You Know Your The Pastor's Wife When....

I found these thoughts on two different websites - they are listed at the bottom. My comments are in purple! Enjoy.

1.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…you are rarely referred to by your given name. You are most often “The Pastor’s Wife” or a variation on that theme (“Pastor ______’s Wife,” “Married to the Pastor,” etc.). You may even be called “The First Lady” (which I find personally unnerving—I don’t know why). (This has never bothered me, except when I was called that in front of a former pastor's wife of the church we were serving) In our church, there’s a guy from Brooklyn, NY who calls me “The Underboss.” Now THAT I can handle. (This would unnerve me!)
2.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…people act weird around you. I was once in a conversation with a group of adults when one woman said, “Yeah, I haven’t been to church in a while.” As soon as she said it, she looked at me with an “I’ve been caught” look and then she said, “Oops…busted.” For the record, I don’t take attendance. I am not a babysitter. And my general feeling is that adults can and should make their own decision about if and when they attend church. Heck, it takes all my energy to make sure I make it to church let alone the rest of the population. ( I usually want to throw in "It's not me you should worry about!")
3.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…you relate best to anyone NOT in your church. This is largely due to #2, however it’s also because you don’t know how to deal with the I – have – no – idea – how – much – to – share – with – you – about – my – personal – life – because – it – will – most – likely – involve – issues – about – my – husband – leaving – his – underwear – around – (or something similar) – and – my – husband – is – your – pastor – and – you – probably – don’t – want – to – hear – about – his – underwear. (And this has been in every church we have been at! My best friends are not church members...need to clarify that, they are not church members at the church I am serving at, they might get offended with me saying they are not church members...HA HA . And if you are friends with current church members they swear that when my husband uses an illustration that could possibly resemble something in their lives, they get mad at ME - I will share about being a LOYAL friend later!!)
4.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…you wish you had a dime for every time someone claims your husband said something that he never said. If you did, you would be a very, very rich woman. And if you had another dime for every time what he supposedly said was ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS and UTTERLY STUPID, you’d double your money. (We would be taking very expensive vacations!!)
5.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…”rich” (monetarily speaking) is not in your vocabulary. Never has been. Never will. (We have to remember that our reward is on the other side - my mansion will be in heaven - but the house I live in now is pretty awesome!)
6.You know you’re a pastor’s wife when…you’re either extremely uncomfortable or extremely gleeful (depending on your personality) when you’re in a conversation with someone who uses lots of four-letter words and then asks you the question, “So, what does your husband do?”
(Got that one before, and then they apologize for what they just said! They look at you very different when they know your husband is a pastor)
7. Everyone at church knows your name, address and phone number by heart. And you are still struggling to remember every person's name and how they are related to each other. (Absolutely - and I hate it when I call somebody by the wrong name! I hate it when they call the house thinking they have the church, asking what time the service starts...)
8. Everyone asks you how you are feeling and how you like the weather, but the conversation will never get deeper than that. (OH YES!)
9. People are always asking if you want their old couch, extra bed, lawn chairs, etc. etc. (Wait, the 27 inch TV downstairs is pretty awesome - and we have three empty rooms furnished! I know that over our 20 years of ministry we have give away a HOUSE full of furniture, God has blessed us by giving back - it's been very nice items that we have received)
10. Your children know exactly what you are talking about when you mention church, and run up to the building as excited as if it were home. (Funny - I had one child that I didn't visit churches when Chris went to preach because he didn't like the change!)
11. When you have a baby you are showered with gifts and cards and over a weeks worth of meals, but you have no one to help around the house or babysit your children. (HA HA - TRUE but we have been blessed a few times!)
12. Everyone else talks about their family parties, get-togethers, dinners and Christmas gifts and then they ask what you are doing for Christmas and all you can say is "church". (This really should be at the top of the list! Pastor's do not normally live anywhere near family. But I will say that we have been blessed to get to enjoy some functions - we are not always shut out, but some holidays we are)
13. Everyone says how nice it must be that your husband has "flexible" hours and can "drop by to help you out whenever you need it". And you can't explain that even though you live close to the church and you husband can make it home for lunch almost every day, he works every weekend and holiday, is on call for hospital visits or counseling at anytime, and he is gone at meetings 3 out of 7 nights a week, sometimes more. (Where is the local support group we need to start?)
14. You can call someone from church whenever something in the Parsonage breaks down and they will come and fix it in a day or 2. Umm.....I don't need to say anything here, I have a ceiling that leaked last night.... :-)
15. People randomly show up at your door (usually just as your toddlers have stripped their clothes off and emptied the garbage can) to check on something in the house, drop something off, ask the pastor something, etc.etc. (Not all churches have been that way, but most have. For some reason those people think that you are renting and they need to inspect to make sure you are doing what you should - and seriously who puts white/cream carpet in the parsonage - oh yea, the women who love it but don't want to clean it, they get put on the decorating committe and think it's a lovely idea)
16. You can't mention any questions or doubts about the particular "brand" of church you are serving. You have to be 100% party-line or you could cause major problems in the faith lives of church members. (Laughing here)
17 . You feel a strange sense of loyalty and concern for the people you are serving, even though you know that in a few years when you leave they will forget all about you in a few months time.
(Absolutely, that is what we are called to do - and when we do leave, some will forget but others will be talking for the next few years, "Well the last preacher's wife...." how many times have we heard this?)
18. You know you are the preachers wife when you wonder what will be ask of you when you are invited to lunch!!

These were found at: (my link button doesn't work - sorry)

http://ayoungmomsmusings.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-you-know-youre-pastors-wife.html
http://www.withpurpose.com/2005/08/01/you-know-your-a-pastors-wife-when-2/

What is it like being the preacher's wife?

I am often ask what it is like being the preachers wife, I just say it's good. There are days that I want to just open up and let it fly. Out of all the hats that I wear, this is the hardest one! There are days when I would just LOVE to tell somebody exactly what I think, but I don't. There are days that I would just LOVE to call out the others for the wrong that their children are doing like they do mine, but I don't. There are days that I would just LOVE to say, O really, well let me inform you, but I don't. I know that God calls the pastor's wife just as He calls the pastor. He did not call me to preach, but He called me to Love, Support and Help my husband in any way possible. I know that when the phone call comes at 3:00 am, I am to get up and help my husband get things together so he can go help another family. I know that when I am getting very excited about having a day off with my husband so we can spend time together, that I am to say "it's okay" when somebody else calls for him to go be with them. I know what it is to be on the backburner, God sends me blessing in many other ways!

It's not fun living in the glass house when you know so many eyes are watching. The are looking to see what you wear, to see what your kids are wearing, to see how you act and how your kids are acting. So many times my kids have heard me say "I know you didn't choose to be a preacher's kid, but God choose you!" He has a plan for each one of my children. He is going to use them Greatly because of what they have had to endure over the years. My prayer so often is "God please let them see the good in other church members, I know they have see the bad." I rejoice daily seeing Amber involved in church. She witnessed things in our lives that others didn't get to see, and I was very scared that she would just walk away from church thinking, "why do I want to be like the rest of the church members?" She has seen me smile standing in front of people that have said horrible things about my husband. I know that God wants me to show them Him - not me. If I stoop to how they have acted, but those who are watching will not see the God that I serve!

So no, it's not easy, but God blesses me daily! I am thankful for Him choosing me, I know that I am not the most qualified, and I have many scars and battle wounds, but I am His!

I have found the cutest comment's on You Know Your The Pastor's Wife When... but I have to wait for approval first. That should be soon.

Ahh...normal...

But actually normal is only a setting on the dryer, and I am sure if normal showed up at my front door I would not answer it, because I would not recognize it!

Vertigo is gone, yes thanks to the Chiropractor. I saw him last Monday and was better on Monday, Tuesday morning came back. Went to see him and again, got better (was told NO playing ball). So a pretty good Tuesday. Wednesday morning 2:50 AM - it woke me up again - head SPINNING. Chris told me to suck it up and deal with it. So I basically walked around "drunk" Wednesday and Thursday. Back to Dr. Tan (chiropractor) on Friday - he adjusted and I have not been dizzy since! WOO HOO.

Still no playing ball.

After talking with him, he ask me if knew I had 6 lumbar. I looked at him and ask, "How many am I suppose to have?". The answer - 5. Hmm...(we knew I was special) He said that if I didn't have that 6th one, I would be over an inch shorter than I am now. (Thank you Lord for making me special and 5'3")

So Friday Chris was going to pre-fish for a tournament. We decided Ethan would just miss school and we would all go to Ft. Mill and just stay with Elke - after all there was an all day crop on Saturday!! About 9:00 PM Ethan came in and said how bad his head hurt....hmmm...so we decide not to go pre-fish. I call Elke and say we will see about Saturday. Ethan wakes with a headache...so it's at home we are. He seemed better through the day so we make plans to go scrapbook on Saturday! I load up all my items for scrapooking and get all excited. 9:00 PM, Ethan comes up to me telling me his head hurt and he is burning up! 101 for the fever. I call Elke and tell her we are off and take my supplies out of the truck. Through the night the fever broke!

Chris decided not to fish the tournament so we didn't leave at 4:00 AM - yes I was going to drop him and the boat off at the lake and then drive the trailer to Elke's..but we didn't. About 11:00 am - Ethan is running around all normal and Chris then decides he will fish. We load the truck back up with scrapbooking supplies and head to Ft. Mill!! I did get to make two pages for the "Wedding" album. Two pages of Amber's dress! Just as I was getting ready for the 2nd pages Chris called and wanted me to come pick him up! So we did and headed back home.

He got to enjoy the second half of his football game, and I got to see Auburn escape the clutches of Clemson! What a nail-biter!! Found me a new little symbol to make to send to my friends when MY team scores - \0/ Was told to use the astricks for the cheerleader... *\0/* Nah, not as cute!

Hope you are having a great week!!

Here I Vertigo Again....

I hate having this! I sat up on the bed on Sunday morning and said "Oh No!" Chris ask what was wrong, I told him that my head was spinning. It woke me up!! So I proceeded to the couch where I stayed ALL DAY!!!

I went to work and then called the Chiropractor to see if they could work me in. After my x-rays and Dr. Tan coming in he looked and said "Your hips are a mess! How long have you had problems?" I told him a while, but I always wait. Well he adjusted me, my head is a little better but not the pain running down the back of my right leg. He told me I would be sore. The funny part was he was twisting me all around and he said "Wow, you sure are limber". I guess me walking like an old woman threw him off!

So we will see what tomorrow holds. I hated missing church yesterday, we had several families join!! That is always great.

Counting down to KidzTown. So much painting to be done and I am making a "Candy Land" type game for the game room. Our kids will be in rotations, four weeks, four rooms learning the same "lesson". We have the Ally where the kids gather as we take rolls, this has 6 22" televisions and WII's ready to play. The rotation rooms are as follows: Drama Room (Studio 3:16), Game Room (Kings Stadium) Art Room (Imagination Station) and Movie Room (Tri-Max Theatre). I can't wait to post pictures!!

Scrapbooking on a Bass Boat....

It's a beautiful morning on Lake Wylie. Why am I here? To spend time with my husband. I will apologize now for the typing errors, I am on my palm pre.. Sometimes the fingers and keys don't work well toge her. I am "fishing" with Chris. Except I didn't want to spend the money on licence so I brought something else to do. This should be interesting...i brought scrapbooking stuff. We are currently in a cove and won't be here long so I decided to blog.
my eyes are straining...its all blurry when I look up. Chris already snagged one, but he got away. It's a little breezy and a bit chilly, but it will warm up. I would love to be asleep. Okay, the boat is rockin, and with me looking down I am getting dizzy so I will close now hope you have a wonderful day!
I wanted to upload my sunrise picture on the lake, but will have to do it later... Look a there... Another bite... Missed it...aw...

Okay - now for the rest of the story. When I was in this little cove, I put on a pair of pants so that I wouldn't freeze when we went to the next little cove and had to travel over 70 mph (YES) to get there. I did hear Chris say, watch for my glasses. I didn't see any glasses, just figured they shuffled around to the bottom of the box...

I didn't do anything with Scrapbooking at that point, but after we went down the lake, yes at 70 mph - and there is no console on my side of the boat so I am getting straight wind and I can feel my cheeks flapping in the wind...we finally get there. I ask how long we would be here so I could get busy. He said about 30 minutes. So I get out the pictures (Wedding - Amber) and start sorting them in the order of events. This took long enough for Chris to go down one side of cove and half way back up. So again I ask how much more time do I have. He laughed and said another 15 but I had already taken up 20 minutes already. So now I get out my layout book and search for the perfect layout for the six pictures that I have of Amber in the wedding dress, showcasing the details of the dress and her hair on her day! So I find the right one and pick out the perfect paper to compliment these pictures. Of course my next question - how much time. He said we would move on now. So I put things back in order for the next stop.

Now Chris ask for his sunglasses. Well he goes to look for them and they are not there. Honestly I never saw them! But what it comes down to is that when I took out the pants, I somehow managed to dump them in the lake - I guess. Anyway we have no sunglasses. At this point all moods have changed. He is strolling along, and he is not happy. His next comment, we should just go home, and I told him, go ahead. So we head back to the landing. At which I am sure the thought "is he trying to throw me out of the boat" came into mind once or twice.

We get back to the landing and he won't even let me go get the truck and back the trailer down to get him. He backs it down and we load up. In the process of packing up and discussing a few matters about the lost sunglasses, he finds another pair. Now seriously how they under the front seat is also beyond me. I don't wear these glasses EVER! So now he has a pair of glasses. As I am waiting for him to put things away and secure the boat, here comes somebody that he knows and he told him that he would help him drop the boat in and park his truck. After a few minutes Chris comes back to the truck and ask "Do you think you can find something to do for a few hours and I will fish with him". My answer - "Of course". My thoughts....are you kidding me, this is labor day, people have their normal friends over and they are busy!!! But sure I will find me a picnic table and scrapbook.

So off he goes...and here I go, now I am admitting my nose is turning red and tears are welling up in my eyes. I have been abandoned!!! Stranded... and I am pulling around a bass boat behind my truck. I can't just go anywhere... I make a few calls and no answers. HMM...so I go over the park that the guy who Chris is fishing with tell me about to find me a spot under the trees and out of the sun. Well I drive through and just can't find me a spot, of course there is one near the playground with lots of kids, but I do not want anybody bothering me and ask me what I am doing on a table in the park with my scrapbooking stuff, not that they even knew what that is! So as I am leaving the park, I call Amber. Voicemail (I figure phone is dead) so I text Steven. "What are you doing today? Is Amber's phone dead?" And nothing. I mean after all who wants to get a text message from MIL? (just kidding Amber) I decided to call Elke but this time on her house phone, and she answers!! Woo Hoo! I head on over and hang out with her and had KFC chicken - original style for the girls! Oh and thanks to Ted for letting me intrude on their day off! You rock!

I find out that she is meeting Lisa for a movie and I call Chris to see if he would mind fishing a little longer so I could go with them. We know what that answer was! So off to the movies. I had seen the previews and thought - chick flick - why not! Well I am highly NOT recommending seeing this movie, don't even rent it when it comes out. They have one word that they use in every sentenence, and it is not a part of my vocabulary. There are many scenes in there that will make you very uncomfortable if you do not have close relationship to the person beside you. You will be embarrased! WOW - I didn't realize they put this kind of stuff in movies. Their humor was not what mine is for sure! Oh, they name of the movie - Going the Distance. I wonder if screenit.com lists how many times a profanity is used in a movie, I bet this one word was used about 150 times. But I must say that spending time with my friends was AWESOME!! I love friends!!!! Oh, Amber did text when she was at the movies, so I was not ignored!

As soon as I got back I headed to the lake to get Chris, and we headed back home. Not another word was said about the glasses. Glad we had that break! So all in all it was a great Labor Day - hope you had fun too!

Game 1

I SURVIVED! Woo hoo, but today - ugh..... The song "The old gray mare ain't what she use to be" comes to mind. But I guess for a 44 year old who hasn't played in over 15 years, I wasn't so bad.

I played first base - never have played anywhere else. It's my safe spot! Our shortstop throws a rocket, my palm and thumb are bruised, but I would rather her throw it that hard and get it to me, than me miss it! I told them at practice that I could still hear my coach tell me that if I let a ball go past me I was running laps (and that was in High School). He told us we have a body to protect the ball from going past us. Hmm...I will probably be black and blue before it's all over.

I was up to bat three times, got on base twice. The third one I got thrown out at first. Gotta work on the running, but I was running as hard as I could!

We lost by three points, but we were making a comback from being down 11 points. So for our first game I thought we did pretty good, after all it's people that have never played together before, we have to learn each other! The score 17 - 14.

Next Tuesday is a double header. Hope they have an oxygen tank nearby!

Check out my other blog this morning. There is a really neat story in there about women being formed from Adam's rib.
www.godsjewelrybox.blogspot.com