Trick or Treat 2010 - a few snapshots

He. Is. So. Faithful.

There are seasons when the cold winds of circumstance swirl around you, the shadows of disappointment cast over you, and shuttering in the quiet place, you ask yourself the age old question, "Can I trust your heart toward me is good? Even in this?"

October found us in this place. Knowing not where to turn, but only that He is the only Good worth pursuing, we leaned into the cold, into the shadows, and invited Him to expose us to the elements to bring us face to face with Him. Our hearts stripped bear as the trees around us, we stood raw and desperate before Him.

Can I tell you that God does not strip to leave us there - naked, alone, & ashamed. No. That is the way of the enemy. Our God strips to set free. He peels back calloused skin, our defenses and false identities which protect the tender places. Revealing layers of years of lies believed - about Him, about self. And in those moments, marrow exposed, your flesh warms and your heart begins to beat to the cadence of His voice.

Suddenly circumstance and disappointment bow down to the purposes of the Holy One of Israel. And lesser desires which promised to satisfy turn to stone in the presence of I Am. As you take up that promise and delight yourself in the Lord, you find the desire of you heart was Him along. Breathless and clothed in love, you stand before your Very Great Reward, overwhelmed at His faithfulness. Overwhelmed that He was in that cold swirling wind and lurking in the shadows, drawing you into this place, for this purpose. Overwhelmed that He moves Heaven and Earth for intimacy with those so insignificant. Trembling, you know what He has come for. But you lock eyes with Eternity and His Love reassures you as you place your most precious gift in His hands. Your life laid down, in a moment your life saved and found.
ejk

The Best Money You'll Ever Spend

In a world full of desperation, countless Lazarus' sitting at our gate clanging for our crumbs, one can grow disheartened, overwhelmed by the need. And paralyzed into inaction. I know I do at times. But for those of you with a Kingdom pulse, those who believe Jesus when he says in Matthew 25:35-40

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I want to offer you one of the most simple ways to tangibly show the love of Christ to "the least of these". I smiled through tears as I watched this video tonight. For those of you who have never had the blessing of partnering with Compassion International and wonder how your $38 a month is actually spent, go here. Check it out!

Serving alongside of you,

ejk

Galations 5 (The Message)

I'll let the Word speak for itself. Indeed, He speaks loud and clear, when we keep in step with the Spirit:

^13-15It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

^16-18My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

^19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.

^22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

^23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

^25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

I know. One Thing. I Love You.

Say Hey! from Aron Kirk on Vimeo.

A few disclaimers:

* Judah was feverish & sickly during most of these dance parties - hence the no clothing. Belle usually sheds her clothing as soon as Judah does. Naked happens.

* I do vacuum. Often. BUT...Cheerios happen. Like several times a day...all over my floor.

* My children's hair does get combed...and their noses do get wiped, despite video evidence otherwise.

*Dance parties don't wait for perfect. Life happens. In the moment. Enjoy.

ejk

For the weary heart

Pick yourself up, Child.

Dazed by the need,

Paralyzed by fear.

Crushed by condemnation.

I see you suffocating,

This is not the Life of which I spoke.

I have not called you to be Savior,

Only sheep.

My sheep know My voice.

Do you really believe your striving

Will outrun my Grace?

You stand whole, redeemed,

Clothed in My righteousness.

My blood a covering for your insufficiency.

Its a broken and contrite spirit I desire -

leave the empty sacrifices at the door.

In repentance and rest is your salvation.

In quietness and trust is your strength.

I bring rest to the weary.

Breathe deep, Child.

Breathe in, as I breathe life into you.

And serve the least of these,

not from the emptiness of obligation,

but from the fullness I pour into you.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

For they will be filled.

Fall in Love

Fall in Love from Aron Kirk on Vimeo.

For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. Psalm 92:4

*Love, LOVE Belle's face in this photo. If you click on the photo, it will enlarge in a new window & you can see her sweet joy!

ejk

Autumn's Splendor

"Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; And only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

We had a full and beautiful weekend.

(Sigh) the weather was...heavenly.

Here are a few moments from the Fall Harvest Festival our church puts on each year as an outreach to families in the community. You can check out facebook for the rest (there are a lot photos, and facebook uploads waaaaaaaay faster than blogger).

too much cuteness for me

So I'll share the love with you.

Every day moments,

but I wouldn't trade them for the world.

ejk

Judah - a snapshot

My smart little man - signing "more" & a few quick moments.

Judah - a snapshot from Aron Kirk on Vimeo.

ejk

I've got some media to share,

BUT

My MacBook Pro

with Mega Hard Drive Storage

is

FULL.

So,

Until I acquire

An External One,

I'm stuck with

plain

old

words.

Soon, I hope,

more media to come

ejk

Shine On, Rose, Shine On

Tiny One,

So delicate and fair - a little lady in everyway.

Do you know how you shone with the love of Jesus today?

You made mommy's heart sing with joy as I watched you on the playground.

I had you pegged as my quiet, shy girl just a year ago.

My, how you have blossomed into a butterfly of relationship.

We spent the entire afternoon in the warmth of the sun -

Climbing, jumping, colliding with the October air.

And though you had no buddy to play with,

You did not hurt for companionship.

As if you'd never met a stranger,

You walked right up to child after child,

grabbing them by the hand and asking them to play.

Each child - though a little timid at first -

was glad to have a friend, and within moments

laughter erupted and play ensued.

The love of Jesus was pouring out of your little heart

into these new-found friends.

And as each friend exited - teary eyed & begging to stay,

You'd search out another.

Just before leaving, I could not believe my eyes.

You had assembled a group of four girls -

Girls who were twice your size & so very different.

They followed you around each play scape -

listening carefully as you navigated them through

And beckoned them in to your world of play.

You burst out in song at the top of your lungs -

then called for them to join in.

And the did. They followed you,

Singing along to your freshly written song.

My little firecracker.

So small, but bursting with dazzling light in brilliant color.

I see, sweet girl, that God has made you a leader.

He has made you to pursue the hearts of others -

To burst forth with His love,

Illuminating and warming the hearts of His children.

You sparkle for His glory,

Telling His story.

You were radiant with His love today.

And He was singing over you.

Shine on,

Mommy

cozy

The fall of the rain,

The chill in the air,

The fevers among us,

Couldn't touch the cozy in our home today.

"Uhhhh, Sissy, I think you're going to need these today!"

This was my grocery cart when I was a one year old - 25 years ago.

Trying to play...though the body's aching.

Popsicles for the feverish (Aron & I are holding strong).

Notice how Judah stops and watches the "BAll".