can enjoy- nearness and needs of our own family. Will you team up with me to help resist this modern trend? Let us live and love well, and enjoy the priceless treasure of a loving family!

The One Thing That Separates Us From God

"...there is only one thing that separates us from God, and it is not our sin. It is our self-righteousness." The Good and Beautiful God page 102

Wow. Really? Yes! Sin has been taken care of through the Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. The new challenge is to continually remember that this isn't my righteousness or my holiness. To think so only feeds the pride of my flesh. It is indeed righteousness APPLIED to me. It is not because of my own merit or worth that my faith is counted as righteousness. No. Jesus is righteous on my behalf. And so therefore, yes, the righteousness in me is indeed perfect, but I am not the source of it. What greater priviledge can there be but to be containers of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ?

Lord Jesus, let this reminder foster genuine humility deep within me so that I can bask in Your righteousness and delight in it as I see it manifested through me. You have made me for the purpose of displaying your love and grace to everyone I meet. Thank you LORD!

The Metamorphosis

I saw the change- the evolution took place
Your heart grew with compassion behind the same beautiful face
Like an explosion from heaven raining down care and concern
My Beauty was carried past the point of no return

From a small child you had joy and not a care in the world
Nurtured in wisdom, you were a loved and blessed girl
As you thrived and matured you learned to be an excellent lover
And the depth of your strength only began to be uncovered

Until one day out of love new hearts started to beat
A precious new life, a divinely creative feat
And that’s when I saw it right before my eyes
You blossomed into a mother worthy of heaven’s greatest prize

So I’m filled with thankfulness, amazement and joys
At the metamorphosis of my wife through this precious little boys
You have always been beautiful and your beauty will surely grow
Because your love for our children has only begun to show!

Written by Kirby for Stephanie on Mother's Day, 2004

School Days Have Begun!

I remember when Benjamin was born feeling the mental image of someone clicking to start a stopwatch as his life began. And today I had a similar feeling as I dropped him off at his first day of kindergarten. Seasons of life change and it is hard to believe we are already into the school years. There were a few tears today both from Ben and from me, but tears mixed with excitement and anticipation.

It is a step toward the eventual goal of independence- or rather, interdependence- that is, dependence upon God. I remember when I was little my dad showed me his hand and said that I was in his hand like a little bird. He always said that someday he would completely open up his hand and I would fly away. And now the tables are turned and I am the one holding a small bird in the palm of my hand. I am so excited to be a part of watching him learn how to fly! Be sure to check out my facebook page to view a few videos of the big 1st day of school!

Simpler Things

Why does everything seem so complicated and cumbersome these days? Everyone seems to be so busy that getting together for breakfast can be a task to coordinate our busy schedules. It feels to me like time is spinning out of control on some days.

Well, I want to commit myself to deliberately enjoy the simpler things. The simple things are often the biggest gifts, you know. A little good morning kiss from my wife, a chuckle when I tickle baby Britton's belly, the purple shadows on Pikes Peak when I walk to get the paper, the incredible intricate beauty of a Colorado columbine flower, the excitement and curiosity of Benjamin. Times pass before we know it, and I don't want the joy of these simpler things to be overshadowed by neverending urgent tasks and goals. Life is too short to miss the gift of simple joys!

Stretching

Muscles need to be stretched. I know that sitting around doing nothing isn't best for my muscles, so I exercise and stretch. I feel better when I stretch and keep my muscles conditioned and active.

Stretching applies to life, too. We need to be stretched. Our modern western thinking conditions us to try to provide for the most comfort and the least stretching possible. But it isn't good for us to just sit around in absolute comfort all the time. This leads only to atrophy. Stretching contributes to strength.

Just when I think I can't do it, a little perseverance and prayer pushes me past the point I thought I would crumble. I experienced it last weekend hiking farther than I should have, running low on food and water with miles of difficult terrain still ahead. But it stretched me and now I am stronger because of it. (So are you, Nathan!)

Just as our muscles need to be stretched, so do our lives. We should embrace and even seek out stretching experiences. Otherwise, we send our lives down the road toward atrophy- "a wasting away or progressive decline."

"...we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope..." Romans 5:3-4

The Grace of Doing Nothing

"This will be pretty scary at first for most of us... The command ['Keep the Sabbath holy'] is 'Do no work.' Just make space... Learn that you don't have to do to be. Accept the grace of doing nothing. Stay with it until you stop jerking and squirming." -Dallas Willard, pg 36 of The Great Omission

This idea of doing nothing flies in the face of the productive American mindset. "I've just gotta get stuff done." Well, frankly, you don't. There will ALWAYS be more work to do. So God graciously commands us to stop work every week. He intended the Sabbath to restore us.

A whole day of rest. No work. Only relationship, rest and restoration. We must discipline ourselves (counter to our productive instincts) to keep the Sabbath day set apart for extending ourselves the grace of doing nothing. Let us be careful not to fill "rest day"with tiring activities, even activities deemed sacred.