FALL FUN

Family Fun days, Fall Festivals, Halloween, Camping, all combined with Work, School, Girlscouts, and everyday home life make for 4 busy BARRETT'S!

Here's a few highlights...

Megan made straight A's on her report card, and her request as a reward was to go bowling! They've actually not bowled for real, only on the Nintendo Wii, so it was a little bit of a change. Ryan had a lot of help from Dad, obviously since he couldn't possibly pick the bowling ball up...but that was good for him because he ended up getting a better score! Megan wasn't happy about it ( I mean, it was HER idea to go bowling for her straight A's....she should've won the game! lol). Daddy was more diplomatic with her, and actually taught her how to hold the ball correctly and how to most efficiently toss it down the ally. She improved her score on the second game...she was happy again .

We also took a few fall family photos at Turkey Creek. I had high hopes for these pics, because it was such a sunny, beautiful fall day. But as it turns out, it was too sunny, and all our photos have everyone squinting in the sun too much! haha


Here's the best shot:









Well, it takes so long to upload pics for some reason, and I've been sitting here for so much longer than I intended. I'll try to get back to this in a bit and post a few HALLOWEEN pics. The kids costumes were great! But it'll be in a later post...sorry fans.

What's UP???????

Snaggle Tooth In Second Grade:

Those top teeth have been loose for a while now, and Megan has just left them alone...until it got to the point that she looked like Nanny McPhee (a movie character that has a big tooth sticking down on her lip). Anyway, she finally pulled that tooth last weekend and of course, the tooth fairy delivered big...inflation sends prices up for her too! She only brought me a quarter, or two...But lucky Megan in the 21st century got a whole $5 bill!!!!!

Girl Scout's Keep us bussssssy!

Then after she lost a tooth, we went to Harvest Days at Camp Coleman with her Girl Scout Troop. It was actually a disappointment from a parent's perspective, but at least Megan had a good time. She rode ponies, a wagon ride, picked out a pumpkin, went to story time, petted a corn snake, roasted S'mores over a campfire and went on a nature hike. The last part of the hike took us to "Fairy Rock" at Camp Coleman, and the girls were very excited to try to find the fairies there, but of course, THEY WERE HIDING!!!!

I LOVE TO BE LOVED!

I feel like I am on a spiritual high! You know that feeling you got when you came home from your weekend retreat, or week long camp when you were a teen? I remember them well-I would come home on FIRE for God, and with a bonding with believers like no other! I LOVE THAT FEELING!
Since I returned from my weekend trip, it has felt like that alot. As stated in my previous post, I participated in a Beth Moore study while on this trip, and I was delivered from something that had plagued me for months. PRAISE JESUS! My poor sick husband had to sit and listen to me ramble on for hours last night as I told him every detail of my trip! (Isn't that just like women? Only interested in the DETAILS?! haha)

But perhaps one of the most special parts of my trip was the moment I returned home to my wonderful family! My family met me in the parking lot of Kmart to pick me up, and I honestly could not unpack the car fast enough....Ryan saw me first and he immediately began screaming "MOMMY MOMMY!" and the best part was, when I opened the van door, and gave him a hug, he grabbed me so hard and squeezed me so big that I really thought he was going to choke me! He had his head layed down on my shoulders, but I could hear him crying as he hugged me and kept calling my name. As I type this now, it actually puts a mental picture in my head of how I ran to God this weekend and cried with relief when I was glad to see Him moving in our lives. I can visually see myself wrapping myself around the throne and being so happy to have a God to love me! Ryan did my heart so much joy by reacting to me that way! And my Megan was right there with him, (with no tears, because she's all mature now, lol), and we were all hugging and loving on each other. It was a wonderful moment....5 days away from your babies will do that to ya. I am loved. And better yet, I am appreciated too! Ha! Jonathan was sick the entire time I was gone, and he was never so glad to see me and "TAG" me for parental duty so he could relax! aaah, a Mommy's work is never done....but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
The split second I got home, it was back to basics as usual. I got in at 5pm and Megan had a Investiture ceremony in her Brownie troop at 6pm, so it was off to being a taxi again. I love my role as Megan and Ryan's mommy, and Jonathan's wife, and I love my role as teacher, friend, sister, daughter, and most importantly CHRIST FOLLOWER! Only a God like Him would get me through this weekend by revealing to me my wrongs, still love me the same despite of them, and absolutely bring me to a place where I could freely give it away in return for a healed heart! I'm free. I'm free! I'M FREE!
I'm excited! I'm thrilled!
I'm singing and dancing His praises to all!


I'm also a little sleep deprived...there wasn't a night we didn't go to bed before 2 or 3am!!!!! I love my sisters in Christ! We had the best time together!

Free...and Loving Well!

I'm in Pensacola at the Teacher Clinic that my school goes to every year. We came down on Friday and began a Bible Study called "Loving Well" by Beth Moore. I have never done a study by Beth Moore, and I am quickly becoming a huge fan. The first session on Friday night left me in tears. There was so much hurt, that mainly dealt with the situation I described in the post before and though I thought that my blogging had helped me eradicate it from my system, I was so wrong. I was still holding on to it. I had missed out on one of the most important parts of this journey, and therefore I was still harboring my anger. But after the first session, God revealed my anger, and hurt to me in a different manner. He made me realize that it was MY PROBLEM not the offenders issue to work through! WOW! I hated it. I argued with God. I was angry again because I knew God was right, however, I still didn't want to deal with it. I shared my conviction and hurt with some of the ladies on the trip with me, and when they supported me and offered me prayer for restoration, I actually resisted it! I didn't want it! I WANTED to be mad! I wanted to wallow in my little pit of self absorbed hurt. But praise be to God that it worked. Praise be to God for the fact that I am blessed to have such lovely, Godly women in my life that will speak His truth and do it lovingly when I am in the midst of a pity party.
That night, I gained insight. I learned a little bit more about my "foe" and realized that what had happened to me, was more about a coping skill of my former friend...the "leave them before they hurt or leave you" thinking. I learned about past hurts, and losses of my friend. And for the first time in months, I began to see her as a human again. I began to feel compassion for her. My heart broke for her heartache.
And then, God spoke it to me....PRAY FOR HER.
That's what had been missing all along. I had not prayed for my friend...and that is exactly what I am called to do as a believer in Christ! Matthew 5:44 says "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." So, with that conviction, it was time for ME to do some business with the Lord. I had to stop and admit all of my feelings about this person and ask my God to heal my heart and my hatred. I had to take it all to Christ and literally lay it down. I prayed and told God everything that I wanted to say to my friend....everything I felt, I said it to God as if I were speaking to her...and when I got it out, and layed it down only THEN was I free enough to pray for her. Only then, did my compassion and love for her win out over the hurt. Only then was I able to release it all. I had been repeatedly denying my forgiveness to be given to my foe, and at that point, I was allowing my heart to be raped over and over again by the hatred I was choosing to harbor. But not anymore. I am free. I am free of the anger. I layed it all down to God, I prayed for my foe, and I cannot tell you the weight that was lifted off of my heart! I'm not sure that I understood that there was a weight because of my denials.
As Beth Moore pointed out to me in this Bible study, "When we ask God to give us insight into people we could have a compassion and a love for them we didn't think was possible!"
Absolutely! Truth!
Restoration of people is always the will of God.
Sometimes reconciliation is not.
I may never be reconciled to my friend...but she is no longer my foe, and if I see her, it will all be alright again. Because I'm restored with the perfect love of God.

One who will NEVER let you down...

Have you ever been let down by someone you hold dear? Have you ever been deeply cut, or hurt by a person that you trusted not to do that? I'm willing to bet that at some point or another, we all have. It's bound to happen to us all. During the course of this year, I was deeply hurt by someone that I considered to be a dear friend, someone that was very special to me. When I first realized what had happened, I remember sitting down and crying in disbelief. It hurt. It stung. It was unreal. And I think the part that made it worse for me is, the person didn't seem to care that I was hurt by them. I did what the Word of God commands us to do when we have anger in our hearts toward another person. Matthew 5:21-26 (ESV) says, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgement.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement;whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny."

I actually did go to my friend, and speak to them about my hurt. I explained to them how I was hurt and caught off guard, and even though I am typically very vocal about my feelings, it was actually quite hard to talk to them about it. And the worst part is, while I was telling this person about how they'd let me down, I felt patronized. I was patted on the back and told "Oh, don't be mad". No explanation on their part. No apology for me in any form. If I thought for one instant that something I had said, or done in any form had hurt someone, I would apologize to them for their hurt, EVEN if I felt justified in my words or actions. For me, to think that I have been the cause of tears, and heartache for anyone is painful to me, yet when it came to my "friend" it didn't seem to matter. In a way, I think that cut me even deeper. Our friendship became so scarred, that I fear it will never be the same. I know I've done the right thing by going to my friend and sharing my grievances, but I have also done wrong every since that day by holding a grudge and continuing to be angry. I know it is wrong, and as many times as I have told myself that "I'm only human" in an effort to justify my anger, it is still sin. And the one who hurt me is "only human" too...mistakes and bad choices happen, even if they are right or wrong. I have to let go, and LET GOD in this situation. I am still working on forgiveness, and though it's been a hard road, I'm getting there. I am taking steps toward it every day...and even though some days I take a few steps backward I know on some level I am still healing. I know my Savior forgives all sins, and I am trying to forgive the one who wronged me. I am not justified in my anger, and I do not have the right to withhold that forgiveness...even when the offender hasn't asked for it. I must freely give. Anger is a form of hate, and hate does nothing to build one up....it only destroys the hater's heart, and witness. While I am not willing to let that happen, I am still struggling with forgiving. To not be able to do so freely is really a very foreign thing to me, because I do not usually hold grudges...I generally get over anger fairly quickly. I do not like to be angry. I do not like to harbor anger in any form...but this....this has been an uphill battle. But I'm almost to the top of that hill...it's coming.

The good thing that came from all of this is that I have connected with others who have been there. I have made new relationships, and deepened other friendships through the experience of this hardship. The Glory of God is being revealed when He is made strong in our weakness. God has unified me with other believers and made our purpose in each others lives stronger and deeper. We have become accountable to each other in our healing, and in our spiritual walk. I praise the Lord for my relationship with these believers, because they love me, they challenge me, and they encourage me in ways that I am not sure would have happened if this hardship had not come upon us.

Thank you Jesus for my new friendships, my deepened relationships, and even for the friend who hurt me. Thank you for teaching me throughout all of this, and Thank you for being slow to anger and abounding in your steadfast love! (Numbers 14:18). Thank you for forgiveness. Amen

WHO IS THIS MAN?????

All this time and you think you know somebody....
I don't know what got into him. There I was, minding my own business, and my husband of nearly 11 years (we've known each other for 14 years) just completely pulled one on me! Out of nowhere he announces "I'm going to shave my beard and mustache."


Stunned. Why was I stunned? Mainly because he's had the "stache" since long before we were married. I think out of those 14 years of knowing him, I have spend 13 of those years with him having a mustache. And off and on for the last 10 years he has had a goatee. More On than Off during those times. I like the goatee. sniff sniff.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just because. Is it OK?"


Well, to be quite honest it really IS OK...but I like his goatee and he's had it for so long that I was afraid of having to get used to his new look. But he doesn't tell me how to wear my hair...long, short, WHATEVER, he is supportive of whatever I have done to my hair over the years and I am thankful for that because that is a sore subject with some husbands! So I can't really TELL him "NO" even though part of me wanted to.

I consented and told him to do whatever he wanted. I explained that I really like him with the mustache and goatee, but if he wants to shave it, then go ahead. (all the while, secretly hoping he wouldn't)

So, it's gone. He's got a baby face again. It's a bit tough to get used to...even for him. We kinda laughed about it later, because he looks so DIFFERENT! But we'll get used to it soon, I'm sure.

So, here is a before and after pic....

BEFORE:
My cutie hubby, with the goatee. My favorite part was that some of it was turning gray. I like it...it's distinguished looking. But maybe that had something to do with it, even though he says "No"










AFTER:
The "new" Jonathan. I can't decide if he looks younger, or just a completely different person.







Update as of: 10:58pm....this most definitely IS a different person...he just offered to help me fold the laundry that is piled on our bed. I know his ulterior motive is to remove the pile of clean laundry so he can actually get in the bed, but he's NEVER offered to do it before. He usually either shoves it in a corner somewhere, or just shoves it to my side of the bed and he gets in and goes to sleep! Now he wants to do laundry....WHO IS THIS MAN????

Deep Thoughts on Parenting...

Disclaimer: Parenting is such a wide and sensitive topic, and this is only one small section of the subject...

Being a teacher of preschool aged children, and having much interaction with the different ages throughout the last 7 years, I have come to realize that every parent does their job very differently. Some parents are considered overbearing, overprotective, or worry too much, and still other parents are unstructured, undisciplined, or too lenient with their kids. Where is the line, and where is is drawn in our assumptions of how others "love" their kids? Have you ever found yourself saying "If that was my kid, they wouldn't behave like that!", or "Wow, they're a bit too hard on their kids, lighten up!". I do not believe there is only one way to parent every child because every child is different and every child, yes-even those in the same family, require different discipline and parenting techniques because what works with one, may or may not work with another. With all that in mind, I have found myself wondering what drives some parents to choose the methods they do, or what makes some parents more inclined to handle situations drastically different from what I would consider to be a normal reaction. I can't help but think that in so many cases, a child's action or reaction to something may directly be related to how the parent's actions or reactions to those instances affect them. Now, I can't go into details on the situations that prompt me to write this post, obviously, but I will generalize it as best I can. I will place myself into the parenting roles here and critique it that way.
I consider myself to be a very protective parent. I am very cautious about what "worldly" influences come in contact with my children...music, TV, movies, Internet, the language we/they use, the clothes they wear, the holidays we choose to acknowledge, etc. Examples: I am very cautious about what friends (and their families) my children are allowed to spend time with away from my supervision (like spend the night parties, play dates, etc) I am very cautious about what clothing my kids wear...call me crazy if you must, but I simply do not believe my 7 year old girl needs to wear "attitude" shirts with sayings like "It's all about ME". For holidays, yes, we love them and celebrate them, including Halloween...but I do not choose to celebrate the "scary" part of Halloween with skeletons, grave stones, or anything bloody or Gothic looking. For Christmas, we do celebrate Santa bringing gifts, but we have taught our children that without the birth of Jesus, we would have no reason to celebrate...there would be no Christmas at all! Same for Easter...yes it's fun to see the Easter Bunny, and believe that he hides eggs for kids to find but even at this young age of my children, they are aware that Jesus died on the cross, but we celebrate his RESURRECTION on Easter. But I also consider myself to be a "laid back" parent in the way that I don't panic at every little thing my kids do, say, or react to. For instance, if they hear something that I consider inappropriate on TV, I don't necessarily shut the TV off and forbid them from ever watching that program, or television in general again, instead I have taken those as teaching moments for my child and explain to them why it's not acceptable in our home. There are certain words I don't like for my kids to use that are widely accepted in today's social culture, and in other families. Example: The word "hate" for me is too strong a word to hear from such a small child, even if they are only saying "I hate broccoli". In my adult life, I realize how strong HATE is when I look at the world and how religions, politics, prejudice are born from hate, so I do not want to teach my child that hate is OK in any form. But that also puts accountability on myself, and I have to change my vocabulary so that I am not the bad influence on my child. And boy does that sting sometimes!
For me, I feel like at this stage of their life, Megan at age 7 and in second grade, and Ryan at age 4 in K4, this is where mother bird starts learning to let go. I have to teach my children how to fly. I have to teach them how to function in a world that will not love and protect them as I do. I have to teach them that there are outside influences that will present themselves and they have to know the right choice to make. Basically, I have to teach my children that they are in the world, but not OF the world. (1John 4:4-6 ESV says, "Little Children, you are from God and have overcome them [the world], for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world;therefore they speak from the world and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.")
Conclusion:
I can not control what type of kids my children come in contact with at school-even a christian school, or church for that matter, but I can keep an open mind and try to see what it is that the Lord has planned for my child to learn from them, or to learn about themselves through interaction with them, or better yet, what my child can teach the others around them-which means that one of my jobs as a Mom is to teach them a loving diversity of their peers so that the influence my child has on those around him/her is a positive one. But it does not mean I should second guess my values or accept someone else's way of doing things just because the world says it's what is right. It doesn't give me a right to place judgement on others for their way of parenting, but I do have the right to protect my child should he/she be placed in a situation where their well being is put in any question.
I'm sure this sounds very random, and perhaps the purpose of this blog is just for me, so that I can jot down my thoughts on what is going on behind this post....(which, don't worry, it doesn't directly deal with me or my children, but is affecting others around me). I guess the most important job of any and all parents when raising their kids is to seek wise counsel from first and foremost our Creator, and secondly from other believers who are parents. And lastly, take what you've learned and share it....God brought you to it for a reason, and that is not to harm you, but to teach you and to teach and minister to others.