Tonight...

Overflowing giggles

Tiny coo's

Toys strewn

Piercing screams of glee

Princess dresses flowing

Spinning dances floating

Toothless grins

Breathless words

Skips of delight

Whispers of love

Melodies transcending

Hearts at home.

Lord I am overwhelmed by these blessings.

ej

(video below captured with everyone else unaware. If you listen closely toward the end you can hear the girls giggling in the background).

#5 Love is selfless

"[Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered" - 1 Corinthians 13:5

One of my friends who goes to our church told me about how he used to become easily angered with his kids. At his children's slightest disobedience, he would lose it: yelling, spanking, punishing, words of condemnation, etc. After years of parenting this way, he became a Christian and started attending our church. As he started to submit himself to the Way of love, God gave him an epiphany about becoming easily angered. He told me how God showed him that he became angry so easily not because his kids' trespasses were so great, but rather because they were so inconvenient for him. He began to see that his anger was really quite selfish because he didn't want to have to deal with disobedient or unruly kids. 

Being rude and getting angry easily are really symptoms of a larger disease: selfishness. What  causes us to be rude or become easily angry are not offenses so morally deplorable that they merit a strong reaction. No, they're usually just inconvenient for us (think traffic jam or kid crying at the grocery store; someone didn't do their job and now you're stuck making up for it). 

In his book "Walking With God," John Eldredge writes that when a person's negative reaction to a situation in their life is significantly more severe than the situation merits, it's usually a sign of a wound in their heart that the situation has brought to the surface. This world is full people who are the walking wounded, and selfishness is their best attempt to protect their wounds or save themselves from further pain. And in our vain attempts to save ourselves, we commit grievous acts against others, which usually merit selfish and sinful responses from those we hurt as they try to protect their wounds.

This viscous cycle will continue until someone is willing to love selflessly. That means someone who is willing to take the offense, the inconvenience, the pain, and not retaliate. The Bible says that when Jesus was being tried to die on the cross, he did not open his mouth to defend himself. He knew that he was innocent. He knew that he was God's son. But he also knew that his act of selfless love on the cross could bring healing and restoration to the entire world. As 1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sin."

Jesus' one act of love on the cross covered the sin of the entire world. But he doesn't just want us to say, "thanks, man, heaven's gonna be great!" and go on living in the same old patterns of selfishness and depravity. He wants to see us follow his example and see our realm of influence be transformed by love, but that means the selfishness within us has to die.

Jesus said, "if anyone would come after me, he must take up his cross and follow me." I used to think that was such a condemning statement. Like Jesus was standing there shaking his finger and saying, "I died. You have to die too!" But I'm starting to realize Jesus made that demanding statement because he just wants us to love each other. And love is selfless.

APK

reunited

They may only be 3, but these girls love each other dearly, and have been anticipating their reunion for weeks. Every time Elizabeth & Chloe got in the car she'd ask, "Mommy, is this the way to Aron & Erica's? I want to go see Isabelle!" Dad even said she was trying to get him to bring her up while he was babysitting her. Belle could hardly wait for her to arrive.

This last shot of Judah is random...and doesn't fit with this post at all, but I thought I'd squeeze it in. He LOVES his classic pooh mobile just like his sister did. When the music plays he sings along and kicks his little arms and legs so excitedly. 

cheap magazines!

I just purchased a year subscription to Country Living for $5 bucks. No strings attached. Amazon.com has a deal going on, and there are quite a few magazines offered.

Click here for the details & follow the link provided by Deal Seeking Mom.

ejk

#4 Love is...

It (Love) does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Envy

Boasting

Pride

As I have been turning this over in mind the past week, it seems there is a common denominator linking these three 'anti-love' verbs.

It seems that both envy and pride are the result of one thing: looking in the wrong place for validation (assurance of one's self worth). And this begins with an action we mindlessly do countless times a day: 

Comparison.

"Does he better provide for his family than me?"

"Am I more beautiful than her?"

"Do my friends like me more than so and so?"

"Could I perform better than him in that role?"

When we ask these internal questions, we have two possible scenarios:

#1 The answer is "Yes...I am better than this person" in some way. As soon as the satisfaction from this answer touches our heart, we're inviting pride to take residence.

#2 The answer is "No... this person exceeds my capabilities." While there is humility in acknowledging the giftedness of others, when we compare to see if we 'measure up', we are allowing seeds of envy to be planted.

Boasting, it seems, follows when we externalize this internal struggle for worth. We need to ensure others are aware of the reasons we should be valued.

The world casts value based on appearance, performance, beauty, success, pleasure...

Those who don't measure up are cast aside as worthless. We are left to compare ourselves to man-made standards, and envy and pride grow where love should abide.

Love speaks a different language. Love says you are infinitely valuable because of whose you are. Because you are made in the image of your creator, and you are his beloved child. There is no need to perform, no need to measure up. You - even in your wounded, broken shell of a person - are precious beyond comprehension. Love crossed heaven and earth to help us understand just how valued we truly are. And finding validation or self worth by any other standard leaves us hating each other or hating ourselves. It turns what was intended as a gift of community filled with genuine bonds of love with one another into a cut-throat competition laden with self-serving motives and shallow relationships. 

So you see, comparing ourselves against other mutually insecure humans makes a mockery of the true worth we were intended to experience in relationship with Christ. It is for this reason...

Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

ejk

judah-man as of late

He's a happy little guy...(sis is in an "Arthur" induced coma...I'm standing in the way of the TV)

Just along for the ride most days. As long as he's fed, he's content. 
But if you want to light up his world, just stop and give him a moment of attention. His face will light up, and yours will in response...I promise!
Moments after taking the above picture, I came back to find him peacefully dozing. Sissy's comfy-cozy bed is too enticing to resist. 
my sweet boy, i love you more than words.

ejk

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat 2009 from Aron Kirk on Vimeo.

The Princess & The Frog

Such adorable Trick or Treaters...I think Belle was a little frightened of the Ninja & Ironman

It was sooooo cold, but the kids were troopers.

Poor Belle will probably have nightmares about some of the scary adult costumes. Any time she saw something frightening, she'd tell Aron, "Don't look, Daddy. Don't look!" All the while she couldn't take her eyes off of them.
Enjoying their spoils...
ejk

May I introduce you to Snow White

An excited little Snow White before her Halloween Party at Dance Class

just lovely...

ejk

Powerful "Compassion" moment...

Erica and I started sponsoring a Compassion child several months ago. It is only $32 per month, and you can literally change someones life. Check out their website to learn more.

A few of my colleagues went to a Christian leadership conference in Atlanta a few weeks ago called "Catalyst", and they had a young man named Jimmy there whose life was completely changed through Compassion's ministry. Check out the following video where Jimmy shares his story (starts at 3:45 in), and then meets his sponsor for the first time at the conference. A lot of the people who go to Catalyst year after year are saying it was one of the most powerful things they've ever seen at the conference, and I'd have to agree. Enjoy.

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

APK

we are on the mend

I am optimistically saying our 7 day 'bout with the flu (or some other viral illness that causes high fevers and upper respiratory symptoms) is coming to a close. Belle's fever is only low grade at this point. Despite feeling puny, she still has the energy to don her princess attire, but with her own flair these days. She likes to wear blue jeans..."just like daddy's" under her royal garb. And the purple shoes "are just like tap shoes from dance class".

So far Judah remains healthy despite sister's 'in your face' lovin'.

A random photo...I just love naked babies. Their skin is so soft and kissable. I don't even care if I do get pee'd on.

This is Belle just before bed last night. She informed me that she was wearing her family on her jammies that grandma bought for her. 

According to her, here we are from left to right:

"Mommy, Belle, baby Judah, and Daddy," she pointed. Pretty observant and true to scale.

My smart little girl!

Speaking of smart little girl...

Sunday Belle ran outside to help daddy grill dinner. They began to cook, but ran out of propane. She accompanied him to the grocery to pick up a new can...it makes her feel special to be daddy's helper. As they were walking from the parking lot inside, Belle pointed at the sign and spelled, "M-E-I-J-E-R!!!"

"Great job, Belle!" Aron replied.

"I did it! I did it, Daddy. I spelled 'store'."

And finally, some more kiddo moments....

Untitled from Aron Kirk on Vimeo.

ejk