an act of worship

Summer is challenging for pastors' wives. There is campmeeting, conferences, youth camp, weddings, graduations, and juggling family activities with church functions. For some, like me, this summer may mean a ministry move. Since the church year ends in the spring, most pastoral changes take place in the summer. So, we can add packing and resettling to that list as well.

No matter what is on our ministry horizon, you and I have to keep the focus clear. We are called to serve -- not just congregations, but Christ. Every part of ministry is an offering to Him. I want mine to be fragrant, so that my life is a daily act of worship.

a ministry footprint

Ministry is about footprints.

No two ministry couples are the same; the pattern they follow and the imprint they make are different--as different as the Spirit's gifts which they embody.

On the shores of life, the pastor and his wife walk together, hand in hand, inviting others along on the the journey with Christ. The castles they build along the way are subject to the waves, but the impact of their lives is grounded on the Rock.

Just as Jesus left His prints for us to follow, we are to leave a set of tracks behind us that point the way, not to a sandy beach, but to a heavenly destination.

May the path of our ministry lead to an ever deeper knowledge of Christ.

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,

That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18, NKJV)

revivals and renewals

We just need to hear it again, a different way, in a new voice.

I was telling a friend just the other day how I think my kids get so used to Mom's voice that they subconsciously tune me out. I demand respect and obedience, but sometimes I don't think they ever hear me. Their ears have become so attuned to the "mom" frequency that it kind of flies over them. Let Dad say the same thing and. whoa!, they hear him. It's the power of a new timbre and different presentation.

Ditto for church. The principles we've heard all our lives get a little distant when we never hear them presented differently. That's part of the wonder of having a guest speaker. God's message can be heard with a different tone, different flair, with new energy, and great power.

There are many reasons are important, but giving our ears a little "wake-up call" is a pretty good one.

for today

Pastoring is a journey, a kaleidoscope, a carousel, a ministry built on the ebb and flow of life. Each of us plugged into this awesome partnership with God are amazed at the delights and the stresses.

Times have always been changing; people have always been suffering; problems have always been challenging.

No matter the generation in which we minister, we are to remember that God has placed us here "for such a time as this." There is no period of history in which our particular ministry would be more effective. We are placed here today.

something to snack on

For Sarah (who asked me to post this).

Here is our family's usual Sunday night snack: Bean Burritos

• flour tortillas
• Cheddar Cheese (grate it yourself; the pre-grated kind has an additive to keep it from clumping that makes it drier)
• refried beans
• sour cream
• taco sauce
• Jalapenos
• tortilla chips

We make them in 2 ways. One is to heat the beans and warm the tortillas, then roll the beans and cheese up and eat burrito style. The other way is to preheat oven to 350, brush melted butter on tortillas, spread with beans and cheese, top with another tortilla and bake these quesadilla style until the edges are brown and the top is crispy -- then cut into wedges with a pizza cutter. Either way, you can dip in sour cream or taco sauce, and add Jalapenos if you like. If you add an envelope of taco mix to 16 oz. of sour cream, you get a nice dip.

Another trick: when I waitressed in a Mexican restaurant (Tio's in Cincinnati) I watched my boss warm tortillas. I don't have a large griddle like he did, but you get the same effect with a no-stick skillet (may want to use an old one). I don't use any oil or spray; just heat the pan over medium heat and add tortillas one at a time, a few seconds on each side, you can pinch it gently in the center and flip with your fingers, when they begin to bubble, they are heated -- transfer to Styrofoam tortilla keeper (at Dollar Tree). This is so much better than using the microwave which makes them rubbery. Watch them carefully so they won't burn.

We use the leftover beans as dip for the chips.

It's something we look forward to every Sunday night.

one of "them" days

Today was one of those Sundays when you wish you were a parishioner and could find an excuse to stay home.

It's summer -- attendance is down. That's normal.

We're taking a special offering with kids from Jr. Church helping. Miscommunication causes pastor's wife and taped music to play at same time. Pastor's wife abruptly ends with a little flourish and sits quietly.

Normal flow of service is changed because of offering. Choir members don't know when to file up so they sit in congregation and sing. The risers are empty.

Person singing special couldn't do it. Pastor and wife step up to fill in. Pastor's wife can't remember what song it is so she can play intro (they don't have their music book because they weren't planning to sing). It's in the hymnal, but because she can't remember what they hurriedly decided downstairs in the study, she can't look it up. So she sits. Pastor stands beside piano, and in his words of intro, announces the name of the song. She wings it from memory, with a quick prayer to the Lord for help remembering the chords.

Visitors are present.

Pastor's wife forgot to put frozen chicken on counter to thaw. Sunday dinner is late.

It's not a day to remember in the annals of pastoral history. But we did it. Some Sundays, you just hang on and check off. Not in a spiritual sense of course. But in the ebb and flow of ministry, not every Sunday can be a bell-ringer (if we had a bell, it probably wouldn't have rung either!)

The Land of the Free

Celebrating God and country is the responsibility of the church. The roots of our nation's freedom are so entwined in devotion to God that it is impossible for true patriots to separate them.

As pastoral families, we set the tone for citizenship. Let your church be known as the place to be on July 4th Sunday. Plan a few special items for the service or prepare a choral/dramatic presentation. When we lose the freedom to be patriots, we lose the freedom to worship. Let's be ambassadors of both! God bless America.

Let's Gather at the Campground

Church camp is a wonderful institution. A little out of date, probably, but hey, so is camping in general. In fact, the more primitive way of living is in vogue in some circles. My in-laws live in a place where there are lots of get-back-to nature people. They like to have compost piles and hang their laundry on the line, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with these things at all. They prefer a simpler life in some ways. So, if it's all right for them as a lifestyle, I guess it's all right for us for a week.

I have to admit the thing I find most difficult is being without my own bathroom (and I miss my tub for a long soak at night.) Yet, there are some great spiritual and social experiences one can only have on a campground. We'll survive the heat, the bugs, the mud, the steamy shower rooms. We'll arrive home with stained clothes and lots of wet towels. And we'll make plans for next year. Because as long as there's a campground and folks who want to gather there, that's where I plan to be!

Buoys and Ministry

A buoy is a brightly-colored floatation device that marks dangerous places in a body of water.


Buoys upon a choppy sea
You and I are called to be.

Bouncing up, not going down
Keeping faith in higher ground.

Made of stuff that cannot sink
To haven's peace ourselves a link.

By our colors showing true
the Light that shines, the Life that's new.

Patriots in the Churchyard

From moss-covered beds, they speak to us. Beside them, tiny flags wave gently in silent salute. They're gone from us in body, but their mighty spirit battles on. We owe them our freedoms -- not just the right to speak, and to print, but to assemble, to worship. There would be no Sunday service this week without their sacrifice. Thank God for them. Thank God for America. How blessed we are.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus Who......took upon him the form of a servant......." (so as to assume the guise of a servant [slave]) (Philippians 2:5-7)


If I have my facts right, the above verse refers to Jesus girding himself with a servant's towel. He "took upon" himself the actual role and garment of a servant. And we are called to do the same. Paul says to "let this mind be in you" or to "let this same attitude and purpose and humble mind be in you" (Amplified)

Sometimes we are surprised when we are expected to serve. But isn't that a servant's role? Should we who have pledged to serve our husbands, families, and congregations be amazed when we are called to follow through? Society tells us that serving is groveling; Jesus teaches that serving is greatness. He served -- with joy and a willing heart.

"Lord, make me like Jesus."

What to believe

I cringe inwardly when I hear someone demean a preacher or his wife. For one thing, it's against Scripture because God wants us to honor those in spiritual leadership. For another, it flies in the face of Paul's teaching about the body of Christ.

Pastors and their wives are gifted people - but God threw in the element of variety: they are all gifted differently. Each will have ministry priorities that will come to the forefront during their pastorate at a given place. God has created it this way so that different areas of church life and administration will be addressed as time goes by. Our likes and dislikes don't really matter because preachers and their wives answer to God, not their fellow preachers or their congregations. Granted, there may be some times when, sadly, a pastor may really fail his church in some way. God has provided for these situations to be addressed in a biblical way, but I'm not speaking of these BIG failures but of more miniscule areas of misunderstanding.

I hope you adopt my attitude, and pay little attention to the criticisms you hear about other colleagues in ministry. God does not want us listening to gossip or slander. And, of course, you know that the person relaying the information sees the news from his or her own spiritual, emotional, and historical viewpoint. All these variables may color one's perception.

So, the old adage bears much truth -- "Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see." The church of Jesus Christ would be so much more effective if we followed this sage advice, don't you agree?

The Piecework of Ministry

The pastoral ministry is like a patchwork quilt.

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers were quilt makers. They saved scraps left over from dress patterns and bits and pieces acquired elsewhere and turned them into items that provided comfort and beauty.

When you and I, as pastor's wives, reflect on our years in the pastorate, we can identify with the pattern of those long-ago quilts.

In the first squares, we see the hesitating stitches of the first pastorate, the brilliant color swatches of youthful zeal and high hopes.

In the later design, we contemplate the pastel-shaded blocks that represent new babies and the parenting years.

Then come the dotted and striped patterns of new ideas our husbands so exuberantly introduced to the congregation.

Further inspection shows us the dark tones of disappointment and trials, and maybe a few patches of double-knit fabric with its stubborn texture and bland personality -- we've all had seasons of life like this!

Scattered throughout are color bursts of bright hue that tell the story of good times -- pastor appreciation days, retreats, campmeetings, family vacations, souls recovered and discipled. The mix of bright and dark forms a pattern as complex as the realities of life.

Yes, someday, you and I will examine the design of our ministry patchwork with awe -- for then we will see the plan of the Master and observe unmistakably that the thread of His presence encompasses each carefully-chosen section of our lives.

Site will be updated after Inter-Church Holiness Convention!

Today was a sunny Sabbath.....

I just adore sunny Sundays. Though God never changes the Scriptures tell us, the sun beaming down seems like a heavenly smile that blesses His special day.

Sundays are a celebration of all that is good. Faith, family, feasting. God created this special day just for us, so that we could revel in His blessings, take a break from labor, and lift our worship to Him.

Soak up these words from Ecclesiastes 3:13 "And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God."

Every good thing comes from Him. And a sunny Sunday is one of them. Thank you, Lord.

May the glorious power of our risen Lord
rest on you as you lead in worship today.

His death brought our redemption.
His life gives us hope.
His presence is with us always.

Happy Easter

Easter Hoppers

"Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

That's what my grandfather said preachers should use as a sermon text when they behold the congregation in their Easter finery!

The Easter phenomenon is about to take place. Like tulips finding out that there is life above the ground, many people suddenly discover that there is still a church in town and decide to make their Easter appearance.

Similar to Easter bunnies, they hop in, sniff the air a bit, and settle down for an hour. Then, with a twitch, they scuttle back out into the big open world.

Like all of you, we're glad to take the "hoppers" when they come. But how much better it would be if they could understand that all the carrots Satan dangles before their nose are nothing compared with the garden of God's grace available all the time. And He doesn't tease us with grace -- He gives it abundantly. That's certainly a better existence than dodging Mr. McGregor's pitch fork throughout life! (maybe you better re-read The Tale of Peter Rabbit......)

Sunday Dinner -- the Zenith of Parsonage Meals

Somewhere in the annals of Christendom, it was decreed that Sunday dinner was to be the best meal of the week. And all the preachers eagerly agreed.

As long as I can remember, Sunday dinner was always a big deal. I remember hearing family members talk about Sunday dinners of long ago (and how they had so many guests that the children, who ate last in those days, would often only get the pickin's). I recall many a Lord's Day where we gathered around my mother's fabulous homemade meals, always with hot yeast rolls and many times, steaming mashed potatoes. These times were warm, seeming to enfold my brothers and me in the embrace of our parents, our Heavenly Father, and the assurance that there was food from Mom's kitchen and a bright future for us all. Sometimes the district superintendent and his wife were visiting our church and the table was extra special and there was a luscious dessert as well.

There were other days when our church work placed us in revivals/campmeetings on Sundays or maybe it was one of those Homecoming Sundays in the South. On these grand occasions, we shared Sunday dinner with other families in "dinner-on-the-ground." Maybe it was a dining hall, maybe a picnic shelter, or maybe just folding chairs in a circle and some tables holding foil-wrapped casserole dishes -- but, however it was presented, it was always the very best every family could offer. Each cook usually brought her signature dish -- baked macaroni and cheese or fried chicken or pecan pie or chocolate cake. If it was the home church, you knew what to look for -- "Did Sister Jones bring her cornbread salad today?" The men loaded their plates and, with looks of bliss, retreated to their chairs to eat with the other husbands, who cared more for what their wives had cooked than for conversation. The women pulled back plastic wrap, stirred up the vegetables, shooed the flies, corrected the children and asked for each other's recipes while they ate, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing (women multi-task everywhere!) The children ate as little healthful food as possible, sneaked rolls, and gorged on desserts in this heavenly freedom from the "clean plate club." Church dinners are a glorious institution.

These days, dinners on Sunday are still a reason to celebrate:
~ the grace and goodness of God and the sacred day He has given to us
~ His provision of food and the skill to prepare it
~ the gift of family and friends who share the meal

It is true that one does not need to indulge in a bountiful Sunday meal to make the day special. In fact, the cook might be more rested if she served soup or sandwiches. But, the tradition of saving the best for the Sabbath seems somehow appropriate. Traditionally, we have worn our best clothing on Sunday and reserved our best behavior for the sanctuary (at least we teach our kids this!). It just seems to make sense that we share the grandest of our culinary efforts with our families on the day we also give our best worship to the Father. It fits. And be it roast beef or chicken or meatloaf, it tastes great when Dad says the Sunday blessing and little hands that drew pictures in Sunday School now are folded for a quiet moment. Mom breathes a sigh or relief -- another Sunday triumph.

The Game of Pastoring

Being in ministry is like a shelf of board games. If you're tired of the one you're playing, sit tight, the next one is about to start..........

Sometimes, it's a game of Scrabble where you're trying to find the right words.

Other times, you feel like you're playing Guesstures and just going through the motions.

There are days when the church resembles a Checker board with everyone jumping around.

And there come days when the game of Taboo would most accurately describe your mood.

Well, some weeks, it seems like you're playing a round of Clue, searching for the answers.

We all dread the times when it seems like checkmate on the Chess board.

And, above all things, we dislike the days when the parsonage feels eerily like a game of Battleship, with missiles spraying the water all around us.

Thank the Lord there are those refreshing times when the pastorate really does remind us of Candyland -- a place of sweet rewards and victories.

The greatest aspect of it all is that God holds all the gamepieces in His hand. And He knows all the strategies we need to stay in the game. In the end, He gives the crowns.

Life with the preacher

It's different for ministry wives.

We don't wave him off in the morning and welcome him home in the evening. Our husbands pop in unexpectedly, sometimes with a request, sometimes for lunch, sometimes to work from home or change clothes for the next appointment.

We don't sit beside him in church on Sundays and look over his shoulder while the pastor reads the text. We sit in the second row and smile up at him, because he is the pastor.

We don't have him to do chores around the house on Saturdays. The weekend is "crunch time" and preparing for Sunday takes precedence.

We don't have cozy, carefree evenings. There are board meetings, visits, late-night study sessions, and occasionally, emergencies.

It's different for ministry wives.

We don't have to "call the pastor." He lives with us!

We don't have to worry about what to feed the pastor when he comes to visit. He pulls up to our table regularly, and we know his favorites!

We don't have to wonder about the direction the pastor is leading the church into. We have the inside track because we are the pastor's closest confidante.

We don't need to to schedule pastoral counseling. We can just turn over in bed and talk to him. (if he's awake after his long day of ministry!)

Living with the preacher sure is a sweet life. I hope you enjoy yours. Happy Valentine's Day!