BarrFam

Summer Fun

2007-07-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

Greetings all! It's been a while. Thought I'd upload a short video clip of the fam (4th of July fireworks, swimming lessons, fun with music). Enjoy.

Puerto Vallarta Movie Part 1

2007-06-25T23:37:00.000-05:00

Puerto Vallarta Movie Part 2

2007-06-25T23:36:00.000-05:00

A Puerto Vallarta Film clip

2007-06-07T16:21:00.000-05:00

2007-04-10T11:40:00.000-05:00

New Photos

2007-04-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

It's been a while! Sorry bout that. I've been increasingly frustrated with the Blogger system of uploading photos with comments. We're still going to be blogging on the site, but most of our new pictures are now being uploaded to Flickr. You can see some brand new pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/56694030@N00/?saved=1

Hope you all had a blessed Easter. We had a great time with the boys, explaining the significance of Holy Week with a white board and Adam's pitiful sketching. But it's so cool to see Ben really "getting it."

Hey, if you haven't had the chance to pick up any new worship music in the last few weeks, check out Leeland. I've been listening to them and like their sound and message more and more with each go-round.

Later!

Sammy's Birthday

2007-02-21T09:38:00.000-05:00

2007-02-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

Joshua's Birth

2007-02-13T10:02:00.001-05:00

2007-02-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

2007-02-02T22:11:00.000-05:00

2007-01-15T16:51:00.000-05:00

2007-01-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

2007-01-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

2007-01-15T16:34:00.000-05:00

2007-01-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

2006-11-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

Puerto Vallarta

2006-11-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

Some November Pictures

2006-11-22T15:41:00.000-05:00

2006-11-22T15:39:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Mommy

2006-11-22T15:36:00.000-05:00

Uncle Lukie

2006-11-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

Uncle Lukie was in town for the weekend and his nephews were SO HAPPY to see him!

Cowboy Ben

2006-11-13T23:10:00.000-05:00

BarrFun

2006-11-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

Picture A: musical accompaniement to disco party; Picture B: musical accompaniement to WWF insanity.

Luke & Amy's Ceremony

2006-11-03T23:41:00.000-05:00

The Gaze

2006-10-30T13:56:00.000-05:00

Okay...so some of you already know this. But Sammy has this keen stare-down thing he can do. It's almost scary. He can dead-pan better than just about anyone I've met. Here's a great example:

What makes it so cool is that he knows what he's doing. Sometimes, he'll even give you a little grin ... after he's convinced you that he is deadly serious.

Brothers

2006-10-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Gig

2006-10-26T09:17:00.000-05:00

For those who can make it: Adam has an upcoming gig with "Men Not Rabbits" in Wayland, MI. We'd love to see you there. His brother Luke is driving up from Chicago to play drums. Marc Vandermaas will be bassing it. And the supremely talented Steve Oostdyk will be taking lead guitar.

Of Mice and Men

2006-10-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

So ... Ben's been drawing so much lately. He loves pulling out his "MAGNADOODLE" to make cool pictures. Here's his mouse.

A Little Bit Crazy

2006-10-19T15:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, life at the Barr Househould can get "a little bit crazy." In the last few days, we've painted two rooms and ripped up the carpet in our hallway (nice hardwood floors beneath). But nothing makes our life together more crazy-fun than Ben and Sam. Together, they are a Dynamic Duo of Big-Big Fun-Time Insanity (the DDBBFTI).

Jen was subjected to their insanity. For evidence, see below.

2006-10-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

Pics from the Piper Conference

2006-10-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

Lunch with the Smiths

2006-09-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

Some good friends . . . the Smiths, we'll call them . . . took us all to a cool Chinese restaurant after I preached in Wayland this past Sunday. Then, they were kind enough to send us some pictures. For some reason, most of these are not flipped correctly . . . but they were too awesome to sit on my harddrive.

2006-09-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

Sammy took a nice long nap . . . then woke up in time for a bite to eat.

2006-09-27T21:35:00.000-05:00

2006-09-27T21:29:00.000-05:00

Look at Ben use those chopsticks!

Just the Two of Us

2006-09-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

Thanks for Coming Out

2006-09-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to saying THANKS MUCH to all who made the trip out to Wayland for the acoustic gig on September 16. It was so good to see all of you there. Like I said, it felt like a family reunion. Randy Smith was kind enough to shoot some video of the show. Hopefully, we'll have some of that online by next week for your viewing pleasure.

For those interested, the set list was as follows:
ACT 1
Instrumental
"In Loving You"
"She Reminds Me of Rome"
"Girl of the North Country" (Dylan)
"I Wanna Be With You"
ACT 2
"Glory Ride"
"I Can Feel the Sunset"
"Nothing Good is Born"
"Now Meet Me"
ACT 3
"Sick for Home"
"Freedom"

Endless Summer (If Only!)

2006-09-18T07:58:00.000-05:00

Ben's First Word

2006-09-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

Ben's been writing letters for a while now. He's known how to write his name or copy a word that mommy or daddy wrote. But yesterday, for the first time, he thought about and wrote one on his own. He'd been speaking with Jen and I for a bit, then went out. When he came back, he said, "Mommy, daddy, I wrote 'Zoo'!"
Pretty Cool!

A Few More Hiking Pics

2006-09-08T08:41:00.000-05:00

A Hiking Trip for the Ages

2006-09-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Adam went on a hike with two great friends - Ryan Pazdur and Travis Eerdman. It was an awesome time of sharing and seeing God's incredible creation. I especially want to thank Ryan and Trav for their advanced trip plotting. Our 20 mile hike was supposed to stretch over three days. However, we were able to cover four on the first and another sixteen on the second. Who needs that third day anyway! :) It was some intense hiking with full packs. But, seriously, I wouldn't have done it any other way. We all agreed: Sometimes, it's good to push yourself to the max. We did.

Our hike traced the Manistee River. Several times, it took effort to remember we were in Michigan and not the Smokies. Travis caught trout in the river. We went swimming after the 12th mile on day two. My water filter did a great job keeping us hydrated and the Manistee is clear, cold and very tasty.

Another Baby-Barr Picture

2006-09-06T10:31:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how much our connection to the new baby has grown in the last 24 hours. We've been praying for him for months, talking to him and looking forward to his coming. But now that we can say "him" and not just "the baby," the whole thing feels real. We're talking about names, etc. For a while, Ben & Sam were really pulling for a baby sister. But now they're overjoyed at the thought of another guy to rough-house with.

Adam's Acoustic Gig

2006-09-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Barr Baby #3

2006-09-05T10:58:00.000-05:00

Well, went to visit the Dr. this morning for our sonnogram. We found out the baby is a little boy! Wow . . . 3 boys. More on this later. For now, here's a pic.

Some Summer Pics

2006-09-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

Back Again

2006-09-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's been a while. But we're back. For those who are interested in the Barr Family Developments, this is a good place. hope you like the pics!

2005-02-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Baby Sam and his grammy

2005-02-17T19:31:00.000-05:00

Ben and his new brother Sam.

2005-02-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

The new fam!

He's Arrived!

2005-02-12T01:24:00.000-05:00

Jen tried to make me promise not to post a blog. But . . . I never quite said I wouldn't. For those who stop by once in a while, Sam has arrived! He is 7 lbs 7 oz; 19 in. Doctors broke Jen's water around 7:30 and Sam was born at 9:42. More details to come.

2005-02-12T01:23:00.000-05:00

Sam and Mommy!

Alarm Bells

2005-02-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

Sitting in Arnies. Contractions five minutes apart. Forty-five seconds long. Will the meal be interrupted by a trip to the hospital? No. Jen and I finished our "last-date-before-Sam-is-born" food and headed over to the mall for a stroll. Alarm bells are sounding but the car's still in the garage.

There was reason to believe "it" might be happening. I am dilated to 4 cm and 80% effaced. But I was glad to have the night out with my husband!

Baby Sam's Coming to Live with Us!

2005-02-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

February 9, 2005
Sam is due tomorrow! Don’t cross your fingers, though. The “experienced” among us know such projections are sketchy at best. We will tell you this: Ben’s prognostication skills are up for trial. He woke up yesterday morning and said, “Baby Sam’s coming to live with us.”

Redefinition Afoot

2005-02-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

Nine days till the due date. Amazing, God gives us nine months to choose names, prep the nest, and get used to the idea of a new baby, but a life we could never imagine has metamorphosed and is about to break open. The change . . . redefining. And life will not stop to take a breath. The hours will still pass by in minutes, the minutes in seconds. Each second will lay a new strand of meaning and purpose across our existence like a web under construction. The simple complexity of marriage, love and birth shuts my mouth in wonder.

2005-01-28T16:09:00.001-05:00

Ben and Mommy

2005-01-28T16:09:00.000-05:00

Ben and Daddy

New Things

2005-01-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

2 Timothy 1:12-14
But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Dear Friends, January 2004
Greetings. As you stand at the border of a year completed and a new one underway, we hope you sense the Father’s sovereign hand drawing you forward. Jen and I are writing to convey how we personally have perceived His call in the past few months. Your continued friendship gives us hope you will hold our family in your thoughts and prayers.
Most of you know of my work in Fountain of Life church from 2000-2004. As an associate pastor, I devoted significant time to youth ministry and was privileged to complete a second master’s degree in theology. With Fountain of Life’s blessing, Jen, Ben and I (and soon-to-be-born Sam) have set our vision on serving Christ’s Kingdom while completing further studies beginning in fall 2005.[*] Till then, God has me serving Corinth Church near Grand Rapids, MI and revising a one-volume Bible commentary for Zondervan Publishing. We want to share how we see God working in our lives and the American Church.
Anyone who has spent time surveying emerging intellectual and youth culture realizes a change is afoot. The so-called “generation gaps” now seem to be canyons. Church leaders and parents struggle to help young people navigate the borders between Church and Culture. Many are frustrated in their efforts. Some, unfortunately, have thrown up their hands in defeat.
Most of us could tell at least one story of a Christian, college-bound student leaving home with great aspirations. Tragically, a semester or two later, this same young person returns home, questioning their basic convictions or even their faith. Another potential leader in the Kingdom consumes poisonous thought, embracing a faulty worldview. Some students will emerge from the clouds of doubt. But increasingly, many do not. In the aftermath of such stories, it is tempting to despair.
But I believe we have great reason to HOPE. Those conversant with Western history realize it is impossible to recount the past 2,000 years without considering the Gospel’s dramatic impact. The greatest music, art and intellectual insights of our culture were expressed by people conformed to Christian truth and Christ’s character. Imagine the coming generations navigating the borders between Church and Culture with inspired wisdom, creativity and conviction. Imagine what would happen if our kids became “culture-creators” rather than “culture-consumers”!
Jen and I want to ask for your prayers over the next months. We are increasingly convinced my time in church ministry, academics, music and publishing has been a preparation to address these issues. Thankfully, this conviction has been confirmed in numerous ways. We are so blessed to be surrounded by a circle of trusted counselors. More than anything, I thank God for my prayerful, wise and supportive wife. Together, we look forward to seeing what He will unfold.
Lord willing, we will soon share the vision for a new ministry we hope to begin within the year. It will be called Borderlands. For now, we will convey the initial mission statement:

Borderlands serves the Church’s mission by helping Christian individuals, families and communities, conceive, embody and communicate truth in contemporary culture. We do this a) by publishing insightful literature and other media; b) by planning relevant seminars for local churches and communities and c) by providing significant discipleship experiences for committed learners.

Friends, we do not believe the Church is called to retreat! Instead, we are called to the borders, shining the light of biblical truth on existence (Ps. 119:105), helping people make sense of their situation. May we continue to announce a new kind of life, one possible in Jesus alone. We must forge new forms of discipleship for a new kind of challenge. Jen and I pray Borderlands will help to do this. Please, pray for us as we begin to build partnerships in birthing this new ministry.

In His Grace,

Adam and Jen Barr

P.S. We welcome any questions or input you might have. You can contact us in any of the following ways:
1430 Hidden Valley Dr. #6
Kentwood, MI 49508

atbarr@hotmail.com
(616) 827-8462
[*] I hope to complete a PhD in Theology, concentrating in apologetics (graduating in 2008). Apologetics is the effort to express Biblical truth in convincing ways to non-Christians. It involves both a clear understanding of Christian truth and a grasp of the culture. Lord willing, I will be studying at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.