The Experiment

Ahhhh. What a weekend! I love a weekend that isn't full of demands and leaves room for the unexpected. This past Saturday will always be a Barron family memory for me. There are those milestones that make my journal and yet aren't some grand event that Hallmark has a card for.

Morgan came home from college on Saturday and our family was doing the usual running in several different directions. As Ridley and I headed to the church office early Saturday morning for a new members class, I confessed that I felt a little defeated. I had a week that felt like the more I tried to snuggle up to Jesus, the worse I did with His teaching and character building. As tears ran down my face, I asked my pastor and best friend how that happens. I recently have been in the Word even more, praying more and implemented some strong accountability in my life. In my babyish moment, I told Ridley it just doesn't make sense to try harder if you are going to fail harder. It had been a week where I felt like my relationships at home were off balance in all directions. My backside had warmed the stool in my closet many days as I prayed myself through some hurtful things from my children. Those moments are normal for parents and kids, but I was having a harder time remembering it wasn't about me. I continued to pray!

Saturday afternoon, I felt the nudge to do a family experiment. It was College Game Day so I was nervous about making the suggestion to my family and the response I was going to get. I headed to the kitchen table with paper plates, chocolate chips, sweet treats, a funnel, lemons and hot sauce. I then called the entire family to the table. I was greeted with "What are we doing?" "Is this a game?" As everybody sat down, each was rewarded with a treat for great report cards and effort. Dad too. Then each was rewarded with a treat for sharing how someone in the family blessed them during the week. It took them a little bit to think of something. Hmmmmmm. Then everybody got chocolate chips on their plate. This just doesn't happen in the Barron Bunch often. The sugar intake was high and so was the excitement.

As I poured water through the funnel, I explained that the more we wanted to be Jesus, the more Satan wants to leak into our family. I reminded them that we are all responsible for doing our part to "plug up the holes" so Satan can't get in. We talked about some ways we could do that. Then we each had to squeeze lemon juice on our chocolate chips and eat them. I was playing along and I must admit, the lemon juice totally covered the sweetness of the chocolate. The faces were priceless. We then talked about how one person's decision to be "sour" can affect the whole sweetness of what God is trying to do with The Barron's. Then came the hot sauce. They were catching on. With eyes shut and mouths burning, we were all grabbing for our water. We talked about "hot tempers" and how they can cover up what God is doing in our family.

I don't know how long we sat there. It didn't matter. It didn't matter what game was on or what project needed to be tackled. Conversation opened up to some apologies, some speaking "truth in love", some laughing and some crying. Out of respect for my family, I won't get into details but there were some major things brought into the light and more than anything, you could taste the sweetness of love that God intended. We made a lot more progress than this momma could have made fussing or screaming at her kids. I will sit on my backside on that stool praying as many times as I have to for the love of my family and what God wants to do with The Barron Bunch.

As I reflect on that moment again this morning, I think about God's Word and how when I open it, it is like sitting at the table with Him. His gentle way of teaching and showing me in the simplest of ways to make sure I get it.

The lemons: In Jeremiah 31:29 "in those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes - his own teeth will be set on edge."
We each have to take responsibility for ourselves.

The hot sauce: Proverbs 14:16 "A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless." Each of us has to do our part to keep the devil out.

The chocolate: Psalm 19:7 & 10 "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. They (His ordinances) are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb." This means we must keep on keeping on with what is right.

That time around our table was reviving for the soul of our family. I am smart enough to know that hormones will be ragging again soon, attitudes will be in full force and patience will be low. However, we will keep on keeping on for the good of our God and the good of our family.

We are to praise Him for our sweet n' sour moments!