Christmas Letter

I'm jumping in finally into the 21st Century and posting and/or sending our family Christmas/New Year's letter electronically. Snail mail is so 1999.

They say when you're down you can only get up. While that may not be entirely true, for the year 2008 it rings pretty true for the Tighe family. It was just a year ago that we were contemplating the loss of a "steady" job and income and were deeply feeling emotions of frustration, hurt and worry. We knew God was faithful, as he always has been, but honestly were starting to get tired of enduring one trial after another. Looking back to this time last year, I was trying to figure out where God wanted me in the workplace, figure out how to pay bills, dumping every possible material possession we had to make it and generally feeling down. And we thought 2006 was tough!

Yet God began to work in our hearts in the spring of this year. He surprised me with an opportunity to work 4 miles from home with an organic food company, a job which I love more than any job I've held. You can check it out HERE. We also found out we had a new life brewing inside Jan and were thrilled to know God was giving us a new addition to love and know. It also became clear that while trying to find a place in police and firefighting work, that firefighting was the best option and quickly the opportunity came after lots of testing, written and physical, with the Louisville Fire Department. You can check that out HERE. We also were able to secure a long term lease in our house and are so thankful to be able to stay in a community we love with some of the best friends we could hope for in life.

My beautiful wife, Jan, is a stay at home mom who quite honestly works harder than I'll ever know. She is the very best God had for me in a wife and as a mom to our three children. Jan is a steady stream of friendship, love and mercy to me. I could never want any more.



Jonatha Shay is our 2nd grade daughter who lives each day as it were her last. She loves people, reading, climbing rock, skiing and mixed martial arts. My days of getting her to tap out are soon approaching their end. She is a few months away from earning her green belt in Tae Kwon Do, too.



Aidan Reece is our Kindergarten train engine. He never stops moving. Aidan is kind, gentle and loving, yet full of energy. He thrives in environments where he can run, jump, dive, fall, whatever, as long as he is moving. Aidan also was baptized this summer in Boulder Creek by his daddy in front of tons of witnesses. Pretty cool stuff.



Liam Drew is our new baby boy who joined us on October 22. Liam looks just like his older brother, yet has his very own personality. He is a very loving boy and enjoys his older sister and brother (so long as they give him his space). He is starting to laugh a lot and cooes so beautifully when held. He also has his daddy's haircut, which shouldn't last too much longer. We think he's a pretty darn good addition.

For us things have gone up in a huge way this year. But, we wouldn't change a thing in the difficulties that came before the blessings. Because when you sit down and evaluate everything God allows in your life, you realize they are ALL blessings. It's only a matter of perspective.

I wish you all a joyous holiday season and a new year of hope and love. Thank you for being a part of our lives and walking this journey with us.

4th Picture of 4th Folder

Our friend Tara posted a blog with the rules choose the 4th picture of your 4th folder where you store pictures and explain. So, here it is. This is my Dad and his wife Chan playing with Jonatha on our living room floor. Dad apparently was shocked his amazing structure crumbled!

Sheep

Ever find yourself in a recurring theme for the week with which the Lord is obviously grabbing your attention? Well, for me this week, it is the concept of sheep. I read a quote online this week which caught my attention and got me thinking a bit..."Most people in our society are sheep-- kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. Then there are the wolves, who feed on the sheep without mercy. I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."

I found this interesting. I suppose in a secular sense, this statement completely registers with me. However, there was a deepened sense that something was wrong when I read it, but I knew I needed to chew on it for a bit before drawing any conclusions. The part that registers with me is obvious - protection. As a father, I want to protect my children. As a husband, my wife. As a small group leader, I want to protect those in my group from the wolves out there. I even, at times, want to be the one they look to for that protection. However, with much reflection, I see this is pride on my part. I also relate because I find myself sometimes judging the intentions of sheep and consider them foolish or unwise. Again, pride.

So what am I to do with it all? Well, first off Jesus calls us sheep (John 10) so we shouldn't take offense. Jesus also separates the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25:31-46 and clearly it is the sheep who enter in. In John 21, Jesus tells Peter to take care of his (Jesus) sheep. So there is a sense of protection there and pastoral care given to Peter by Jesus. But, that seems to me a specific directive given to Peter by Jesus. In the bigger picture and as I examine the whole of scripture, there is instance after instance where "being" a sheep is given much honor. The ultimate example being found in Isaiah 53 describes Jesus as "oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."

In Romans 8:29-30 Paul says we are to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus which will bring him glory. What is that likeness look like? Well, Jesus remained silent when he was led to slaughter. He prayed for his enemies. He loved the unlovable. He healed the sick. He comforted the brokenhearted. He corrected sinful behavior in his people with love and gentleness, even when they were "defending" him, i.e. Peter and a little sword. He told us to pray in humility, not like the religious and pious. He set a pattern of being meek, humble, gentle, at peace and living in peace, demonstrating kindness, goodness, patience.

You know sheep can seem quite stupid. We scoff at their behavior, but really it boils down to trust. A sheep knows his shepherd's voice and listens. A sheep does what his shepherd instructs. We watch and call it stupidity, yet the shepherd has good intention. We also look at sheep as weak, incapable of protecting themselves. We look down on this as if we are strong. Consider every possible means of protecting yourself in this world. Every extreme. Now consider this: even with every one of those protective measures, are you safe apart from God's protection?

I want with every ounce of me to be able to say I can protect my family, friends, loved ones. The reality is I can only do what my flesh allows, but ultimately it is God who defends and protects.

I don't have it all figured out that's for sure. What I do know is I think it wise of me to be content being a sheep. To allow Jesus to conform me as a sheep to his image and to follow his example. It is a paradox to be a sheep in today's society. It may cost me friends, relationships with coworkers. It may mean enduring abusive statements and being ridiculed as "liberal" or "weak". It may mean being seen as someone who is incapable of surviving in a tough world, a dog eat dog society. It may cost me money, jobs, positions of leadership. I don't care. I'm gonna strive to be a the best sheep I can be.

My dear friend Josh did a video a few years back on sheep. It's worth watching and can be found HERE.