Robert's Rules

I don't know about you, but I always thought we were supposed to run a church according to God's rules and regulations. Well, here at Bankers we still run our church using Robert's Rules of Order, which, mind you, was developed in the late 1800s and NOT for churches. Businesses no longer use it, for obvious reasons. This "order" seems to me to be like walking through thick mud to get anything accomplished. But, as with most things at the church, they don't care to see that this way of doing business is neither done IN businesses (for which it was written) or in churches any longer. Sigh...However, David has decided to become an "expert" on dear ol' Robert to show these people just how idiotic it is. They got a flavor for it yesterday at a special business mtg we had. They are so intent on doing business this way, that David is going to show them exactly what that means. We're hoping this will allow people to see how unproductive and inefficient it is and they'll be BEGGING to change! :) Hey! I have an idea! What if we looked to SCRIPTURE for how to run a church. Now, THERE'S an idea!

As a pastor's wife I'm not allowed to share my opinion. For those who know me you know this is a huge frustration to me! Why don't I share? Well, it wouldn't do any good. I'm "just" the pastor's wife, and besides they think David tells me what to say anyway! HA!!! Now, that's funny! :) :) So, I sit in the pew and pray. I pray for wisdom for David as he moderates the mtg. I pray for the deacons to stand up for what's right, and I pray for the trustees to also do what's right. I would love to voice my opinion, but maybe praying is the best thing I can do.

Sometimes it's not easy being a pastor's wife. Ah well! I guess you could say I'm learning self-control! :)

Wholehearted Love

Do you love the Lord wholeheartedly? In our Wed. night Bible study we've just finished reading about the kinds of Israel and Judah. Most/all of them in Israel were bad, wicked, wretched. Some in Judah were good. I found it interesting that some were described as doing good in the eyes of the Lord, but didn't love him wholeheartedly. Due to this they inevitably went astray and their life wasn't as great as it could have been. This has really made me think--do I love the Lord wholeheartedly, with my WHOLE heart? Are there parts of my heart that aren't dedicated to him? I think if we're honest the answer is yes, there are parts of my heart that aren't dedicated to the Lord. How sad. We have the benefit of seeing how a less-then-whole heart of love affected the kings, but we don't have that benefit with our own lives. I was telling my women we may not have idols or "high places" that we worship like the Jews did, but there are certainly "idols" and "high places" that take away from our whole love for God. What are some of these idols? Food, toys, clothes, the need to have stuff, keeping up with the Jonses', watching junk on TV, not being kind to our family members, not respecting our husbands...I think this list could go on and on. I challenged my women to pray and ask the Lord to show them areas that are keeping them from loving him wholeheartedly. I encourage you to do the same. Let it not be said of you and me that we did good in the eyes of the Lord, but did not love him wholeheartedly, thus not living the life we could have lived in Christ.

Song of the Morning

I've mentioned that often in the mornings I have a song that runs through my mind. This morning it has been the simple chorus, "Spirit of the Living God." Here are the words:

Spirit of the living God

Fall fresh on me.

Spirit of the living God

Fall fresh on me.

Make me

Mold me

Melt me

Use me.

Spirit of the living God

Fall fresh on me.

May you feel his Spirit falling FRESH on you today!

Dogs--Lovable Nuisances

We have a beagle, I'm sure I've mentioned her before. Her name is Molly, and she has become like a child to us. She's 2 1/2 and full of energy--sometimes! :) She does manage to get a lot of naps in during the day--she has her pre-bed nap even! :) With the digging up of our yard over the past few days (due to laying new drainage pipes) we've had to move her chain elsewhere. The best place, unfortunately, was to put her at a tree that is right by on of my flower beds. I'm not much of a gardner, but I do enjoy pretty flowers and do put time into weeding (ok, not tons of time, but some does go into it! :) ) and watering. I go out last night to see my flower bed nearly destroyed!!!! My day lilies, which were days away from breaking from their blooms, were loped off. I had 2 other plants completely uprooted and turned over and then several holes were dug in various areas. Sigh...I tried to scold her, but it's hard when she's so blasted cute and just stands there wagging her tail, which in turn is wagging her, and "smiles" at you. Oh you stupid, lovable dog!!! She doesn't understand. All she knows is dad and mom put her by this GREAT dirt patch and hey! Mom has come out to see me! Sigh...what shall we do? The rest of the yard is a mud pit. Apparently, that all has to settle before new grass seed can be put down. Not sure how long that will take or how long it'll be b4 we DON'T have mud in the house. We were coming back in the house last night and got distracted talking to some other people. We look down and Molly is furiously rubbing her head/neck on something. What is it do you ask? You'll wish you hadn't! :) It was a dead bird complete with maggots!!! Oh yeah, that's our dog. I've attached a photo so you can see this loveable creature that God has given us! :) She is a hoot, despite her love for digging and rolling on dead things.

Stupid is as stupid does

How true are those words! You would think after 30 years of having this fair skin of mine and getting sunburned on countless occasions I would learn to wear sunscreen when I'm outside for extended amounts of time! I wish I could say I've learned this lesson, but alas, it appears I have not! Yesterday, we had our company picnic and the weather was so nice! We were sitting under a tree to eat and either someone moved the tree or the sun moved, either way, we weren't under shade for the whole time! My arms, face and chest are now cherry red...sigh. I know, I'm an idiot! How could I have forgotten? I don't know, but somhow I did. I wasn't at all hot until the picnic was done and I realized my SKIN was hot! Brother...

Learn from me! Don't be stupid! Put sunscreen on!!!!!!

Prayer...

I would like to ask for your prayers today and tomorrow, especially. I will be mtg with the powers that be to discuss my taking over the marketing for the Hillsdale Academy (started/sponsored by the College). I would love to have this job, it would really help us financially and well, I would love it if you would pray that I get the job. At this point everyone is in agreement for me to have it, we just need to get the Academy's headmaster to agree. I don't think we'll have any issues, but nonetheless, I would appreciate prayer! Thank you!!!

This week has been vacation Bible school at church. We've had a pretty good turn-out. The important thing is that the kids are hearing the Gospel.

Hope your Wednesday is GREAT!

BEWARE of RANTING WOMAN!!!

Today, I don't want to be a pastor's wife. I want to go give a piece of my mind to the people in the church who are doing things that just don't make sense. We don't have a budget for any ministry, let alone vacation Bible school, which is happening this week. However, the trustees want to plunk down $10,000 to pave portions of the parking lot. We won't be getting health insurance through the church anymore, but thankfully, we can get it through the College, where I work. The problem? What is the church going to do with the money they're saving by not having to pay for health insurance? What makes a group of people think that just because you're spending money that means you're doing something good for the community? I can't say any of this to these people because this would make my husband's job harder and well, he just doesn't need the extra headaches! The best thing for me is to be a sounding board for my husband and love and support him in his struggles. Don't we all feel like a mama bear when our loved one is being mistreated? I know I do!! Why is it we have to spend so much time on these ridiculous "problems" and issues when there are people around us (and the church) who will die w/out knowing Jesus. This just doesn't seem right. I don't understand. I can't understand. What causes a whole group of people to become so apathetic about EVERYTHING? What causes a group of people to have a vice grip on the money when ministry opportunities come a long but when something comes along to benefit US the money is shelled out? What causes a group of people to dislike seemingly everything their hard-working pastor is trying to do? Why do Christians have to be so horrible? Just think what a church could accomplish if they just put the energy they use to argue and disagree into actually winning people for Christ. We wouldn't know what to do with all the people! Our churches would be full to over-flowing.

Today, I don't want to be a pastor's wife. I just want to be a wife, who goes to church with her husband, and who doesn't have to deal with all this insanity. I want to be a woman who can go to church, use her God-given gifts and abilities to serve the Lord and hopefully bring others closer to Christ. I want to be a woman who sees all the old ladies and thinks they're just wonderful, without a nasty/mean bone in their little bodies. I want to go to church, sit in the pew and not be judge just SIMPLY because of who my husband is--heck, I want to sit in the back and not get glared at for taking someones seat.

Today I would rather be anything but a pastor's wife, but that's not what God called me to be. He didn't call me to be the wife of a dr, or a plumber, or a pilot. He called me to be the helpmate to a wonderful man who is dedicated to serving the Lord behind a pulpit. He has called me to sit in the front row and smile at all those old ladies and love them despite their prickly exteriors. He's called me to love the people of this church and to show them HIS love, however I can. He's called me to encourage my husband, hold him when he's down, pray for him to have wisdom, rejoice with him and help in any way I can. God has showed me that I need to be more creative in my ways of serving him in the church. Could it be, that by being real, loving and joyful is the way I need to serve him at Bankers? Could be.

It's still hard--not always wanting to be a pastor's wife. But, this is what God has called me to do and I need to be faithful in doing his will. Pray for your pastor's wife. She is holding a lot of burdens. Pray that today she is encouraged in some way by someone in the church. Pray that the Lord would show her how to better serve her husband and how to better serve Him. Thank the Lord for your pastor's wife and all she does for you and your church and her husband. I don't say any of this to toot my own horn. I just see things from a different perspective now and God has really opened my eyes to the lonliness a pastor's wife can feel. Love your pastor's wife today and let her know you love her and that you appreciate her!