It came and went...

Christmas 2009... GONE! Just as it did in 2008 and in 2007 and... However... this Christmas held some GREAT MEMORIES! For the first time in FOUR years - the entire BARRETT family (Parents/Siblings/Nieces & Nephews) - ALL WERE TOGETHER! What a GREAT (& could I say a bit HECTIC and CHAOTIC at times) Christmas it was!

Too much FOOD! Too much FUN! Too many GIFTS! Too much FOOD (did I say that yet?)! Too QUICK!

Family Focus...

Ginger is off to MISSOURI for a quick trip - with Isaac & Charis! Saying 'Goodbye' to her Mom & Dad's house - which they sold a few weeks ago! And yes... Caleb & Daddy are rockin' the MAN CRIB for a few days of solitude! However... I'll be STUDYING like CrAzY the next few days in prepping for our JANUARY Series... FREAKONOMIC$ - to start this Sunday - so MOM (Nana) and DAD (Papa) will be assisting DADDY DAYCARE with Caleb - THANKS!!!

The Barrett Family did WELL this Christmas!

1. Isaac got ONE item on his 'Wish List' - an iPod Nano! (5th Generation mind you!)

2. Caleb got a KICKIN' DJ Music Machine!

3. Charis got a ROCKIN' Girlz Guitar & Keyboard!

4. Ging & Josh got a the JOY in watching our KIDS' faces on Christmas Morn in seeing what SANTA left them under the TREE!

5. Oh yeah... The Barrett Fam also got a WII - in which Isaac has delicately 'taken it to me' many times already in TENNIS & BOXING!

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

Have you ever seen a Hearse pulling a U-Haul? Didn't think so. You know why? After fantastic careers - plush 401k's & secure retirements... it ALL goes back in the box! No more game cards. No more tokens. No more promotions, no more financial planning, no more RV's and vacation homes. GAME OVER. What did you WIN that you get to keep? That's the ECONOMY of God, unusual for sure. Some may actually call it... FREAKONOMIC$!

We kick the NEW YEAR off right with understanding the FREAKED-OUT ECONOMY of GOD!

You don't wanna MISS this coming SUNDAY, JANUARY 03rd!!

Something HUGE is gonna happen!

God Came Near

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. it was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. Divinity Arrived. Heaven opened herself up and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

GOD HAD COME NEAR!

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla. Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of star-gazers, there would have been no gifts. One thing's for sure: He was, while completely divine, completely human.

For thirty three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached. To think of JESUS in such a light is -- well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the HUMANITY out of the INCARNATION. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose. He's easier to stomach that way.

Please listen... there is something about keeping him DIVINE that keeps him Distant, Packaged, Predictable. But... DON'T DO IT! For heaven's sake, DON'T! Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out!

It all happened in a moment. In one moment... a most remarkable moment. The Word came flesh!

There will be another. The world will see another instantaneous transformation. You see, in becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God! When Jesus went home - he left the back door open! As a result, "we shall all be changed -- in a MOMENT, in the twinkling of an eye."

The first MOMENT of Transformation went unnoticed by the world. But you bet your sweet self that the second one WON'T! The next time you use the phrase... 'Just a MOMENT...' -- remember that's all the time it will take to change the world!

~Max Lucado / God Came Near~

FIRST IMPRESSIONS...

A young pastor was preparing his sermon when his daughter came in and said... "Daddy, can you come and play with me?" The father responded... "Honey, I need to finish my sermon, but give me one hour, and I will play with you then - I promise!" "Okay," said the little girl, "And when you finish, I'm going to give you a great big hug!" She started out the door and then turned around slowly and ran back into her daddy's arms and gave him a HUGE HUG - right then & there! "I thought you were gonna give me a hug when I finish?" asked her daddy. "Daddy, I just wanted you to know what you have to look forward to!"

Sunday Snapshot...

As we wrap up this week our FIRST IMPRESSIONS Series - the last two people (Mary & Joseph) we're looking at - had to ASK themselves the same QUESTION(s) we've been asking this Series

IS JESUS REALLY WHO HE SAID HE WAS?

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOUR LOST WITHOUT HIM?

The amazing thing for them was - as they ANSWERED those QUESTIONS themselves -

they got a HUG FROM GOD! (A reminder of what they had to look forward to!)

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS COC THIS WEEK!

Amazing Conclusion to our Series - and PERSONAL 'Pre-Jesus' & 'Post-Jesus' Encounters that will BLOW YOUR MIND!

Don't forget CHRISTMAS EVE 2009!

WHERE did 2009 go?

FAMILY FOCUS...

WOW! Another year is GONE - just like that! Is it me - or is TIME just FLYING! Listening right now as I post to a band called NEEDTOBREATHE - "Stones Under Rushing Water"... 'The YEARS go by - like Stones Under Rushing Water - we only know - we only know - WHEN IT'S GONE!'

I only realize HOW FAST the years seem to be flying when I see my KIDDOS! They are GROWING just TOO FAST!!

-Isaac SERIOUSLY needs to STOP GROWING - NOW!

-Caleb SERIOUSLY needs to STAY RIGHT WHERE HE IS - NO JOKE!

-Charis SERIOUSLY needs to NOT GROW ANOTHER DAY OLDER - WOW!

Here we are - only days away from CHRISTMAS!?!??! Ginger & I started our DAILY countdown with the kiddos this week - she put up Candy Canes for each day - that the BOYZ get to eat - and she's wrapped up a Christmas Book that they open ONE each night - countdowns to Christmas! Daddy is the READER - for some reason she says I'm more ANIMATED!?!?

The 'Christmas Lists' are coming along GREAT!

-Caleb doesn't 'have a CLUE' that it's Christmas - and won't until CHRISTMAS DAY - when he opens his presents - he's the EASIEST to shop for - he likes EVERYTHING!

-Charis... well - I think she's similar to Caleb right now - pretty easy! BUT... I am fearing that soon coming DAY when she gets a little more HIGHER MAINTENANCE (as I hear that Girls do)! We're pretty confident she'll like everything she gets... FOR NOW!?!?

-Isaac... well - that's a HO 'NOTHA STOREEEEEEEE!!!!! I think just THREE ITEMS on his list are a cumulative price of $55,594.00!??!?!? I have to remind him often that DADDY is a PASTOR - which ='s LITTLE $$FLOW$$! So he GLADLY reduces his list to TWO ITEMS =ing $35,365.00!??! Thanks Isaac - I appreciate your FLEXIBILITY!!!!

Gonna be a GREAT CHRISTMAS though!! My WHOLE FAMILY (M&D/J&A Barrett/M&T Nuckolls/M&L Gotcher/J&G Barrett + Kiddos + T&W Meador (Ging's Folks)) will be in the 'COPA! What a GREAT FAMILY experience!!! Can you just 'Visualize' MEAL times... 26 OF US!!

This is just MeSsEd Up!?

'

Favorite HIDING spot - under DADDY's DESK!

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

FIRST IMPRESSIONS / Wk5... ZACCHAEUS

Have you FORGOTTEN what it's like to be FOUND?

Jesus REACHED (still reaches) out to those that APPEAR (for all appearances sake)... UNLOVABLE!

Zacchaeus' SALVATION Moment was nothing short of a...

OWNERSHIP... WHO OWNS YOU??