OF SETTING BOUNDARIES..

My son, how you have grown!!!!

Every day I am reminded of what your name means, and I see how you continually grow into each attribute in your name, my Honourable Miraculous Shepherd – Ty Iyanu Muriithi.
Your speech grows by the day, you honour people older than you, your respect and love for me is incomparable and most of all your love for God. Every day is Sunday to you as you look forward to attending Sunday school, this warms my heart.

Our First visit to Sheldrick Elephant Conservatory... you got tired sooooo fast. :-)

I haven’t written in a while, please forgive me, but here I am now. Today I want to tell you a story... a story that I heard so many years ago, I was probably 16, and it changed my perspective about life and who I invite into my space, who I spend time with and what I do with my alone time.

Both of you share an awesome bond. Shishen and Ty Inc :-)

Many years ago, there was a man (let’s call him James) who had a palatial home, like the one on State House road, yes where Uhuru lives (funny how you always point this out to me on our way to church…anyway…) and it came a time when he wanted to sell it because his family was no more.


After a few prospects, he settled on a certain older buyer (let’s call him Martin) and he decided to sell the house to him, with only one condition, that the only thing not for sale in that house was a nail on the wall… Martin thought… “only a nail, that’s okay, I can work with that” little did he know that was the beginning of his woes.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.  Colosians 4:6

After a couple of weeks, James passed by Martins new home and asked if he would come in, Martin was more than glad to invite him… James did not even stay for long, he hung his jacket on the nail and left, Martin was perplexed but it was just a jacket (but was it really)… there was no harm. The following day, James passed by, picked his jacket and hangs his stinky muddy shoes… when Martin tried to complain, James reminded him of the agreement… Martin maintained ‘shut-up”… and so it continued, the following day it was shoes, another day he would bring  books, another day shirts etc… every day there was a new thing. One random Sunday, when Martin was in church, James passed by and hang a carcass of a cow…. When Martin came home that day he was so furious, but he remembered the deal, he was not to pull it down.

A few days later, the carcass began to rot and smell and despite Martins numerous calls to James, James was not interested to come and pick the ugly stuff up. After a few days, Martin was forced to move out of the house and James moved back in…

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8

So what is the moral of the story: basically son, everyone has an agenda for your life. Your parents want the best for you, politicians seek to find what they can milk from you, friends are great cheerleaders but not everyone is genuine.

You see in your heart, there are various nails on the wall. Nails where you hang wonderful memories we have created, there are also wall hangings of friends and also some sad and good memories. It is therefore your duty to give permission to what only you can hang on those nails. Don’t be too quick to hang bitterness, offense and pain... hang the good memories. Also don’t be too quick to allow everyone into your heart… pray about friendships, so that only genuine and true friends hang in there.

All I can say is “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

But I know that you will turn out to be just fine...turn up the wise boundaries…

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phillipians 4:8