Napoleon was once visiting with a group of cynics and these skeptics concluded that Jesus was a great man, a good man, a great prophet, but nothing else. And Napoleon looked at them and said, “:Gentlemen, I know men, and Jesus is more than a man.” That’s the ultimate paradox of the Christian faith. Jesus is God and man.
Sometimes in human relationships, the more we know a person, the more we love them. Now that’s true, not because the more we know people, the greater they become in our eyes, because oftentimes as we know people, we begin to discover their weaknesses, their failures and faults, their shams and their shames. Now unlike our knowing other people, the more we know Jesus, the greater he becomes, and the more we love him. That’s the ultimate paradox of the Christian faith. Jesus is God and man.
This past Sunday Nov. 29, was the beginning of Advent. On the Christian calendar, this was the beginning of our year, marking the coming of Christ into the world. Two weeks ago, Nov. 18 we had one of the many creative events in the life of our community, an event that happens every six weeks. For me it was providential. One of the paintings from the show is pictured here. It was my wife, Jerry’s sketch for a painting of the “Holy Family” she was working on. Her word about the sketch is not only descriptive of the painting, it expresses something about the life of an artist.
I believe the sketch could legitimately be called “The Good Shepherd,” which was one of the great “I AM” claims of Jesus. During this Advent Season, in my desire to know Jesus better, I’m going to spend time pondering these great claims: I am the Good Shepherd, I am the bread of life. I am the door. I am the light of the world. I am the resurrection and the life. If Jesus were a mere man, then we could dismiss him as a mad egotist. But the more we know him, the longer we look at him, the more convinced we are that this is God’s picture of himself. He loves each one of us as though we were the only person in the world to love.
A Word from the Artist: Jerry Dunnam
The Touch
As Mary ponders the future, Joseph holds the baby secure in his protective arms. Baby Jesus stretches out his hand to touch the sheep. No matter how I sketched the Holy Family, baby Jesus was always stretching out his hand to touch the sheep. This troubled me until I remembered Mark 1:40-42. Jesus, the good shepherd, had listened to the leper and having compassion, he stretched out his hand and touched him. Now it was clear. Baby Jesus is reminding us to find, listen to and with compassion, stretch out our hands and touch his lost sheep.
Describe your family: My father was a Marine and Vietnam Vet. My mother was a nurse 46 years.
Describe yourself in five words: Dedicated, empathetic, caring, inquisitive, musical.
What do you do for fun: Write & play music and read.
What are some of your hobbies: Collecting & playing guitars.
What is your favorite thing about your job: Learning from the people I take care of.
What is your favorite food: Thai.
What is your favorite song: Sitting On The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding.
What is something you are proud of:I was in 2 bands with record deals, but love helping people.
What would you like people to know about you:I’m always learning and think travel is a gift for all.
Bobby has always been a champion for the residents at Kirby Pines, consistently advocating for the delivery of excellent care and services. While wound care is his specialty, making certain residents are safe, well-nourished and involved in activities is his passion. Throughout his tenure at Kirby, Bobby has been an integral part of the health care team helping to generate a family-like atmosphere among residents and staff. This is a well-deserved honor for a great employee and supporter of what Kirby Pines represents to the community it serves.
The Photo Club is a group of Kirby Pines residents looking to learn more about their smart phone capabilities, taking pictures of life at Kirby and having a good time.
What do we do?
We meet once a month to talk about the photos we have taken, we learn new tricks and tips about taking better pictures, we play with different phone apps to change up or enhance our photos and we are given photo assignments to show our creativity.
Why we do this:
• To learn how to take better pictures on our smart phones. • To learn about new techniques and phone apps to play with. • To get feedback on the photos we take and to see what others are doing. • To have our photos posted on Facebook, in the Lobby or published in the Pinecone Magazine. • To laugh, have fun and enage in our community thru pictures.
Topics we’ve covered:
• Photography Basics • How to email your photos • Perspective photography • How to take a selfie • How to take group photos • Symmetry, Patterns, Abstracts & Negative Space • Composition: Simple, Contrast, Rule of Thirds, Framing, Patterns and Lines • How to take people pictures • Reflection in photography • Abstract photography • How to edit your photos ….and much more!
Join us Thursday, December 15th at 3:00 pm in the Large Card Room!
On entering the apartment of Joan Gilliland, you immediately see a beautiful Christmas scene of a snow village of sixty houses, all with lights displayed in a custom-made cabinet. According to Joan, the houses represent only one-half of the original number. In another room, you will see the same number of beautiful porcelain birds. Joan is a collector, but she has also served most of her life as the wife of a pastor of various Methodist churches.
According to Joan, being a pastor’s wife was very fulfilling. The needs of each pastorate were diverse and required different skills. For example, when they served near a naval base, they were occasionally awakened in the middle of the night to perform marriage ceremonies for couples being separated by deployment orders. Joan says the greatest disadvantage of being a pastor’s wife was always living in a “fishbowl” and never in a house of her own.
Joan’s gift of service was embedded in her early life. Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1933, Mary Joan Worley was the oldest of five siblings, the youngest being fifteen years younger. “As the oldest,” says Joan, “I became a second mother in our household. There was certainly never a dull moment!” With good parents and stable home life, Joan’s childhood was a happy one. “Christmas time was joyous. We had Santa, a decorated tree, and gifts. Of course, our gifts were nothing like the ones children receive today,” she recalls.
Joan’s family moved to a suburb of Atlanta when she was twelve years old; she graduated from high school in 1950 at the age of sixteen. She decided to attend business school, and her first employment was as an administrative assistant in the district office of F. W. Woolworth Company.
A student of Emory University School of Theology, Willis Gilliland was assigned to pastor the Methodist church that Joan and her family attended. “When we got home from church, following Willis’ first service, I was smitten,” Joan admits. “I announced to my family, I have met the man I am going to marry.” The courtship began. When Willis graduated in 1956, their relationship became long-distance when Willis was appointed to Hampton Memorial Methodist Church in Millington, Tennessee. Actually, according to Joan, “He was assigned to an empty lot with instructions to ‘plant’ a church!” Joan and Willis married one year later in 1957, and their daughter, Carla, was born a year later. While in Millington, Joan was employed as an assistant to the Administrative Office of the Naval Air Technical Center. They served three other churches in West Tennessee: Bolivar, Covington, and Dyersburg. Their last appointment was in Brownsville, Tennessee, where Willis was appointed District Superintendent in 1992. Sadly, after only one year in Brownsville, Willis died of a heart attack and Joan moved back to Dyersburg.
Joan always found employment wherever the family lived, as the extra income was necessary to supplement a pastor’s salary. While serving in Bolivar, Joan was employed by the Hardeman County Board of Education between periods of serving as church secretary. Soon after their move to Covington, their church began a school for three and four-year-olds in conjunction with a local Presbyterian church. After seven years, Joan continued to fill a “temporary” teaching position. When the family moved to Dyersburg, Joan was asked to fill a teaching position for a preschool class. Due to an error in the registration process, Joan found herself with a class of TWENTY four-year-olds! She continued with teaching for three years and then accepted a position as an administrative assistant to the Dyer County Superintendent of Schools. Joan also served on the Dyer County Lifeline Board of Directors and was the Memphis Conference Secretary for the United Methodist Women.
While living in Dyersburg, their daughter was married. “It was a high point in our lives,” says Joan, “when her daddy officiated at the ceremony.” In 1985, when Joan learned her first granddaughter was to be born, she learned to smock. She perfected her skill and made a beautiful and treasured christening gown that has been worn by both grandchildren and great-granddaughters. Many smocked dresses were made by Joan for her granddaughter and continue to be worn by her great-granddaughters.
The Gilliland Family
When asked about Christmas time as a pastor’s family, Joan responded, “We always completed church activities before driving to Atlanta where our families celebrated Christmas together. It was always a joyous occasion but chaotic! I remember two incidents that were not so joyous. Once, Willis didn’t open the garage door enough, and the carrier we had on the top of our packed, small car was stripped off as he backed The Gilliland Family out. Another time, at our family gathering in Atlanta, my father accidentally picked up a box of baby clothes and burned them in the trash.”
Joan and her husband were fortunate to do extensive travel, especially seeing the Passion Play in Oberammergau. Because she had always lived in a parsonage, Joan enjoyed the lake home she was able to build in Dyersburg after her husband’s death. Briefly, she was employed by a funeral home but finally was able to spend her time enjoying her hobbies and church activities.
Following a health scare in 2020, Joan moved to Kirby Pines to be near her daughter. She is always involved in multiple activities and hopes to get more involved. “I love to volunteer!” exclaims Joan. Written by Joan Dodson, Resident of Kirby Pines
Pre-Game Preparations. Plan out simple things to stay on track.
The holidays are HERE! Yes, that’s right, THEY ARE HERE! How are you celebrating? Whether you are cooking, heading out of town, visiting with family, or spending a quiet day at home, you have probably thought about your plans, made the arrangements, and have already begun your preparations. So, let’s talk pre-game prep!
With Thanksgiving behind us, let’s take a minute to reflect. You wouldn’t have waited until Thanksgiving morning to decide if your family was joining you or if you were joining them. Your stress levels would certainly be affected. You also (hopefully) wouldn’t wait until the morning of a holiday party to decide who to invite, or what presents to buy for people. Same logic applies to your health and wellness goals – whether you want to try a new exercise class, create healthier habits, or improve your endurance, the level of preparation that goes into each goal can have a notable difference in your outcomes and success.
Some Prep Tips:
Identify the Purpose – What is your goal? Is the goal to walk a an extra lap around Lake Latimer? Participate in a new or more challenging exercise class? Is it to feel better? Meet new people? Create healthier habits? Impact your numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, blood sugar)? It’s important to identify the purpose or goals so you can measure your success and plan how you will achieve it!
Set Yourself Up for Success – Once you know the purpose, make sure you know what you need to accomplish it. For example, you might need to get on the treadmill or Nu-Step in the Oasis (if it’s chilly outside) and get comfortable and supportive footwear if your goal is to walk more on our grounds. If your goal is to participate in a more challenging exercise class, you will want to check out the exercise calendar and perhaps ask a friend to join you.
Review successes/opportunities – Make sure you are considering what went well, what could have gone better, and adjust for next time. Did you achieve your goals? If you did – congratulations! What was easy? What was challenging? What would you change for next time?
There are many resources and tools available to make planning for and carrying out our health and wellness goals easier. These preparation concepts can also be applied to your daily and weekly tasks to make them easier! Planning out simple things, like going to the grocery store with a list, using a to-do list for your day, or working off a schedule for the week, are easy ways to stay on track. Reach out to your Functional Pathways Therapy Team to learn more about your fitness levels, as well as how you can prepare for success!
A Little Progress Each Day Adds Up To Big Results.”
With Christmas so close, our thoughts turn to gift giving. What would bring a lot of joy and happiness to our loved ones? How about something that is not very expensive, that develops with time using a little persistent effort and no wrapping required?
“The run-up to the new year is the perfect time to place more focus on the priceless gift of good health. From less stress and a smaller waistline to a stronger immune system and reduced risk for disease, it’s hard to think of another holiday gift with such powerful long-term benefits.
As you build your plan for better health, begin by taking a look at the amount of time you spend moving. Whether it’s a dedicated half-hour at the gym or a walk each morning with a friend (furry or otherwise), almost any kind of exercise will allow you to unwrap a whole host of health perks.
“Think of exercise not only as a way to burn more calories, but also as a very strong medicine to help you avoid developing a chronic condition or to control a condition you already have,” said Stephen Compston, a registered dietitian at Renown Health. “Your long-term goal is a minimum of three days each week totaling 150 minutes of exercise.”
Getting at least this much exercise each week can help fend off chronic disease by decreasing blood pressure, promoting better sleep, improving cholesterol levels for better blood flow, boosting mood and elevating energy.
Once you’ve pinned down a get-moving goal for the new year, turn your attention to the food you eat in order to gift yourself with another long list of health benefits. Compston said it’s smart to start eating more non-starchy vegetables and add an array of colors to your meal plan.
Another food-based tip especially relevant during the holiday season is to take steps to avoid overindulging during festive parties and family feasts. One of the biggest pitfalls is going hungry to one of these events, which can set you up for eating way too much.
Along with strengthening your focus on diet and exercise for the holidays and through the new year, other simple ways to bolster well-being include regular hand-washing, staying hydrated and making a commitment to see your primary care provider at least once a year.”
Good Health is hoped for, prayed for, and celebrated. So as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and peek under the Christmas tree, pull out that gift of Good Health and begin to unwrap it for yourself and for the ones you love. “To your Happiness and To your Health!” Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone! The spirit of the holidays cannot be missed at Kirby Pines. From the seventeen-foot live tree in the main lobby, to the carolers performing weekly, the spirit of the season is alive throughout the community.
Resident Programs has planned a variety of events for your enjoyment throughout this holiday season. In between events, many resident volunteers are keeping busy in the Blossom Shop, assisting the front desk as they sort through dozens of packages that arrive each day, and delivering them to residents who request that assistance. It is hard to imagine that a better group of volunteers could manage all of the packages that arrive each day. Well, maybe a group of Santa’s elves could do the job, but Memphis is a long way from the North Pole. Many other residents are volunteering their time to assist others in the community at large as well. No matter where they choose to volunteer, the spirit of Christmas is evident in their good works.
Of course it would not be a holiday season without some extra treats from Kirby’s culinary department. Can you imagine coming to work each day, and baking cookies, making egg nog or hot cider just one more time? This is just the kind of added daily activity that occurs in the kitchen during the holiday season at Kirby Pines, along with meal preparations for the hundreds of residents that live here. Just the same, these employees find time to relax and enjoy the spirit of Christmas that abounds throughout the community. By the way, if you have not made plans for Christmas Eve or Day, think about joining us for a delicious meal prepared in our dining room. I am sure you will find the meal delightful and the warmth of friendships comforting.
The decorations certainly add to the excitement of the season, but let us not forget this holiday celebrates the birth of Christ. His life and teachings are the basis for the values incorporated into our mission statement. It is with this in mind, that I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas, and the prospect of serving you in the year to come.
Michael Escamilla, Executive Director, Kirby Pines
Apart from Peanuts, Dennis the Menace may be my favorite comic strip. In a recent cartoon Dennis is in his room with his dog; the cookie jar is open, and Dennis has put four or five on the plate for his dog.
It must have been on Sunday. His mother came into the room, and we can only imagine what she said, but Dennis responds, “Didn’t you hear the preacher say, The Lord helps those who help themselves?”
Most readers, with Dennis, will know that proverb, believing it comes from the Bible. George Barna, a well-known Christian pollster and religious sociologist, opened one of his survey reports with this indictment, “Americans revere the Bible- but, by and large, they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, we have become a nation of biblical illiterates.”
Some of the data behind that summary is:
Fewer than half of all adults can name the Four Gospels.
Sixty percent of Americans can’t name even five of the ten commandments.
Eighty-two percent believe that the proverb “God helps those who help themselves” is found in Scripture.
Dennis may have heard it wrong. I doubt if any preacher would say that. I hope the preacher would say, where human power and resources are sufficient, divine power will not be put forth.
So I ask, Is it possible to be too dependent upon God?
I know full well that the message of the Gospel is that God helps those who are helpless – not just those who are down–and-out helpless, but like so many of us, who by the grace of God come to an awareness of an up-and-out-helplessness.
The insensitive philosophy of “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” is also too often stated. The problem with that philosophy is that there are too many who don’t have boots, so there are not straps to pull on.
Yet, I pose the question: Is it possible to be too dependent upon God? It may very well be that when and where human power is sufficient, divine power will not be put forth. That challenges each of us to see the needs around us and respond to those needs with the resources we have.
Describe your family: We are quite large and are very close. We do everything together.
Describe yourself in five words: Honest, loyal, dependable, caring and great work ethic.
What do you do for fun: Power walking, reading, movies.
What are some of your hobbies: Cooking & Painting.
What is your favorite thing about your job: Great residents and great coworkers.
What is your favorite food: Ice Cream.
What is your favorite song: Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli.
What is something you are proud of:My caring, hard-working, successful children.
What would you like people to know about you:That I care about everybody as a Christian.
Barbara is a constant, showing up every day for her shift. She is always there to assist the residents and employees. She does it all with a smile and a helpful attitude. Barbara is dedicated and kind. She answers calls, sorts package deliveries and takes residents menu orders. She is truly an asset to Kirby Pines.
Veterans Day, in the United States, national holiday (November 11) honoring veterans of the armed forces and those killed in the country’s wars. The observance originated in 1919 on the first anniversary of the 1918 armistice that ended World War I and was known as Armistice Day. It was commemorated in 1921 with the burial of an unknown soldier from World War I at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Other countries that had lost soldiers in the conflict, such as Italy and Portugal, conducted similar ceremonies that year. The previous year, unknown soldiers had been interred at Westminster Abbey in London, England, and at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Veterans Day is celebrated on Friday, November 11, 2022.
November 11 became an official national holiday in the United States in 1938. In 1954 the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor those who had served in all U.S. wars. Ceremonies are held each year at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and floral tributes are placed on the graves of service men and women and at memorials throughout the country. Naturalization ceremonies have come to be an important part of the day’s activities.
In Britain, Canada, Australia, and France November 11 is observed in honor of the veterans of World Wars I and II. In Britain the second Sunday of November is observed as Remembrance Sunday, and in Canada November 11 is observed as Remembrance Day. In Britain and the Commonwealth countries and in countries of Europe, it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11:00 AM on November 11, the time and date of the World War I armistice in 1918. Poppies have long been associated with World War I memorials through the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, and in several countries paper poppies are sold to raise money for the support of veterans and are worn in the lapel as a sign of remembrance.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Kirby Pines, a sister community of The Farms at Bailey Station, is part of the family of LifeCare Communities of Retirement Companies of America. For more information, visit retirementcompanies.com
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