2015 The Year Of The Family

As I enter the new year, I find myself reflecting on family. This is the time of year that families are most often together; the time of year when family members that are no longer with us are missed the most; and the time of year that brings great sadness and depression to those without family.

Society would have us believe that family is becoming a thing of the past. More and more children are being raised by "alternative" families: grandparents, single parents, same sex parents, and some children are even raising themselves as their parents do their own thing. Society tells us that we should accept this, "live and let live, to each his own, all of these are just different types of normal". We live in a throw away society, one that teaches the next generation that if it's broken or "out of style" just get new. A society that would have our kids believe that there are no rules and that everyone has a "right" to live anyway that makes them happy.

I may be only one voice, but I am a voice and it's time that a bible believing, God fearing mother and grandmother speak out. I am not perfect, far, far from it. I am divorced, my children were exposed to horrors that no child should be exposed to, and the lives of  my grandchildren have been anything but easy. It is from these mistakes that I feel I can say we have failed. I am asking that this post be passed around to everyone - even the ones that would be offended. It is time to offend a few people and save our next generation.

We are closer than ever to the return of Christ. We can no longer waste time being politically correct and let people believe that any lifestyle is okay as long as you think it's right. It is time to go back to the playbook of life - the BIBLE. Without knowing the author and maker of life personally, we don't stand a chance against the false light of the world. Knowing God is more than just going to church on Sunday, we need to study His character, know His words, walk and talk with Him daily. We must also learn to listen. We must learn to show love. We must learn to be a light in a dark world.

But I digress....... Let's get back to the meat of the message, it's the year of the family. No matter where you live, who your earthly family is, we all have one thing in common. We all get to choose who our eternal father will be. There are only two choices - we are either children of the Heavenly Father - God, or we are children of the father of lies - satan. The choice is yours. We all make a choice, even by not choosing the choice is made.

Make this the year of the family - your earthly, temporary family but most importantly, your eternal family. The choice is yours. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

Missing Mom and Moving On

     Today while on the way to church, Bodie and I made a phone call to Toni (at Daddy's house). Because no one answered the phone, the answering machine picked up. While this is a normal action that most expect, our family made the wonderful decision to leave the message on the machine that Momma recorded. While this may seem weird to some, it affords us the opportunity to hear Momma any time we want or need to. This is something that I do at least weekly. I don't know how often or if anyone else does this but I find that it's still something I need to do. Anyway, back to this morning. We had used Bodie's phone to call, so when the answering machine picked up, I asked Bodie if he wanted to hear Grandma. He excitedly said yes so I handed him his phone. After a minute or two, I heard sobbing coming from the back seat. I got tissues out of my purse, handed them back to Bodie and saw the tears coming through the opened floodgates. I said "I know, I miss her too but I'm so glad Poppaw left that on the answering machine, aren't you?" He said yes and handed me back the tissues but continued to cry. I told him that I call all the time just to listen to Grandma and I usually cry too.
     Bodie is a complicated boy and he feels everything very deeply. At times he feels that the only person in the world that loved him was Grandma. Let me tell you, Bodie was her heart. On the night she died, she would lay in bed and talk to Bodie - even though he wasn't there. Bodie was always on her mind. Don't get me wrong, Grandma loved all her kids and grand kids / great grand kids with all her heart but Bodie decided that of all of the kids, HE was Grandma's and no one will ever convince him otherwise. I write all this to ask that all my prayer warriors please hold those that have lost loved ones up in prayer. I know that we do this right after the loss but it has been my experience that time doesn't always make things easier.
     Now to the moving on part. Some of you know that Daddy has met a beautiful lady that has brought so much joy to his life that he's like a teenager! Her name is Cindy and she is just as crazy about him as he is her. We all love her and are very happy that God brought this wonderful lady into Daddy's life. She fits right in with this crazy family and I am sure you will all be glad to call her part of the family. She may not be as proud to be a part of "all" the family but that's a different story. I can't wait for everyone to meet her. My only request to Daddy was that he leaves Momma's message on the answering machine. I was glad to here him say "I won't ever take that off, I call it too. I love your mom and miss her a lot." I know that he does but I am glad he is not just missing Mom but is moving on.
    

Tribute to Sister Parker

Cooking For Jesus

Cooking for Jesus,
happy once more.
Surrounded by loved ones

who've gone on before.

In a heavenly mansion
doing what was loved most;
serving and talking
with Heaven's great host.

Seeing the table,
prepared oh so grand.
Too excited to sit
just holding the hand.

On one side, the Savior
who gives eternal life;
on the other, the lover
that made her his wife.

She's cooking for Jesus
but not Him alone.
She's cooking and singing
around God's great throne!

Sandy Barron 11/6/12

A Tribute to Herb

"Who is that?" Aude Dennis, Rache Haywood's boy that married Marth McCrackin, Dee Whitehead's girl.

 

Now you know!!

 

 

The Gift (6/3/12)

Each day we live is a gift from God.

Though at times life is hard and the going is rough

making the gift feel more like a curse.

But embrace the journey knowing God's grace is more than enough.

 



From Frail to Free (5/30/12)

Hair white as snow,

eyes bright and blue.

Skin soft and wrinkled

but how frail you soon grew.

 

A heart once so strong,

now worked hard with each beat.

The fear in your eyes -

no use of your feet.

 

Scared of what would happen now,

unable to walk without being winded.

Unsteady gait, legs so weak

made time upright more limited.

 

The love of her life, sat by her bed,

holding her hand, stroking her face.

Calming her fears, forever in prayer.

She gave all to God, and left here with grace.

 

Not a day goes by that we don't miss you

and long to see you once more.

You awoke pain-free, now with Jesus

walking strong on God's heavenly shore. 

 

 



The Child I Once Knew (5/30/12)

The child I once knew
had a smile that could light up the night.
A curiosity that could not be contained
dancing thru dark chocolate eyes - so bright.

Time weakened the smile,
the eyes lot their spark.
Secrets once hidden away in the dark
surfaced and ripped our small world apart.

The child I once knew,
no longer with me
The eyes of deep brown and smile oh so sweet
 
live on through the children named Ava and Lee.