Quick Friday Post on a Chilly Day

 Well, yes it did get down to 29 degrees early this morning here in north central Florida.  It's currently 54 at 2:00 p.m., and bright and sunny. 

My current view

There was frost everywhere this morning...That's the top of our car as seen through the window early this  morning.  I didn't take anymore pictures of the frost outside, because that would've require going outside, and I didn't want to do that!

However, I do have a story to tell you.  You remember that I showed you this lovely "tent" HERE the other day...  and I had such high hopes that it would be a good solution for a place to bring Blackie indoors and out of the freezing cold and safe from being able to roam freely throughout the house while we were sleeping since he's not yet a trained house cat...

This is the "pet playpen", which I purchased at Walmart.  It really looked like a great solution.

However, first of all, Blackie didn't want to go inside it last evening when we were getting ready to go to bed.  He would explore it, but run back out as soon as I tried to zip him in there.  Finally I decided to just let him go back outside and sleep in his nice warm chair with a blanket draped over it and his self-warming cushion underneath his body, which does keep him quite warm. There he is right now, but this picture was taken through the window and it's not real clear. He's kind of half under the glass table on the porch, and cozied up in the chair and sound asleep.

I decided last night that I would wait until the temperature really started dropping and then I would go out and get him off the porch and put him in the tent inside until morning.  And that's what I did. Around 2:30 in the morning I looked at the weather app on my phone and it said the temperature was down to 32, which is freezing. So I bundled myself up (no pictures of me with my hoodie  and sweatpants over my nightgown), and when I opened up the back door Blackie got down out of his chair and ran right to me. So I scooped him up and brought him inside and placed him in the tent and before he could object I had the door zipped up tight.  He kind of paced back and forth for a minute, but he didn't meow a word.  I reassured him he would be nice and safe and warm in there and I told him he should just lay down and go back to sleep. And then I headed back to bed myself and prayed that he would do just that.  

I did finally get a couple of hours of sleep, but at 5:00 a.m. I thought I'd better tiptoe out there and check on him. As soon as I opened our bedroom door I could hear him meowing rather plaintively, so I rushed to see what was the matter.  I didn't have my camera with me, but I wouldn't have had time to take a picture anyway. The poor kitty was crying because the stupid 'pop up tent" decided to collapse in on top of him (thankfully it is very lightweight), and he was trapped inside with no way to escape. The tent came in that box shown above, all wound up tightly and "spring loaded", so that when you open the box and undo the tie on the tent, it springs open into that full size tent. Well, I wondered how the sides would keep from springing back down because there was no way to secure them. And apparently when Blackie leaned against one of the sides, it triggered the spring system and it just all came down on top of him.  Of course the zippered door ended up underneath him, so I had to roll him around inside of that thing until I could get to the zipper to open the door and let him out. You can imagine how he bolted out of there like a cat out of....well, you know what I mean. The poor kitty was so scared. Thankfully he allowed me to pick him back up and comfort him, but he was one frightened kitty.

So, thankfully I still have my receipt and the tent is not damaged (and no, he did not "dirty it up" one bit, which is miraculous under the circumstances!), but I can't get it back into that box, so I will take it back to Walmart as is and let THEM figure it out.  Word to the wise, don't go buying one of those things, okay?  

I fed him his breakfast and let him go outside for a while to do whatever cats do, (and I did actually set up a litter box for him, but he wasn't interested in that and wanted to go out) but then I brought him back inside and just held him for long time. He was purring so loudly. 

And yes, I do have other clothes besides that red flannel shirt, but that is what I grab to put on when I am chilled and I don't want Blackie to snag or get hairs or fleas on something good. Thankfully I think the flea treatment has helped him, but still, I'm not taking too many chances.

Oh, hubby wanted me to take a picture of him wearing his "Blackie" suit...a nice fleecy blanket that is black on one side and has a design on the other, but he was a bit jealous of all the attention Blackie was getting so he thought he'd try to look like Blackie. LOL.  Yes, we are a little crazy here, especially so early in the morning and after not having much sleep...

Not sure what we will do about Blackie tonight.  It's not going to be quite as cold, but I'm out of other options for tonight, so he will probably just have to stay on the porch in his nice cozy chair.  It really is warm with that warming mat underneath him.  We'll see what develops.

On another note, yesterday I did have the dental appointment for the rest of the deep cleaning and then the root canal and temporary crown. I was there for three hours. Thankfully things went pretty smoothly and I was impressed with the skill of not only the young dentist, but his dental assistant, and all of the very modern technology they have now to do their work.  It really was almost completely "pain free", and I didn't have any really bad after effects after the numbness wore off. I am very THANKFUL! I still have to go back in a couple of weeks for the permanent crown, but that shouldn't be all that big of a deal. 

So, thank you all for your kind words the past few days regarding all of these things before they happened. 

Here's some words of hope and encouragment for today:

Matthew 21:21-22 NKJV

21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Matthew 19:26 NKJV

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

What things do YOU need to believe that God can do for you today?  ...All things are possible with God!

One Word for 2021

It's that time again...time to select a "One Word" for the New Year...a word that will guide me through the year as I seek God's plans for my life in 2021.

Here is a link to the Post written in 2020 for my One Word, which was "JOYFUL". The most notable statement that I made in that post last year was this:  

"So I am going to be watching for those "signposts and landmarks" of joy along life's pathway...opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties.  No, I'm not looking for those things...they just have a way of happening without our seeking them out...so it is my desire to face each new challenge of life with a joyful heart,  knowing that the Lord, Who made me, is going to take care of all my needs regardless of what the world may say.   We are His sheep,  and we know that the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.  So we can be joyful and trust Him no matter what.  

There you have it: JOYFUL!  Happy New Year!!! May all our hearts be joyful as we begin this brand new year and brand new decade. God is with us, so we need not be afraid to face whatever lies ahead!"

WOW!!! How little did we know just what was lying ahead for us in 2020...right around the bend from when I so "joyfully" declared my intention to "be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties."  I guess God was listening and probably was whispering to me, "Oh, My child, if you only knew just what was ahead...2020 with all of its challenges and "opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties." He probably was thinking how little did I know just how much our faith would be tested throughout this year...but He knows His children, and He knows how much we can take...and He also knows how to rescue us when we are getting in over our heads.  I must say right now, looking back over 2020, that indeed God was there for me every time I needed Him (many times), and He also helped me to to remain "joyful" in the midst of the journey.  I can also say that God was very gracious to me and to our family, and He brought us through so sweetly, safely, and completely. Truly, I have much to be joyful about.

And so now we come to another new year, 2021. I've been praying about this "One Word" thing for the past couple of weeks, and trusting that when the time is right, God will reveal His word for me. I think I know what it is now. A couple of weeks ago someone at church approached me about taking over the "card ministry" for the church, which is essentially sending out greeting cards to people throughout the year for birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, get well, congratulations, etc.  The person who has been doing it for the past several years is no longer able to continue, but she had it all very well organized and has done a tremendously wonderful job.

My initial response when asked if I'd be interested in doing this was, "Please let me pray about this, and in the meantime please keep asking others who may not have as much to do already if there is anyone else who may be interested in doing this."  My concern was that I would not keep up with it and get the cards out on time.  I tend to put things off to the last minute and I would hate to be late in getting cards to people in time for their special day.  I was also concerned that it would become something that might become stressful to me and I really don't need anymore stress in my life.  But then again...I'd also been praying about ways to reach out to others in our church and to be a better steward of my time in service to the Lord.  And so once again, I received a phone call asking if I would please consider taking over this ministry, and after praying about it I knew that God was asking me to be obedient to His call.

I was just thinking about the Christmas letter that we sent out to our friends and family this year, and the opening paragraph said the following:

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37

Dear Family and Friends,

I don’t know about you, but the year 2020 is a year that I believe most of us want to get finished with and put it behind us for good! With all the horrid lockdowns, restrictions, mask wearing, and most of all the very sad and heartbreaking loss of loved ones and friends, of which there have been way too many, even if only one person that we know and care about, that’s one too many…we just want this year to be over. We want life to return to pre-Covid 19 normalcy, and yet we fear that may never truly happen again. What we really need in 2021 is to BELIEVE what the Angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary in Luke 1:37 above…  "For with God nothing will be impossible.” And to have the kind of faith that Mary had when she responded to the Angel, (vs. 38) “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”  To have that complete trust in God, that no matter what 2021 might bring, we will have faith in God and peace in our hearts that He is in control, and we need not fear."

(A journal book that I had good intentions of writing in last year but didn't get very far)

Matthew 19:26 "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

So, after thinking about this and working my way through this little story today...actually several words have come to mind:  Believe, Possible, and Obedient.   Like Mary in the Luke passage above, she BELIEVED what the Angel said to her and realized that nothing is impossible with God, indeed, as Matthew 19:26 says, "but with God ALL things are POSSIBLE." And then Mary was OBEDIENT to the Lord and trusted Him completely.  Eenie meenie, miney moe... the One Word that seems to stand out to me most is BELIEVE!

This was actually a new ornament I added to the Christmas tree this year. Perhaps it was one of God's ways of getting my attention...

In 2021 I will believe that God will help me to accomplish the things that He is asking me to do. I will believe that all things are possible with God, and I will be obedient to His calling upon my life to serve Him here in His church and community in whatever way He is asking me to serve.

I pray that God will help me to stay on task and accomplish the things that need to be done...and that I will remain obedient to Him in all ways, and serve the Lord joyfully.

So these boxes of cards are now in my home office, waiting on me to do this work faithfully.

May God help me to do it well and that He will be glorified and others will be blessed.

I BELIEVE He will see me through.

Amen.

*Post written in 2019 for my One Word, which includes a list of all my previous years' choices of "One Words".  *Note: If you tried this link earlier and it didn't work, please try again. I fixed the problem I hope!!

Have you selected a One Word for 2021 yet? I hope you will share it with us.

The God of Surprises

8/1/2017 UPDATE NOTE:  I like to look back and see what I was doing/thinking in previous years around this same date, and I came across this post, which was written on 8/2/15, just a few months before I retired. I am sure that is the big decision that I was wrestling with on that particular day. I am happy to say that I did retire as planned, and that it was the best decision I ever made! (Well, apart from getting married and having babies, that is!)  God has been with me throughout these days and has provided all our needs even better than I ever expected.  I want to share this post with you today, because there may be someone out there struggling with some kind of important decision, and perhaps there will be something here for you as well!  Our God IS the God of surprises...good things that He wants to share with us and bless us.  We just have to trust Him to lead the way and not worry about the future.  He has us in the palm of His hand...and we need not fear!!

Original Post 8/2/2015:
"When everything seems to be going wrong, refuse to get discouraged.  Remember that I AM a God of surprises: I am not limited by the way things are or by the paltry possibilities you can see.  I am infinitely creative and powerful. With ME all things are possible!"   

From Jesus Today, 

by Sarah Young, #39.

  

I read this particular passage in Sarah Young's Jesus Today  a couple of days ago, and it impressed me so much that I made a notation at the bottom of the page with the date I had read it so that I would look back at that on a future date and remember...

That future date was today, just five days later.  I've been wrestling with some personal decisions and thought I had it all figured out...and then got hit with a reality check and it appeared that all my dreams and aspirations were going to fall flat and I would have to give it up.  Last night before I fell asleep I asked my husband to please pray for me because I was so frustrated, disappointed and feeling rather despondent.  He prayed the sweetest prayer and asked the Lord to comfort me and to restore my faith and hope.  I drifted off to sleep with a tiny flicker of hope in my heart, but still doubting that anything would change.

This morning I woke up feeling refreshed and rested, but still wasn't too sure that anything could change. Actually, I just didn't think about it at all.  Sunday mornings are busy for us, preparing our house for our home Bible study and worship service in addition to the normal routines of breakfast, getting dressed and sometimes even taking a quick walk.  Today we had the added "pleasure" of removing a tick off of my husband's back and trying to dig the head out when it refused to detach itself.  (Yes, we live in the woods. Ticks are pretty common here...something to check for constantly). That certainly was not something we wanted to tackle on a Sunday morning when we were supposed to be preparing ourselves for worship and delving into the Scriptures.  But it kept my mind off of other things.

During our Bible Study time we prayed for others who are going through difficult times, both in health issues and other personal issues, but I didn't think to mention my concerns.  God already knew what was on my heart.  One of the members of our group...actually the only one who came today due to many of the others having health issues or other personal issues keeping them away...and this particular one was having her own serious concerns but she wanted to come anyway...she said that she wanted to pray for our family...and that she does pray for us every day...whether she knows anything in particular to pray for or not...and that touched my heart. I didn't HAVE to say anything...God was already working on it.

This eagle is a reminder of God's "surprises"

So after our service was over and everyone went home and we retreated back into our normal routine again...changing clothes, preparing lunch, etc., I suddenly thought of something I had totally forgotten about...a possible answer to my dilemma! It was one of those "lightbulb over the head" moments...you know, when the little light comes on and you have an idea...or you become "enlightened" about something heretofore hidden from your view/thoughts?  Could that have been an answer to prayers so quickly?  Could it have been God's way of reminding me to:

"Remember that I am a God of surprises: I am not limited by the way things are or by the paltry possibilities you can see.  I am infinitely creative and powerful.  

With ME all things are possible!"  (see Matthew 19:26)

I can only say that it was information that I needed to be able to proceed with "the plan".  It was the encouragement I needed to have hope restored.  

One of the other verses referenced in this particular passage from Jesus Today is Lamentations 3:25-26:

"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

to the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

God has shown me through this little experience that I need to be patient and wait on the Lord to work out all of the details before I start making plans...but that once He has given me a dream (and I do believe it comes from Him), He will bring it to pass in HIS time.  I do not need to fear or lose hope when things don't look exactly like I'd planned or when the timing is a little off from MY timing...I just need to trust Him to work it out HIS way, in HIS time.  He knows my needs, and He also knows my heart.  He has already dispatched helpers to come to my rescue even before I knew I needed them.

Another portion of the passage from Sarah Young's Jesus Today #39 says the following:

"Through eyes of faith, see Me (God) on the path before you, beckoning you on,

one step at a time.  Looking to Me consistently will increase your strength and valor."

Yes, Lord, help me to keep my eyes focused on YOU consistently as I take one step at a time. It is comforting to know that YOU are already there, and that You have already made provision for ALL my need.  Praise God!  Amen.

Testing, Trials, and Miracles

Another episode in the life of our family, and especially in the life of our precious son Matthew.

This story takes place way back in time...when my husband had decided to begin his preparation for the ministry and attend a graduate program in Bible and Missions.  We had moved out of state far away from family and familiar surroundings, and we were hoping that John would not have to work full time so that he could devote as much time as possible to his studies.  We were also hoping that I would not have to leave the children (two little boys at the time ages 3 and 18 months) to go to work.  A seemingly tall order, “but with God, all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26)

Somewhere along the line I responded to an ad seeking a couple to be house-parents at a home for boys.  The ad said that this home was located on a farm about fifty miles from the city in which we were living.  Although the distance from the college might present a problem for John, the other details appeared to be a workable solution to our dilemma.  The directors of the home contacted us and came to our home for an interview.  The job itself looked simple enough; we would be house-parents to approximately ten boys, each about ten years old. We would live in a “cottage” with them, and would have our own personal bedrooms and bath.  I would be responsible for the laundry of our group and the general upkeep of the cottage.  This was a “Christian” home for boys, and we were to have devotions with them at bedtime and attend church together on Sundays.  It certainly looked like an answer to our prayers.  I would not have to leave our own children while working, and our room and board would be provided along with a small salary.  John learned that there was a family in that town whose son was also attending the same college, and they would be able to car-pool!  The main concern was the fact that we would be giving up a certain amount of family privacy and freedom, but it was a ministry to young boys who needed a strong father and loving mother image.  We felt God was giving us the “go-ahead” to embark on this new adventure, and we moved to the “farm” the first of September.

The Testing Begins

James 1:2  “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, know that the testing of your faith produces patience…”

The experiences we had over the following several months are too numerous, and some too depressing to describe.  The ministry with the boys was very special to us; we learned a lot about giving and receiving love with those who were craving such attention and demonstrations of affection.  However, our relationship with the Director of the “home” was less than idyllic.  Although he claimed to be a Christian, the examples of Christ-likeness were, in our opinion, few and far between.  There was such a spirit of fear, dogmatism, and overpowering authority that we sometimes cringed beneath the load.  Our spirits were quenched in the fire of this man’s wrath that was often displayed.  Our hearts would break as discipline was often unmercifully doled out and we would fight back tears of anger and frustration at being totally unable to do anything about the situation.  My days left alone there at the farm were often filled with fear, anguish, and bitter remorse.  John would come home after school to find me thoroughly defeated, and yet quite often fighting mad.

One day, however, something happened that changed our lives completely.  It was my responsibility each afternoon to greet our “boys” at the school bus, and supervise them in getting out of their school clothes and into “work clothes”.  “Play clothes” were unheard of as playing was considered a waste of time.  I would then escort them to the dining hall where they were to do homework until supper.  While the boys from our cottage were changing their clothes on this particular day, my own two little sons were out in the yard riding their “big-wheels” around on the sidewalks. 

Matthew on his big wheel

I kept looking out the door to check on them, and they were fine. Besides, one of the other house-parents was standing nearby in the yard talking to the Director.  I had no sooner gone back inside the cottage to hurry the boys along when one of the older boys from the farm came running into the cottage yelling, “Come quick! Your son has just been hit by a car!”  There was no time for questions, and in a panic I ran to the dining hall where I was told he had been taken.  To my horror and shock, there sat my ashen-hued eighteen-month-old baby, bleeding profusely from the scalp, barely crying, with a towel wrapped around his head.   “Let’s get him to the hospital!” I screamed in anguish.  The Director hesitated, and then responded, “Well, I suppose he should go…”

I grabbed baby Matthew in my arms and immediately ran to the car of the other house-parent.  This woman was the lady who had actually run over Matthew as she had started to back out of the driveway, but her car was the only one available and we had to move quickly!  She jumped in the car and away we drove.  Sorrowfully, I had to leave my three-year-old son, Benton, standing there with an elderly lady who had “just happened” to come spend some time at the farm that week. She assured me that she would take care of him.  I wanted to reach out and comfort him, as he was so obviously distressed.  After all, it was his screams that had alerted the driver of the car that something was wrong in the first place! But we had no time to lose, and we rushed away to the local hospital.  All I could do was pray that God would give him the comfort that only He could give at such a time. 

We literally flew through town to the small hospital, honking the horn and driving down the middle of the road as fast as we could go.  As I held Matthew tightly in my arms I cried, “Please don’t let my baby die!” and “Please, Lord, let there be a good doctor at the hospital when we get there!”  This was a small rural hospital, and good doctors were scarce in that community.

We safely arrived at the hospital, and as the Lord would have it, the BEST surgeon in town “just happened” to be in the hospital!  Matthew was taken to an examining room, and I was allowed to stay with him and hold him while they took the x-rays and examined his head.  He was then whisked away into surgery, where they cleaned all the dirt and gravel from out of his terribly torn scalp, and pieced the skin back together.  Meanwhile John arrived at the hospital.  When he got home from the college he was given the startling news and rushed right over immediately.  Soon the doctor came out of surgery and assured us that Matthew was stable, but he wanted to send him to the large county hospital fifty miles away by ambulance so that he could be observed by a neurosurgeon.  He told us that Matthew had a large fracture on one side of the skull, extending from the crown of his head down to his ear.  On the other side of the skull was another hairline fracture, but there was no indication at that time that either of the fractures was depressed.  That was encouraging news to hear, for a depressed fracture would have heightened the risk of brain damage.

Later that night I had a terrible time trying to sleep in my little cot next to Matthew’s crib in the hospital room.  Every time I’d close my eyes, I’d see the whole incident over and over again, and I’d wake up trembling and crying.  Finally the emergency room doctor gave me a sedative, and I was able to rest.  The next morning I was awakened early by a phone call from a young lady at the college where John was attending.  She told me that the whole college had been praying all night long in shifts for Matthew, and they just wanted us to know that they cared.  I rejoiced to tell her that Matthew had slept peacefully through the night, and his vital signs were excellent, and that it appeared their prayers had certainly been answered! As a matter of fact, he was standing up in his crib at that moment talking to me! We spent a week in the hospital, and Matthew was released with no sign of brain damage or other complication!  What a miracle!

At the end of the week we returned to “the farm”.  Benton had been wonderfully cared for by that same dear lady who had arrived at the time of the accident.  However, she had departed for her home that morning before I arrived.  I did not even have a chance to thank her.  It was as if God had placed her there just for that purpose for that period of time, and when her task was over, she was sent back home.  I have thanked the Lord many times since for sending “Big Mama” to care for our son that week.

As you can see God carried us through some difficult tests and trials on our road to learning to trust in Him.  I wish I could say that from then on everything was rosy cozy...but real life isn't like that,  especially when one steps into the arena of standing up for the truth. But I can honestly say that even though times were rough, God was always there with us, and He has never let us down. No matter what the outcome of the tests and trials.

Baby Matthew, after his accident. Back to his happy normal self, praise God!

I'll have to finish this story later.  It gets better...but just so you aren't left wondering, no, we did not stay at that place very long after this accident...and yes, God did provide another place for us to live and the means to survive until John finished his course of study that year...but that's another story for another day.

As of this writing, March 20, 2014, our son Matthew, now age 41 years, is battling for his life again, this time from a much deadlier foe, cancer. For more on Matthew's life story, see this: "God's Perfect Timing", and this: "Trust His Heart".

Post Script: On May 25, 2014, God called Matthew home to heaven. His battle  with cancer was over, and he was perfectly healed at the moment he stepped foot into heaven's gates.  For more on this please read: "How Could I Not Want This Day to Come?".  Thank you for your continued prayers for Matthew's wife and son Noah.

Some Thoughts for The "Preacher's Wife" ...and those who care about her...

Proverbs 12:4: "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones."

First of all, I am speaking today from the position of a woman whose husband was formerly a pastor...we are not currently pastoring a church...but my years of experience in this position uniquely qualify me to write this particular blog.  However, the thoughts shared here could also apply to any couple, whether in the ministry or not.


Throughout the years I'm certain we've all seen examples of pastors who had to leave the ministry because of their own mistakes or personal issues. However, perhaps less often,  pastors  have had to leave the ministry due to the indiscretions or behavior of their wives. Maybe it's not even a great big immoral sin...but just a case of a wife who couldn't make it in the "fishbowl" kind of world where ministers and their families have to live. Perhaps her attitude changed over the years...maybe she became unreasonably selfish with her husband's time and placed impossible demands on him.  She may have refused to participate in the activities of the church because she didn't like the people or the community, or some other facet of the ministry. Possibly she just plain rebelled against the restrictions placed on her "freedom to be me" philosophy of life. It might be that she could no longer submit herself to the authority of her husband, and ultimately, to God.


Please don't misunderstand me. I am not standing in judgment of any pastor's wife who couldn't take the stress of the ministry. I know what that's like. I've been there too. Let's face it, next to being the "First Lady" of the United States or other public figure, I know of no more difficult position for a woman than to be a minister's wife! But that's not to say it is an IMPOSSIBLE position! For we know that "with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26b.)



What I'm talking about is guarding our hearts against developing attitudes of rebellion and unwillingness to serve. It's so easy to fall into that trap. We are only human, after all. And our feelings get hurt, we get tired of all the meetings and "command performances", we get physically ill and have a difficult time recovering because we've just had enough. There were many times when I  found that happening inside of me, and I knew it was time to withdraw awhile from the "maddening crowd" and get alone with God. Even Jesus had to withdraw from the multitudes and pull away to pray and talk to His Father and find some time to rest. If we are to guard ourselves (and our husbands) from getting "burned out", we must take the time to get away periodically and just do nothing but whatever we find restful and relaxing. We need to have peace and serenity...away from the cell phone, computer, television, and hectic pace.


Maybe that can be accomplished by just taking a nice long country ride...we always try to do that at least once a week. We find that it is easier to communicate while driving along a country road away from everything as opposed to sitting across the table from each other in a noisy restaurant. (But we do enjoy going out to eat also...wifey's night out away from the kitchen).  We also try to have quiet times alone as well. My husband seems to sense when I really need to curl up in a chair by the fire (when we had a fireplace) and read a good book...or take a nap. He may even bring me a cup of hot tea to make the setting complete. The whole idea here is this: take time out to rest, recuperate, and "recreate" whenever possible...and make a point to make it possible. If more pastors and their wives would schedule in some quiet time into their busy schedules, there would be less opportunity or reason for any wife to become a shame to her husband (and vice versa). She would stand a better chance of being that "crown" of her husband instead.

So: Maybe you aren't a "Preacher's Wife", but I'll bet you know one or two.  Perhaps you could also help "lighten" her load by offering to do something special for her...babysit so she can get away for a day with her husband, or invite her out to  lunch with the girls...or a fun shopping day.  Surprise her with a gift card to her favorite tea room or bookstore. Take her a pot of mums to plant for fall...or a basket of fresh apples from the orchard if you happen to live near one. Be creative...think about the fact that oftentimes your pastor's wife may be lonely...even though she is always surrounded by people. Be a true friend to her...don't assume she "has it all together" just because she's a pastor's wife.  But whatever you do, allow her to be herself...and hold her confidence no matter what.  From one who knows...becoming a true friend is one of the most rare and treasured gifts you could ever give her. Think about that...and hug your Pastor's Wife the next time you see her. You'll be blessed for blessing her...I guarantee it! Oh, and one more thing: Pray for your pastor's wife daily!  You do not know what burdens she may be carrying on her heart that she cannot share with you or others. If you don't do anything else, please pray for her!

(I wrote this prayer a long time ago, while still serving in the ministry, but it still fits today:) Thank you, Lord, for these thoughts today. I've just come through another very hectic week of work and extra stress from outside pressures. Help me, Lord, to have the strength to keep going, and the time to stop and rest before I get too far-gone. I am reminded of your words in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For, My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

  Therefore, I come to you now, Lord. Thank you for bearing my burdens, and helping me to rest in You. Forgive me when my attitude shows the signs of strain...help me to keep my heart tuned into You. Amen.

As an addendum to this blog, The Pastor's Wives I've had the privilege to know have all been super wonderful Christian women. They have shown the love and compassion of Christ to others in their daily walk, and have given the love and support to their husbands that is so greatly needed. They have set a tremendous example before me and others of the kind of woman we all ought to strive to be, whether in the ministry or out. Thank you, dear pastor's wives!!

Friends are friends forever...

Proverbs 17:17  "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

So, today I discovered that I had been "de-friended" on Facebook.  I wondered why I had not heard from or seen any messages from a certain "friend" for a while...so I checked my "friend" list, and discovered that she was no longer there.  I know I didn't remove her from my friend list, so she had to have removed herself.  I checked a couple of our other "mutual friends", and she was still on their friend lists, so I then realized that this was a deliberate action on her part.

Wow! I must say I was at first a bit perturbed by this discovery. I mean, for quite a few months I had attempted to be as real of a friend as one can be on Facebook...even though we had never actually met face to face.  We became acquainted through one of our mutual friends, and although we didn't have a lot of things in common, I truly believed that there was a real purpose for our becoming friends.  Actually, to be quite honest, one could say that we both came from opposite sides of the Universe as far as what we believed, both religiously and politically, and what values we held as precious. In many ways we were extreme opposites, and we often found ourselves in the middle of a great debate about our individual stands. After going back and forth expressing our opinions, quoting scriptures, deciphering truth vs. fiction, we would then bring our "discussion" to a halt with an agreement to "disagree".  Even though I would become frustrated and somewhat disturbed by our differences, I actually appreciated the opportunity to stretch my own knowledge, take a look at the other side, and dig deeper for the truth.  It was a healthy exercise that kept me on my toes, and I was learning in the process.


I guess I need to just chalk this one up to inexperience in the art of relating to someone so obviously different than myself.  But I can't shake the feeling that our paths didn't cross by some cyber-space accident.  There was a Divine pilot steering our vessels into each others' worlds, even if for only a millisecond of eternity.  I don't believe in "coincidences"...they are ALL Divine appointments.  Both individuals do not have to agree on this point for it to be true, and I know my "friend" did NOT agree that this could be possible. (She was very emphatic about that!)

So, I pray that somehow, someway, in HIS TIME, our "friendship" will resume.  If not in this world, then maybe, by some stroke of God's paintbrush, it will be in the world to come.

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.'"  Matthew 19:26