A Week Worth Remembering

Ahhh.
We're back to the real world, after a week that I shall most certainly remember.

"I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, 

                 THAT'S when I've really learned." - Carol Burnett.

That really sums up my week.
 Where shall I start?
Perhaps at the beginning.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This week (actually last week) was a homeschooler's convention in Nashville.
This convention is always the highlight of our year.
We were planning on traveling out with some of our dear friends, and OF COURSE, we are Barkmans, so we were late.
But, after that, the trip actually went pretty well.
When we finally got to Nashville, Tennessee, we met up with some other friends who were also going to the convention.
Us girls got our own hotel room, which was really nice, so OF COURSE most nights we stayed up really, really, late.
Some of my friends and I were in a group called COMMIT, a girl's group that would meet every day, and you had your own "team" and had electives, and speakers, and it was really good.
Then, we had student sessions, where all of the "young people" would sit and listen to some really good, sometimes VERY humorous (It's THE PIE!) , and challenging speakers.
We also got to be in a very awesome choir.
but, even with all the wonderful speakers, and games, and all that, the convention wasn't really the biggest thing that impacted me this year.
I mean, of COURSE it was partly the convention, because what happened happened because we were there, but it didn't just happen at the convention.
Are you following me so far?
smashing.

Anyway, that week, i really was asking God and requesting prayer for a servant's heart.
I have this big problem of always focusing on ME, and not on the needs of others.
So, us girls had this really great evening of sharing and prayer, and that's one of the places that I requested prayer for a servant's heart.
Well, to make a very long story short, through a bizarre circumstance, God answered my prayer in a more obvious, unexpected, challenging way then maybe ever before.
It had to do with a HUGE disapointment, and learning to put aside MY feelings for others.
Needless to say, it was a very, very, hard lesson.
And during the part of the challenge, I was so bitter that I couldn't really look around it.
But, now I see how good it was for me, and how God used that to answer my prayer.
Thank the Lord for amazing friends, siblings, and parents, to show me the right attitude, and focus on the others involved.

Altogether, this week was really good.
Good for my faith, good for my attitude, and a good chance to be thankful for homecooked meals. ;)
You also may have found out that I gave up FaceBook last week.
Shall I state some of my reasons?
I shall.
#1: I spent WAY too much time on it, much more time than I did in my Bible, or praying. 
  I had the excuse that I didn't really play the stupid games anymore, and I even tried to go on only twice a week or other such notion.
#2: I heard about plans going on in FaceBook that I was informed that I want NOTHING to do with.
 (If you think about how much information Facebook has about you, it gets kind of scary)
#3: And simply because of how HARD it was to get off.
It is rather maddening, but it's true.
Have you ever played with the idea of getting rid of your Facebook? I did, and would sort of discard it, but it would be in the back of my mind.

And I had been talking about it with some of my good friends awhile ago, and three of them got off.
And then last week, another one of my friends got off too.
And, this is a choice that I made, and one that doesn't apply to everyone.
I think it will be better for ME in my relationship with God.
But, to all you people who don't have a problem with Facebook taking too much of your time in a wrong way, kudos to you! :)
And there will be other things that will want my time too, but i need to learn to give it to Jesus.
Yes, I'm done now. :)

                                                                   Two, sweet, dear friends.

                                                        My wonderful COMMIT group.

                                          Our wonderful, and rather energetic, choir director.:)

                                                                   .      .       .       .        .  

           Oh my goodness, good memories. (we were definitely NOT racing down the hall right before this.)

                                                 We were very much entertained that week. ;)

                                                                      Good times,

                                                                      Good friends,

                                                                     Good talks,

                                                          and, REALLY good friends. :)

                                                               

                                                             Some really wonderful people.

                                                                      :)

I do hope that you enjoyed my ramblings.
It was fun again.
I shall probably be doing more blogging, without my facebook.
:)
Signing off,
 Me.