Author MICHAEL TODD BARRETT
About (Biography)
Snapshot
With frenzied fervor I worked at my desk one afternoon, determined to finish the pile of office tasks that I had been ignoring for several days. My wife, Sharon, was shopping, and she had taken our two toddlers with her. They loved to go since their mother allowed each of them to pick out something from the candy rack as a reward for good behavior. It was a special time for them, and they looked forward to it every Friday.
The house was quiet, and I was alone. It was a perfect time to tackle a huge stack of paperwork that had been building up on my desk for weeks, and I had been at it for several hours. Sharon would be home soon, bringing with her the noise and confusion of our two young children. I had to finish quickly.
A moment later I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. The front door opened, and in tramped Sharon laden down with grocery bags, followed by the kids who chattered happily.
With so much to do, I didn't look up. Yet I could sense my young son's presence as he approached my desk. He stood patiently for a moment, the result of careful teaching about not interrupting me when I'm working, but out of the corner of my eye I could see him begin to fidget.
"Dad?" Keith said softly.
"Just a minute," I said firmly and continued with what I was doing.
Keith stood another moment before tugging at my shirt sleeve. "Dad?" he said again.
I could hear the excitement in his voice. "Just a minute," I said, more firmly than before.
He stood quietly, but I could see his little legs as he danced and fidgeted in anticipation. The distraction annoyed me.
"Dad?" He said as he tugged on my shirt sleeve again.
My train of thought lost, I whirled in my chair to face him. "What?" I demanded.
For the first time I saw that he had something in his hand. It was the unopened pack of gum his mother had bought him for being good in the store. He held it out for me to take, wonder and awe in his eyes. "You want some, Dad?" he asked, reverently.
My hard heart began to soften. I took the pack of gum from him and pulled him up onto my lap. He sat expectantly as I peeled back the wrapper, pulled out a stick and then handed him the rest of the pack.
"Thank you," I said.
"That's OK, Dad!" he beamed as he slid off my lap and happily scampered off toward the kitchen.
As I watched him go I began to wonder how God saw me. My son's simple faith, trusting me with the whole pack and never questioning whether or not he'd get any of it back, warmed me a little. At the same time the humility of self-realization cut deep as I remembered my own grudging attitude when I dropped a meager check into the offering plate the Sunday before. A peculiar thought ran through my head. He hadn't asked if he should give a percentage of the gross or the net.
II Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
I'm a simple man. I don't know about all the deep theology of giving. I only know that, from now on when the plate is passed or I become aware of some need, I'm going to give with a new attitude.
With frenzied fervor I worked at my desk one afternoon, determined to finish the pile of office tasks that I had been ignoring for several days. My wife, Sharon, was shopping, and she had taken our two toddlers with her. They loved to go since their mother allowed each of them to pick out something from the candy rack as a reward for good behavior. It was a special time for them, and they looked forward to it every Friday.
The house was quiet, and I was alone. It was a perfect time to tackle a huge stack of paperwork that had been building up on my desk for weeks, and I had been at it for several hours. Sharon would be home soon, bringing with her the noise and confusion of our two young children. I had to finish quickly.
A moment later I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. The front door opened, and in tramped Sharon laden down with grocery bags, followed by the kids who chattered happily.
With so much to do, I didn't look up. Yet I could sense my young son's presence as he approached my desk. He stood patiently for a moment, the result of careful teaching about not interrupting me when I'm working, but out of the corner of my eye I could see him begin to fidget.
"Dad?" Keith said softly.
"Just a minute," I said firmly and continued with what I was doing.
Keith stood another moment before tugging at my shirt sleeve. "Dad?" he said again.
I could hear the excitement in his voice. "Just a minute," I said, more firmly than before.
He stood quietly, but I could see his little legs as he danced and fidgeted in anticipation. The distraction annoyed me.
"Dad?" He said as he tugged on my shirt sleeve again.
My train of thought lost, I whirled in my chair to face him. "What?" I demanded.
For the first time I saw that he had something in his hand. It was the unopened pack of gum his mother had bought him for being good in the store. He held it out for me to take, wonder and awe in his eyes. "You want some, Dad?" he asked, reverently.
My hard heart began to soften. I took the pack of gum from him and pulled him up onto my lap. He sat expectantly as I peeled back the wrapper, pulled out a stick and then handed him the rest of the pack.
"Thank you," I said.
"That's OK, Dad!" he beamed as he slid off my lap and happily scampered off toward the kitchen.
As I watched him go I began to wonder how God saw me. My son's simple faith, trusting me with the whole pack and never questioning whether or not he'd get any of it back, warmed me a little. At the same time the humility of self-realization cut deep as I remembered my own grudging attitude when I dropped a meager check into the offering plate the Sunday before. A peculiar thought ran through my head. He hadn't asked if he should give a percentage of the gross or the net.
II Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
I'm a simple man. I don't know about all the deep theology of giving. I only know that, from now on when the plate is passed or I become aware of some need, I'm going to give with a new attitude.
My wife, Sharon, and I worked, worshiped and raised a family in Southern California during the 80s & 90s. But in 2001, kids raised, we began to think of new ways to minister. It had always been a dream of mine to build a place where pastors could get away from the responsibilities of church leadership and be refreshed. While driving through the California gold country one summer, I shared my vision with Sharon. To my surprise, she began to catch the vision, and soon we were making plans.
So, in 2004 we closed our Southern California construction business, sold our home and bought eighty acres in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. For the past four-and-a-half years we've been busy building a place just for pastors. If you're interested in helping,or if you know a pastor who could use a break, check us out at: Theranchgrassvalley.com. God bless!
So, in 2004 we closed our Southern California construction business, sold our home and bought eighty acres in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. For the past four-and-a-half years we've been busy building a place just for pastors. If you're interested in helping,or if you know a pastor who could use a break, check us out at: Theranchgrassvalley.com. God bless!
A Bit More
*Author: Sane people do sane things--like go to ball games or watch TV. I write things.
*Poet (wannabe): My poetry stinks. Don't ask to see it.
*Builder-upper (of the body of Christ) and a simple man of faith.
*Father of four: They "rise up and call [me] blessed." What more could a man ask for in children?
*Husband to the most wonderful girl in the world. Lover. Confidant. Faithful & trusted friend. Thank you, Sharon.
*California grown and Heaven-bound by the grace of God.
*Life's goal: To hold true to the truth of God's word, and to use whatever time God has given me here on earth to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ.
