Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Here I sit in the dark on Thanksgiving eve, nursing my brand new gift from God. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving. I gaze down at this precious child and tears well up in my eyes. For some reason, God has blessed me again. I am so thankful for being a woman. I get to have a new life develop inside my body and then I get to give birth to this new life and then I get to sustain this life at my bosom. How utterly amazing is that! And that is only the beggining of this great journey of motherhood!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Things your Pastor's Wife wants to say but doesn't...

I have been thinking about this post for a while. I have meet many pastors wives and read many blogs. This list is not complete and is not all from me. It is somethings I am giving voice too. So here it is:

Things your Pastor's Wife wants to say but doesn't:
  1. Please don't call around 6 pm (dinner time) unless it is a real emergency. See #2
  2. A real emergency is not: a funny joke you heard about a preacher, a rabbi, and a priest..., we have probably heard it before; to ask where that scripture is, google it!;
  3. Please do not discipline our children, unless you are in a close relationship with them, ie, Sunday School teacher. You may know them, but it does not mean they know you.
  4. We are at church a lot, Tues-Prayer Group, Wed-Bible Study, Thurs-Choir or Children's group, Friday-Youth Group or Fill-in-the-blank, Sat-Church, Sun-Church, am & pm. So if you see our kids playing outside when they are "supposed" to be in church, it's OK! They have been here a lot this week.
  5. The pastor is not perfect. This may be a no-brainer for some but some need to hear this. There have been many times women have approached saying how lucky I am to be married to him. My first reaction is "HA!" He is a great guy, mind you, but he is NOT perfect. He still forgets things and he is still human! But on the other hand...see #6
  6. He is still my husband. There have also been people who have approached me complaining that he did something that offended them or did not do something correctly. I want to say "Do you understand, he is my husband!" Don't complain to me about him, I may hurt you!!
  7. Do not be offended if I do not wave or smile or other such nicety to you when I am out and about. Chances are I did not see you, or I was distracted by taking care of my children, my primary priority!
  8. Please do not jump on me when I first walk into church on Sunday morning. Remember while my husband was at church early this morning, I was getting all the children ready by myself along with trying to get ready as well. Some mornings do not go smoothly, give me a minute!
  9. Sometimes we, as in our family, have crises also! We do not like to announce this to the whole church. So do not be offended because we did not "confide" in you.
  10. Sometimes the best thing to do for your pastor and his family is to pray for them. I am incredibly grateful for the prayers of God's people!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Assumptions

My uncle used to have a saying. He would say, " Do you know what assuming does? It makes an ASS out of U and ME!" I never forgot that!

When someone assumes anything, aren't they in effect judging. Or better yet putting themselves in a position of ultimate knowledge about all things, which is arrogance. And what does the bible say about those things? I think we all know.

So the next time you think you know exactly what is going on, take a moment before you ASSume anything!!

Thanks!

Monday, June 15, 2009

I know, I know...

I have not written in a while. I have been very sick. Not to worry I am on the mend. Will get back to blogging soon.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Heard this song on the Radio and had to share. I LOVE IT!

Francesca Battistelli- Free to Be Me

At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream
A war's already waged for my destiny
But you've already won the battle
And you've got great plans for me
Though I can't always see

'cause I got a couple dents in my fender
got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

When I was just a girl I thought I had it figured out
My life would turn out right, and I'd make it here somehow
But things don't always come that easy
And sometimes I would doubt

And you're free to be you

Sometimes I believe that I can do anything
Yet other times I think I've got nothing to bring
But you look at my heart and you tell me
That I've got all you seek
And it's easy to believe
Even thought

Monday, February 16, 2009

Unconventional Methods

I love the story of David and Goliath. I guess because it is a story about the underdog winning. But when you look carefully at the story, new things pop up.

I have always loved the idea that David had this tremendous amount of faith that Goliath would be defeated. But he still understood that he had to throw the stone for God to give him victory. And then the whole idea that he knew that God was on his side and yet he picked up 5 stones, just in case the first four did not hit his target.

But something hit me with this story again this past week. When David went to Saul to tell Saul he was going to defeat Goliath, Saul dressed him in his battle armor, the traditional gear to go into battle. But it did not fit, so David took it off. He went into battle without armor, he was vulnerable. And yet God protected him, he came out of the battle completely unscathed and victorious.

Isn't that just like God to do things the EXACT opposite way we think it should be done? When everyone else is telling us to do it "this" way, but God says do it "that" way, it seems silly and foolish. He uses the simple to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty (1 Cor 1:27). He asks us to do things that seem counter intuitive. But yet it works. Or more importantly HE works. I love that about God!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Do you have it all together?

There are so many times I have heard women utter these words, "I just don't have it all together." or "If I could just get it all together." I really cringe when I hear these words. Because I have heard this term, all together, applied to me. (Yes, I know, some of you that really know me are laughing your butts off right now!)

NEWSFLASH! NO ONE HAS IT ALL TOGETHER! IT IS A LIE!

I often say that anyone who tells you, they it all together, is only trying to sell you something. When we think everyone else has it all together there is a huge burden placed on us. We become the only one. We become isolated, because we don't have it all together.

I think if we, as christians, would come to understand this one idea, there would be freedom. There would be life! Because life is all about experimenting. Some things work and we revel in it. But some things don't work as expected and it is then we must move on and learn.

Here is my analogy: Because I learn so much from my children it is from them that I have learned this idea. I watch my girls playing in the stream of water coming out of the faucet. They are fascinated by this. It never fails, they always try to grab the stream. And no matter how hard they grab at it, they are never able to catch this bubbling liquid that flows so freely. I can see the concentration in their eyes, they are quite intense. But the difference comes in their reaction. One becomes frustrated and starts yelling out. But the other one, she enjoys the feeling of the water flowing over her hands and then she sticks her head under neath the faucet. Somehow in her two-year old mind she understands it is not to hold in her hand, but to enjoy it as it passes through her fingers!

To me that is the perfect picture of this idea. We can cry and pout about not being able to hold onto everything. Or we can figure out new ways to enjoy life!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Somethings never change!

The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.
Cicero, 55 BC
Roman author, orator, & politician (106 BC - 43 BC)