Friday, June 25, 2010

an uncomfortable gospel

This post (another one from The Run a Muck) struck deep for Aron & I. Jesus had/has a way of turning the wisdom of the world upside down and inside out, and frankly...that's a little uncomfortable for we fleshy spirit beings who love the comfort of what we can wrap our minds around. I would LOVE, love your thoughts on this.

ejk


an uncomfortable gospel

by AMBER on JUNE 24, 2010

in FAITH, HOME IN THE SKY, SETH WRITES, CHURCH

The following is a post by Seth, my amazing husband. ———-

I wish Jesus would have said, “it is easier for a camel to walk into heaven than for a rich man to walk through the eye of the needle.” Then, we could all move to the middle east and hitch a ride with the nearest caravan.

I wish Jesus would have said only “love the Lord your God with all your mind and strength.” Then, doctrine and moral uprightness would justify our exclusivity, our honor for a good Pharisee.

I wish Jesus would have said “render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesars and leave a tenth for me.” Then, by my estimation, I’d get to keep about sixty-five percent of my honest-day’s wage.

I wish Jesus would have said, “go give your pops a proper funeral before you follow me.” Then, I could hold out until my dad dies.

I wish Jesus would have said, “unless you eat a cracker and drink some unfermented grape juice once every four months or so, you have no life in you.” Then ritual would take the place of metaphor, making my Sunday mornings much more appetizing, though admittedly less intoxicating.

I wish Jesus would not have said, “if any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sister, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Then, I could continue to elevate country, politics, holy wars, and my opinion of each over the homesickness of faith.

This space is difficult and uncomfortable. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot stretch myself thread-thin. I am part of a people. And we are all trapped between earth and the eye of a very small needle.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Raising the dead in me

Wow, God has really poured out his love on me through some special people in my life. Yesterday I got an email from a friend encouraging me that God had laid me on her heart to be praying for me this week...Jesus fighting for my heart as He knew the enemy was attacking & I was struggling. He loves us like that. He pursues, He fights, He raises the dead in us. And today, a quick phone call for advice on birthday parties turned into what felt like the voice of God speaking straight to my heart. Through this precious and wise friend, God opened my eyes to see things from a completely different perspective. The world looks differently when you view it through your woundedness. And let me tell you, that is no way to live. Its amazing how truth shatters the deception and colors your world. I feel as if my soul can breathe again.

Thank you, Jesus, that it is for freedom you have set us free.

Thank you, friends, for knowing the heart of our God and sharing His truth with me.

Thank you, Father, for calling me your child. For disciplining me, for caring for my heart. For the gentle way you correct and teach. For not giving me what I deserve. For loving me in a way I cannot fathom.
ejk

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

This week

It's been a bit quiet on KirkHaven,
but not in KirkHaven. There has been much going on, in the here & now and below the surface.

Its been a weird week for me emotionally. I feel like I'm fighting a 'heart war' on two fronts...the same hurt, from two completely differing circumstances/situations. Like many people, my initial reaction is withdrawl when I am hurting. And when you try to live your life authentically with transparency, sometimes its hard to know how much to say. Sometimes silence is best until you can sort out the source. I am learning...when a wound erupts, when the old feelings flow, when you can see them coming - I, we, need an 'other-world' remedy. Nothing of this world will soothe.

But in the mean time, in the middle of the praying and the questions and the sorting through the heartaches that this journey of life brings each of our ways, there has been beauty. I am overwhelmingly blessed. Here are a few of those moments this past week.

Belle on Father's day; she's so, so, so excited to meet her friends at the beach.
I wanted to give Aron the gift of an amazing day, so I contacted some friends to arrange a day at the beach & most importantly (for him) a game of ultimate frisbee with a group of guys.
I think there were 10 or so that played; the thrill of a pumping heart and the rub of healthy competition was good for his soul.

This week my first mate (belle) is oh-so-excited to be able to sail the high seas at VBS

Admiral Aron & the Scurvy Sea Urchins
Today was 'Crazy Hair Day'. After donning his goldy locks, Aron asked me if he looked like Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall. I don't know about that, but Barby K. & I agreed its a little creepy how 'pretty' he looks in it!
All the girls in the nursery were 'wild' over Lion Cub's crazy hair.
And the big teenage girls were smitten with his mane too.
He has no fear these days; he bounds up a flight of stairs often before I realize he is out of my sight.
And now has 6 teeth!
Daddy & his very happy girl.

ejk

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

In the words of...

one Don Paul Kirk....
"Simple."
We are easily entertained.
ejk

Sunday, June 13, 2010

you should see the other guy...

Judah got in a fight with the side walk.
His lips look & chin look good compared to his upper gums. The sidewalk took a slice of the gum from his tooth to the roof of his mouth.
His mouth was full of blood. I, being the experienced nurse, grabbed a cool cloth and tried to hold pressure to stop the bleeding... then handed the baby to Aron so I could lay with my feet over my head to keep from passing out.
I can clean up vomit, I can start IV's, I can clean wounds down to the bone, I even caught an old man's poopie the other day before it hit the floor (gloved hands, of course)...but if my baby is bleeding, you can find me fighting the urge to faint out in another room.
It didn't help that floating in the puddles of blood in his tiny mouth, I saw what looked like a tooth...which actually turned out to be a sliver of almond from the granola we had been eating.

aye aye aye...
ejk

Saturday, June 12, 2010

lakey lakey

After arriving home a bit late from work, we decided to implement Code R-e-l-a-x:
So for 5.98 we had 2 simply delicious meals for a perfect evening picnic on the lake.
Click here for your own coupon & we highly recommend the double cheese cheesesteak.















ejk