Monday, August 5, 2013
Praying for Teachers - Week 1
Monday, December 20, 2010
Christmas 2010
Merry Christmas from the Barbers!! We pray that 2010 has been a year of blessings and growth for you. Since we didn’t send a letter out last year, we have a lot of catching up to do but will try to keep it brief. Remember - we've edited out all of the shortcomings, disappointments, fights, etc. of 2010, so we and our kids sound better than we actually are.
Brooke is in the fifth grade and is a joy to be around. She is very active in church, school, plays the piano, takes after her sister by participating in drama and is a big time Bama fan. She has a lot of friends, but her two best are the four-footed ones living under our roof - Ala and Bear. Brooke is developing a very caring and generous heart and enjoys corresponding with and praying for our Compassion International child Emma, who lives in Togo. Brooke is also preparing to go on a church mission trip with Susan to Belize in April. After a gum graft Brooke in October where she had some skin moved from the roof of her mouth onto her lower gum, she is now ready for braces. Perhaps by next year’s family picture you will see her silvery smile.
Brandon is a senior who decided to go the dual enrollment route this year (thank you HOPE scholarship) to finish out high school. He was captain of the cross country team this year but had a bit of a set back by dislocating his left shoulder three times since February. This led to arthroscopic surgery in late November to tighten up his ligaments and tendons, and he is now in rehab. Brandon’s biggest love continues to be playing the guitar (along with eating junk food and sleeping), and he leads worship in our church’s high school band. He recently purchased a ukulele to add to his ever-growing collection. Brandon has narrowed his college choices to Georgia Tech and Georgia State (he likes ATL and the idea of being close enough to come home for food and laundry), Alabama (Roll Tide) and Mississippi State (where Bethany attends).
Bethany is no longer a teenager, having turned 20 in November. She spent her first year out of high school in a gap year program called Impact360 (www.impact360.net) - a two semester program designed to teach students a Christian worldview, leadership skills and help prepare them for life on a secular campus. Of the 8 months, Bethany and her classmates spent one in Brazil doing missions work. Now, Bethany is a student at Mississippi State and loves being a Bulldog. She is majoring in math and hopes to teach in middle school or go on the mission field when she graduates. We will be celebrating our first Christmas without Bethany at home because she is in China for three weeks – what a wonderful opportunity for her!
Susan is in her third year of teaching high school English at a local high school. She also completed her Master’s Degree this year and has returned to work on her Specialist’s degree. If you have any questions on holistic grammar, she’s the one to ask. Susan continues to be the family cook, maid (okay – Scott’s being very nice with this one), nurse, taxi driver, etc. She has truly earned the nickname “Superwoman” which some of our friends affectionately call her.
Scott has just finished his 11th year as a pastor at Crossroads Church and continues to love what he does. Through these eleven years God has slowly redirected Scott’s heart toward international missions, and the church has been gracious enough to allow his role to reflect that as well. Scott has been able to travel and minister in Brazil, India and Haiti this year.
Susan and Scott also finished a 20 hour training to prepare to become foster parents and are awaiting our home visit. We hope to have a child in our home near the first of 2011. With kids beginning to leave the house and the conviction brought on by James 1:27, we have felt led by the Lord to at least give this a try.
If any of you are coming through or near Atlanta, please stop in for a visit: we would love to see you and have plenty of room. You can also keep up with Susan, Scott, Bethany and Brandon on Facebook. And there are lots of pictures of Brooke there as well.
We are thankful that you are in our lives and wish you a Christ-filled Christmas. May the Savior’s birth and life be your and our focus this season and always.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
40 Days of Water Challenge
For those of you who know me well, two things are no surprise to you. First, I love coffee. For the past several years I have had coffee every day- multiple cups. Room 128 at Northgate is the Starbucks for the 100 South and 500 halls. Teachers and students are in and out all day getting their cup of joe. A good novel and a latte are a small slice of heaven on earth to me. Secondly, I am very spontaneous. Poor Scott has learned to live with this and is no longer surprised when I say things like "I just redeemed our frequent flyer miles for tickets to Italy" or "I think I'll run a marathon even though I can barely run 5 miles."
These two parts of me collided on February 15th when I read a blog encouraging people to make water their only beverage for 40 days in an effort to raise awareness for those in the world who don't have easy access to clean water and donate the money saved on beverages during that time for wells in Africa. As soon as I read this challenge, I instantly decided to do this. I never thought about how hard it would be- just an instant decision. Then I made the mistake of telling a couple of people, so I was for sure committed then since I have too much pride to go back on something I've said.
Day one was rough beyond belief. I got up and immediately went to the kitchen only to realize there was no brewed coffee. Scott had even unplugged my coffeepot - how thoughtful. I went to school, took the coffee pot in my room to the teacher's workroom, brewed coffee for them then went back to my room empty handed. When my students asked about coffee, I told them they'd have to find another hookup for 40 days. They laughed saying I'd never make it one day much less 40. I had a full body headache by 2:00 p.m. and couldn't think straight by 7:00. Days two and three were slightly better, but Scott even suggested that I might should have a cup or two instead of quitting cold turkey (this was self-defense strategy I think).
I finally adjusted and am so glad I stuck it out. Throughout the last 40 days, I've learned several things. First, what I think is a huge sacrifice, approximately 2 billion people in the world do not even have as an occassional treat - no coffee, no Cokes, no PowerAid, no alcohol or even sweet tea. These people drink water everyday of their life and often the water is not even clean. Second, while I was able to go to the sink to get my water whenever I wanted, most people in the world walk an average of 3 miles to get clean water. This job often goes to the children in families; I cannot image my sweet 10 year old having to walk 3 miles just to get one of life's necessaties. Third, I have abundant resources which could be helping people worldwide who do not have access to things that I take forgranted on a daily basis. Scott and I are becoming more and more convicted of our extravagant lifestyle while so many don't have their basic needs met. Is it right for Christians to live this way? What changes do we need to make in our life to free up more resources for those in need? Fourth, I need to position myself to think about the poor. The American media and culture rarely causes us to think of those who are hungry, orphaned, sick and in need. I am going to have to take the initiative to read about these global issues on my own. Finally, self discipline, though sometimes painful, is always beneficial.
So where does all of this leave me? I'm more aware of those in need and am more committed to helping them. I will cut back on other drinks in order to save money which can be used more wisely. I'll definitely be healthier. Brooke is planning on doing a 7 day water only challenge starting tomorrow. I am borrowing an idea from a friend and plan for our family to eat only beans and rice once a week in order to remember those who eat beans and rice everyday. Lastly, I'm praying that God will continue to open my eyes and heart to those who are less fortunate and guide me in my personal responsibility to them.
So, the next time you raise a glass of your favorite drink of choice, say a silent prayer for those who have no choices in what they eat or drink.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
India
I am writing early Tuesday morning from the Amsterdam airport. I am somewhere past the halfway point of a 3 flight 29 hour trek home after spending the last week in the city and villages surrounding Lucknow, U.P., India. (I’m very thankful for Delta Sky Miles today).
Thursday, December 31, 2009
2009 Reflections
1. God is stirring in my heart a desire to know more and care more for the oppressed and less fortunate. This encompasses several groups of people from the poor to orphans as well as people suffering with disease without medicine and those who are victims of social injustice. Our response will be to continue to educate ourselves on these worldwide issues (often difficult since the American media chooses not to focus on them) and begin the process to become foster parents.
"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." Psalm 10:17-18
2. God is calling me to live a more radical lifestyle in terms of how we use both our resources of time and money and how I choose to use my mind learning about His Word and the world.
"If anyone would come after me, He must deny himself and take up hiscross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lost it but whoever loses his life for me will find it.What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26
3. Raising children is a short season of life. With our oldest graduating high school and moving out of the house this fall, we have a newfound perspective on how little time we have to build into our children. I pray that I will continue to build wisely into the ones at home and transition well into a new stage of parenting with Bethany.
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3
4. My whole life - at home, my job, our neighborhood - should be about influencing others for Christ. If my life does not reflect Christ and people cannot see a difference in me, I am living for the wrong things.
"Do everything without grumbling or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life."Philippians 2:14-16
5. The power of words can be amazing in another person's life. What a gift I have to be able to use words to invest in others. I have seen firsthand God transform lives this year ultimately through His Spirit but also because of someone's obedience to speak the right words. My life has often been marked by wrong words, but I am trying to be more concious of the words I choose.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" Isaiah 52:7
My life has been incredibly blessed in 2009 with God for some reason choosing to show favor on our family this year. I pray that I will never lose sight that all blessings come from Him. My prayer for your family as well as my own is that 2010 will be a year marked by our faith in God regardless of the circumstances life my bring us and we will have intimate fellowship with our Maker.
Happy New Year!
Susan