Saturday night is the banquet to celebrate 50 years of Briarwood's life, ministry, growth, impact on the world... etc.... we are so looking forward to it ( I won't mention that we can't go to the Auburn game!!! :) but nonetheless... we can't wait!!! Growing up, I began moving when I had finished first grade.... after that, we traveled for my dad to do his residency training, etc... to Denver and then 2 places in California... When I was in 6th grade we had the choice of either moving to Los Angeles or Birmingham, AL! Praise the Lord my parents chose Birmingham!!! They chose it to be closer to family... we are all from Memphis and various places in MS ! Mississippi isn't real high on my list right now because it stole my daughter and son in law.... oh wait!!! thats not what this blog post is about!!! ha ha!!! We will save that for a later date!!! This blog post is to tell you exactly what Briarwood Presbyterian Church and Birmingham Alabama mean to me!!! All in about 4 or 5 paragraphs!!!! Once we got settled in Birmingham, I attended Brookwood Forrest Elementary for 6th grade. At that point, my parents had been visiting various churches because they new that in the South, people went to church. After a visit to Briarwood, Frank Barker came to see my parents and "happened" to leave a What Does it mean to Believe tract in their car... the rest is history!!! My parents prayed with Frank to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour and then promptly began trying to get me and my sister and brother enrolled in Briarwood Christian School. To say I wasn't happy is an understatement!! Therefor.... I was sent to Camp Briarwood so that I might meet other Briarwood students and "fall in Love" with the school, etc... which is exactly what happened!! I suppose God heard my parents prayers and from the moment I registered at Camp Briarwood.... and I AM NOT making this up!!!! I had made lifelong friends!!!! In fact.... I had 2 boyfriends by the time the line got to our turn to register!!!! Go figure!!! And they are still very close friends of ours today!!! (not to mention that they are the Byer's brothers!!!!)
All of that to get to the point.... at that camp.... sitting by myself in a pew in the chapel at Hargis... I gave my life to Christ... and I will NEVER forget it!!!! I can't say that I was the perfect role model as a teenager growing up.... but I can HONESTLY say that Jesus Christ never left my side and that He is the only reason I am able to write this today!!!!! 34 or so years later... 3 children, 1 grandchild... thats not something to take lightly!!!!! Which brings me back around to my point!!!! Saturday night is a night of Celebration!! A night of remembering exactly where God started this church and where He has led this church and led His people... its a night to remember how our church has grown and remember WHY it has grown!!!! Frank Barker and Harry Reeder will be the first people to tell you that it has NOTHING to do with them!!! and EVERYTHING to do with the Lord!!! WOW!!! I wish people could feel what I feel when I realize I am BLESSED beyond measure to be a part of this!!!! When I came to Briarwood in the 7th grade.... I remember being jealous of all of my friends that had never lived anywhere else and had always been right here at Briarwood... and guess what??? I STILL AM!!!! But now I'm jealous for the right reasons!!! And its those reasons that we sent our kids to Briarwood School from K4 thru 12th grade!!!! Nothing can take away the teachings they learned, the godly teachers and role models they had.... and more than that... it was where they became Christians.... yes, they prayed with us, but their teachers had such a huge impact on them.... there is nothing i could ever do to repay them for that!!! NOTHING!!!! so if you aren't planning to come to this celebration ..... I feel sorry for you!!! I didn't want to give up my Saturday night either at first!!! I admit it!!! But the thought of missing out on God's blessings and to be reminded of those blessings.....FOR once in my life!!!! I made the right decision!!! I know i'm being a bit dramatic about this .... but if you really get to know me... then you learn.... I'm really dramatic when it comes to people I love... and things that are the closest to my heart!!!! Of course Briarwood ranks about number 1!!!! ( not above God... not above Jim, not above my family... but YES!!!!! its right there neck and neck!!!) How can you not go celebrate a place that taught you about His love for you??? A place that showed you how to live in eternity with Christ?? a place that seeks out the lost and feeds the hungry??? I could go on and on and on.....
Does anyone even know that when I was in 6th grade, attending Brookwood Forrest Elementary that I took ballet with Barbara Barker and Peggy and Anita??? That I used to sit in the dressing room "wishing" that one day I could be friends with Peggy??? That I used to have to do LEAPS mind you along side of them in ballet and I was mortified!!! But God answered even the simplest of prayers and let me be "best friends" with Peggy my whole growing up life!!!! In fact.... I went on many a family vacation with them and "YES" I have even wrestled Frank Barker to the floor in a friendly game of spoons!!!!! Its a memory I will treasure forever.... just like the memory of being married by him 27 years ago and then getting the chance to see him marry our first son and precious daughter in law in he same church where he was baptized!!!! Shall I go on???? Surely you get my point as I have tears of joy streaming down my face and know in my heart of hearts.... Saturday night is not just a celebration of the past 50 years!!!! Its a celebration of the next 50 years to come and I PRAY that we will all be blessed to be a part of something so wonderful!!!!
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