31 Dec 2013
by pastorswifelife
in December 2013
Tags: 2 Corinthians 5:20, bible, Christ, Christian Life Review, Christianity, goals, God, Holy Spirit, Jeremiah 17:10, Jesus, judgment day, Lord, Metthew 12:36, ministries, ministry, New Years' resolution, performance, personal review, relationships, spiritual walk
JIPC Welcome Center
I sit here on vacation, on New Year’s Eve 2013, reviewing the life I have led this past year.
Recently, I put in a request for a review of my work as a Controller of a company of which I have been employed for the past 14 years. It had been three years since my last performance and salary review. I put together a summation of some of the important issues that I have handled including expense cuts, employee relations, business deals, and the monetary gains that I have accomplished for them. I highlighted all the good that I felt I had done and the plans that I have for the future. Needless to say, I did NOT include anything that I felt was a underachievement or loss experienced by the company due to my performance.
The purpose of a review is usually to give some feedback and to plan for what training one might need, what skill areas to develop further, and how one might be better utilized in the workplace. It is also to evaluate how one’s relationships with the supervisor/boss and fellow employees are going.
Not only do we expect to be rewarded in our work by salary consideration, but we’ve had reviews and expected rewards throughout our entire lives. Look back to your education, report cards and graduation achievements as well as sports banquets and trophies.
Yet how often do we review how we’ve performed in the past in our Christian life and what goals we have for the future in our spiritual life?
Jesus stated: “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak”(Matthew 12:36, NLT).
Paul stated: “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NLT).
And Jeremiah stated: “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10, NLT).
So what kind of relationship do I have with THE BOSS? How am I doing with the plans that God has for me? Have I met the goals that He has set for me over the past year? Is there additional training that I need to go through in 2014? Have I earned any other praise or rewards from God in addition to the free gift of eternal life?
I pretty much deserved what I received in my work performance review this year. I did receive a raise! But in my Christian life, I believe that I have failed far more than I should have in the work the Lord gave me to do. I succeeded in my career BECAUSE I put that first over the past six months due to circumstances. But in so doing, I have put some of God’s work on a back-burner. I feel like I haven’t put forth enough effort in personal relationships with my fellow parishioners that I normally do. And I have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit within me – knowing I have failed in fully utilizing the gift of hospitality, which God has given me. I have grieved the Holy Spirit; I feel it in my poor soul.
And yet, I have accomplished some things in my 2013 Christian walk. I have read His Word daily and read the Bible in its entirety. I have participated in small group Bible study and Christian fellowship. I have ministered to Earl as my husband and my pastor as well as to those within the church who have had pastoral needs. I have visited those hospitalized and in hospice. I have fed the hungry at the Charleston Shelter and volunteered my time at the James Island Outreach Food Bank and remained a board member. I became the liaison on the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery Presbyterian Women’s Team.
Yesterday, I went with Earl to visit a woman named Libba whom we dearly love from our previous church. Her husband Floyd passed away in recent weeks. He was one of the members of the pastor nominating committee that brought Earl to that church in 2006. He was a dear man, full of the Spirit and a determined follower of the Lord. Our visit with Libba brought tears to both Earl’s and my eyes. These are the kind of ministries that I know God wants me to do more. These personal visits with the elderly are what bring a smile to my soul and bring joy deep within me from the Holy Spirit.
Visiting Parishioners
I have reviewed my Christian performance for 2013, and I have made plans for 2014. The elderly are my passion. Spending more time with people and offering them the love of Jesus is my New Year’s resolution. I believe my relationship with God will grow a little deeper and a lot stronger as I bend my will even more to His will. And on that glorious judgment day, I pray that I will hear, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”To each of you – Happy New Year and may your life be full of the work of the Holy Spirit and the blessings from our God on High!
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08 Nov 2013
by pastorswifelife
in November 2013
Tags: 7th day He rested, bible, Bible reading, Christ, Christianity, Creation, Daily Devotions, Does God Rest, Genesis 2:2, God, God on Vacation, Honoring God, John 5:17, Pastor on vacation
Taking God on Vacation
Earl and I went on a glorious vacation for almost three weeks in June 2013. We had a wonderful time just being together and seeing 12 of our country’s national parks.
As many pastor families know, taking a vacation is extremely important and necessary. But usually a pastor’s vacation still consists of phone calls, emails, and texts to and from members of his or her church. There can even be some stress from not knowing how their flock is doing. How are those doing who are sick, hospitalized, jobless or depressed? Will they need spiritual help from the pastor while he or she is off taking a long, 2 week vacation?
In Genesis 2:2, we are very familiar with the creation account that after creating for six days, God rested on the seventh. But of course this isn’t to suggest that God was tired or needed to rest. In fact, God never rests. John 5:17 represents the Father as continually working to preserve and to redeem the created world through His Son. The text in Genesis simply means that God ceased from His creating and dedicated the seventh day as a sacred day for all of us to worship Him, honor Him, and to rest ourselves.
So while we took 2 weeks to rest out of 52, and vacationed across this glorious country of ours, putting 7,000 miles on the car, entering 17 states (some a couple times) and spending 19 days away from home, we brought God on vacation with us. Each day we praised God for this absolutely stunning and geographically diverse land that we call our country. We are very blessed to call this beautiful land our home, and we intend to take the time to eventually explore all our national parks.
Continental Divide
So each day, Earl and I praised and worshiped God by reading scripture and contemplating what it was that God was saying to us through the scriptures. We each have adopted a reading plan to read our Bibles every year. Then when I took my Bible out while he was driving and told him that I was going to read my daily reading, Earl asked me to read that he wouldn’t miss his daily reading. Each day we talked about the scriptures that I had read, and Earl even had me write down some ideas that he felt God had given him to preach. It’s amazing how God can take a few minutes during your vacation and inspire you. With His beauty all around us, and His Word permeating our ears, we felt the presence of God with us on vacation. God doesn’t need a vacation and never takes one. We do need a vacation, but never away from God. God is always at work – focusing all His efforts on the preservation and redemption of His world. And He uses each of us where we are, whether at home, at work or even while on vacation, to accomplish His will.
Never take a vacation from God while you are on vacation!
Rocky Mtn National Park
Big Bison
Earl – Mt. Rushmore
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10 Apr 2013
by pastorswifelife
in April 2013
Tags: Ageing, Aging, bible, Christ, Christianity, Deuteronomy 5:33, Exodus 20:1, experience gained, God, Honor your father and your mother, live a moral life, morally responsible, respect the elderly, wisdom attained, worthy goals
50th Birthday Cake
“Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”
― Betty Friedan
I turn 50 this coming April 15. I am more excited than a child at Christmas. My family thinks that I may have a screw or two loose in my head. But I say it’s a 35 year goal finally come to pass.
That’s right, I have been wanting to hit the big 5-0 since I was 15 years old. I’ve never looked at aging as something to grieve. Now that 50 is so near, I now wonder expectantly, “well what’s after that?”
I do not agree with much of what Betty Frieden has to say, but I have to agree with the above quote. I’ve never looked at aging as lost youth. I’ve always looked at it as experience gained – a sense of wisdom attained – an opportunity to learn and better other people’s lives. At 50, I am hoping to love more richly, deeply, and more compassionately. I’ve found that being a Christian makes all those worthy goals mine because those were Christ’s attributes. Because of Him, I can move forward in life with confidence and assurance.
I have found that aging is addressed with favorable tones in the Scriptures. The first promise in Exodus 20:1, “Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you”. Whew, I sure am glad that I put my parents’ opinions of me in the forefront. I still do to this day.
Mom and Dad
In Deuteronomy 5:33 “Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess.” The Lord shows favor to those who live a moral life. One who takes the Word of God and absorbs His teaching and lives a life based on those teachings will be blessed with long life. See also 1 Kings 3:14 “If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.”
In the Bible, those who are aged are perceived as being wise, resourceful and valuable. What they have, they are supposed to share for the good of everyone. We are to offer to our children, our fellow brothers and sisters and all of society, our very experiences and give them wise counsel to help them avoid our pitfalls.
Most all who know me, know that I am drawn to the silver foxes who came before me. I adore being around those who have lived life longer than I have. I love to listen to the stories of their youth and the experiences of their lives. The history that they’ve lived can truly help develop the future decisions of those that they bless with their knowledge. The elderly are to be respected and cared for, and they deserve kindness. We all have a responsibility to the generation that came before us whether they are family members, church members or neighbors.
Aging is a positive part of life. We are to accept the blessings and responsibilities of aging with gratitude.
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25 Mar 2013
by pastorswifelife
in March 2013
Tags: Christ, Christianity, God, Gods gifts, Gods ministries, Holy week, Jesus, Jesus Christ, listen for Gods voice, palm sunday, Passion Sunday, perseverance, persevere, Rain, Sunday, Word of God, worship
It is 5 AM, and it is Palm Sunday. The only thing I hear is rain – a torrential downpour. This is the beginning of Holy Week. Earl is already in the shower, and I have to swing my feet off the bed and get down to the kitchen to get his breakfast cooking. It’s part of my ministry, and I’m happy to do it. I persevere to make sure that the work that the Lord has given me gets done. But it’s raining, and it feels like sleeping weather. My feet still hit the floor, and I get started.
I have to study a little more. I’m teaching the Sunday school lesson. I worked on it yesterday, but I’m not feeling confident with what I’ve got. Yet I must persevere, I can’t present what God does not intend. Clean up the kitchen, sit down and study. I look out my window to see lightning, and I hear the resulting thunder.
Shower, dress, but no, the dog will not go out in this rain. Can she cross her paws for the next 5 hours? I open the door, it’s raining so hard that there is a fog-like consistency in the air. The dog backs away. A thought runs through my head, will God’s people persevere and come to chuch today? It’s raining so hard.
I realize that I can’t go through the newly created pond at the bottom of my entry stairs in my shoes. I quickly change into my Duck shoes, throw the high heels in a bag and grab the umbrella. Will the umbrella actually open? Oh please Lord, let the umbrella open. It does. Thank you Lord!
As I drive through the streets, the meer couple of miles to the church, God begins to speak to me in my mind. I’ve learned to listen. Today it is not His quiet voice, but a strong voice that tells me to tell His people to persevere. Dear Lord, will your people come to hear? So here is what He told me in my thoughts.
Spring Blooms
I give you the rain. You receive the fresh aroma of Spring. I nourish the ground for all My nature to grow. My gifts to you include the beautiful gardens, flowers and trees – lawns so lush – vegetation so green. My water helps to provide all that for you. You have water to drink and shower and clean. My gifts to you. I give you My Word so the pastor can speak. He’s been provided with a sermon to nourish My people – to offer their worship – lift up their voices.
God is good. He gives many good gifts. Let us not use those gifts as excuses not to come and worship. I was pleased to see all those whose worship of God meant more to them than the possibility of enduring the rain and getting a little wet. His people do persevere.
Our pastor, our music department, our staff, our ushers, Sunday School teachers – as well as all those who prepare the coffee and refreshments – all worked really hard to be sure that the ministries that God entrusted to them were carried out. They persevered through the rain. And we were all blessed this rainy, stormy, Palm Sunday, 2013.
“Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.” 1 Thessalonisan 1:4
- Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday? (prhayz.com)
- Lenten Reflection Day 33 (makingroomforgod.wordpress.com)
- Beating Adversity (culversbm.wordpress.com)
- Happy Palm Sunday! (tidbitandmindbytes.wordpress.com)
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15 Mar 2013
by pastorswifelife
in March 2013
Tags: Christ, Christianity, church is a hospital for sinners, Death, Dying, Glimpses of Heaven, God, Health, Holy Spirit, Hospice, Hospital, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Pastor, Patient, Roman Road
Glimpses of Heaven by Trudy Harris, RN. I have just finished reading this amazing journal of the experiences of a faith-filled Christian who has served in Hospice care. Trudy Harris heard her call from God and took the gifts He offered her and went to work as His servant.
The final paragraph of the book reads, “Dying is a very natural part of living. It is not an ending, but a beginning.” She shows death to be a transition into the life God has promised to all of His children. He wants us to eventually come home to be with Him after we finish the work that He has created us to do. “He loves us-believe it.”
Dying can be very scary, especially for those who do not know God our Creator, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Director. But Trudy Harris witnessed of God to all those with whom she came in contact. Many came to faith in God through her conversation, care and prayers. Trudy Harris reflects Christ. You can feel it in the stories. You are in awe of her and pray to God to be more like her.
My mother Diana, is also an RN. Long retired, but she still renews her license. My mother worked in emergency rooms, operating rooms and on the floors of hospitals and private doctors’ offices. My mother is the first person that I call when I am given a diagnosis by my doctor. She researches, questions and gets answers. She comforts and loves those that come to her. Every family member counts on her medical knowledge and insight. I see Christ reflected in her. I also hear hope.
My husband Earl, Senior Pastor at James Island Presbyterian Church, recently gave a sermon entitled, “The Roman Road.” One section of the sermon hit me at the time that he stated it, and I was reminded of it again as I read this book. He said, speaking of the church, “We are a hospital for sinners – not a Hospice for sinners. As much as Hospice did for my personal family – and I love the work of Hospice – and not everyone who enters Hospice also dies in Hospice… But by simple analogy, a church is not a place for sinners who have no cure and are made to feel comfortable until they die. The church is a hospital where patients are made better by the Great Physician and live eternally.”
The church is for healing and recovery. A place where all sinners go to be made well. We come to be cleansed by the Spirit of God through the work of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the church, I also see hope.
Trudy’s book offers the reader a glimpse into the final days, hours and moments of those who are ready to leave this earth and transition into life eternal. To read about those visions comforts the reader and gives knowledge to the believer that when God calls us home, He blesses us by His Holy presence. When God calls us home to begin a new life with Him, it is not frightening. It is more than we can possibly imagine. And that is why I believe in God’s living hope.
“And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:15
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18 Feb 2013
by pastorswifelife
in February 2013
Tags: Christ, Christian, Christianity, church, Galatians 55:13, getting to know new members, God, God-given gifts, HolySpirit, Jesus, Lord, low man on the totem pole, opportunity to serve Christ, pleasing ourselves, pray and care for, Savior, Serve one another, share with others, to be a servant, to be served, Totem pole
Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another.”
In VanCouver Canada 2012
A lot of people may have a huge problem with the scripture above. Why? Because probably most people want to be served, not to be a servant.
We are a society that focuses on self and pleasing ourselves, and this is a far cry from the example that Christ gave us to serve others. We are taught in our Christian belief that once we become a Christian, we have a new nature alongside our old nature; we begin to reflect on the very acts and manner of Christ. We can choose between following our old desires and lusts or following the Holy Spirit within us.
Once God calls us and enables us, it’s easy to accept Christ as our Savior and trust Him to save us. The Holy Spirit moves us to do so. But Christians sometimes stop right there. They understand that acceptance of Christ offers forgiveness of sins – past, present and future. But Christians may count on this gift from God to see them through life -regardless of whether they continue to follow their old natures. But the Holy Spirit prompts followers of Jesus to change their focus on self. The Spirit continues to educate and change us into what God intends for us to be in Christ. The freedom we have in following Christ transforms us into wanting to be more like Him – not doing anything our old nature tells us to do and simply receiving forgiveness. This spiritual transformation freely allows us to shed what we once considered important: ourselves, and sense that others are also equally important to Christ. That transformation leads us to not only listen to His voice, but to move us into service to others. The service that He calls us to engage varies greatly. Some are called into the mission fields, others to the pulpit, and to many other less visible positions in the church.
I have to say at this stage in my Christian walk, I am content to simply be a servant of The Lord. And I’m even happier to be called to be engaged in positions that most folks would consider low on the totem pole. Give me the opportunity to meet and greet new people coming into our church. Give me the opportunity to go out into the community and help feed the hungry. Give me the opportunity to visit folks in the hospital or bring a meal to those who are experiencing illness at home. Give me the opportunity to hold the hand of an elderly person or to hug someone who doesn’t get a hug from anyone else, and I am genuinely happy.
I have recently been granted the wonderful opportunity to help our new members become more connected and integrated into our church family. I am helping them to find those small groups, circles, ministries, members, and committees that they feel God may be asking them to serve. God might use me to help them find their God-given gifts to share with others.
I love being with God’s people, doing what God has called me to do. I know that God has given me the gift of hospitality, and I am currently planning a dinner party for these wonderful new members, just so we can get to know them better. These are the people that God has given me to lift up in pray and care, and what a magnificent pleasure to be in Christ’s service even low on the totem pole!
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17 Oct 2012
by pastorswifelife
in October 2012
Tags: answered prayer, being real, Christ, Christian, Christianity, friends, girlfriend, God, Holy Spirit, honest friendships, honesty, ministry, Pastor, pastorate, Pastors Wife, PW, Religion & Spirituality, truth
I recently read the book, Desperate Pastors’ Wives by Ginger Kolbaba & Christy Scannell. I found out about the book while browsing a website I joined specifically for pastors’ wives. It had some very positive reviews by women who are in the ministry, and I felt that perhaps I might glean some insight into whether my experiences were the same as my comrades.
The book begins by enlightening the reader that pastors’ wives (a.k.a. PWs) are many times without real friends. Then we meet four PWs who put their trust in one another over a long period of time and eventually there is created a deep and wonderfully honest friendship. PWs can relate to each other. PWs know and understand the difficulties of the ministry.
The focus of this book has described my life for the past thirteen years. I have struggled with befriending anyone since becoming a PW. I have begged God to bless me with a true Christian friend for all of these years.
Prior to becoming a pastor’s wife, I had close friends. I still have my oldest friend Valerie (we’ve known each other for 44 years) and my friend Beverly (we’ve known each other for 22 years). But these friends are not near in proximity nor do we share our everyday lives any longer. We talk or email every few months, catching up, but none of the depth of our lives is expressed in such short periods of time. And now, as the wife of a pastor, with my own ministry, I tend not to think that they want to hear about everything that is going on in my life because of the uniqueness of being a PW.
I reconciled myself to the fact that Earl was just going to have to do as my best friend. And actually, for all intents and purposes, Earl really is my best friend. He knows all about me and certainly listens and shares with me on an everyday basis and deals with all my annoying habits and many faults. But right now, I’m talking GIRLFRIEND!
Once I became a PW, I noticed people to be more reserved about themselves around me. Everybody is truly pleasant and certainly may be inquiring about me, but very few bring you into their lives and share who they are in such a way as to develop a close relationship. However more recently, I have met a couple of women who seem to want to maintain a closer relationship with an alien PW like me.
Carol is a friend from our Morrow Church pastorate. It took six years at that ministry before we actually met. Although I don’t get to see Carol but a couple times a year, we do have dinner and try to catch up. We laugh and we usually cry in just a mere 2 hour time frame, but we are uplifted by each other’s company and God’s Holy Spirit. God is the One Who has brought us together – not the call of being a PW. We met when our kids started dating and our daughter invited Carol & her husband to church. God answered that prayer for me. Within six months of meeting Carol, Earl and I were called to our next ministry. Since Carol, we’ve had two more pastorates.
It wasn’t until we came to James Island Presbyterian, that I met a wonderful woman named Kristi. Kristi is real. Kristi is true and honest. Kristi speaks her mind! The first time we met, she and her husband took Earl and me out for dinner and the first thing she said to me was “It’s been a heck of a day; I’m having a glass of wine, how about you?”….We hit it off immediately. Kristi is in the ministry too. Her husband is the Associate in Ministry at our church. Kristi knows….and understands! Kristi is yet again, a God answered prayer.
If we have patience and trust in God, I believe that He will bring into our lives the people who will help us traverse through God’s difficult ministry trails. I give God my thanks for giving me the patience to wait on Him and for giving me the friends that He has chosen for me…. in His perfect time.
John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
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09 Oct 2012
by pastorswifelife
in October 2012
Tags: appreciation, bible, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Clergy, Clergy Appreciation, counselor, faith, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, ministry, Pastor, Pastor Appreciation, Pastors Wife, salvation, Spirit, spiritual journey, spirituality
“Earl, I need to talk to my pastor.”
Whereas my husband is a counselor to many when it comes to spiritual, life and relational issues, does anyone wonder who the pastor’s wife goes to for such help? Most people would probably recommend some independent, Christian counselor. Is it possible for a spouse to be your pastor and counselor?
October is Pastor Appreciation Month, a.k.a Clergy Appreciation Month. With a few clicks of the mouse and very little research, I found that Pastors have been “unofficially” recognized the second Sunday each October since around 1992. Funny thing, we have been officially celebrating Groundhog Day since February 2, 1887! Is it possible that we are more apt to put our focus upon a rodent who supposedly predicts the future over our Pastors who help us to find a personal relationship with our Creator and encourage us and help us to grow in our faith in Jesus Christ? I’m just saying…
I see very few churches that even recognize the month let alone a day for Pastor appreciation. Ever since I have known Earl, whenever someone mentions Pastor Appreciation Month, he quickly tries to refocus it into an employee appreciation month. But my husband, without fail, will be there for everyone else with just the ring of the phone or a knock on the door. His ministry is to preach the Word of Christ to all who will listen and to witness to those who cross his path. He will hear your joy; celebrating with you, and he will comfort you in pain; crying with you in grief. He will preach the Bible to the very foundation of what it stands for, and he will not be ashamed of it.
There are many times I have looked at my pastor husband and said “I need my pastor”. It is astounding how quickly, as I watch his face, he transforms into my pastor. That’s right! As a member of the congregation for which he serves, I too claim Earl as my pastor and sometimes, even my counselor. And Earl knows enough to understand that his wife needs a pastor too. Not many people think about that fact. But I do.
I love Earl – My husband. I appreciate and respect Earl – My pastor.
I want to reach out and let my pastor know how much I appreciate him. He has counseled me, he has strengthened me in my spiritual journey, and he has educated me in spiritual discernment and theology. He has pointed out to me God’s Holy Word during times of trials, and he has prayed for me and prayed for me and prayed for me.
Hebrews 13:7 (NASB)
“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”
What has your pastor done for you? More than a groundhog, I feel sure. I’m just saying…
Blessings and peace…..Laura
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02 Oct 2012
by pastorswifelife
in October 2012
Tags: blessed, chapel, chaplain, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Clinical Pastoral Education, compassion, continuing education, depressed, dispirited, distressed, God, Jesus, Matthew, Matthew 9:36, Pastor, Pastors Wife, PW, shepherd, St. Francis Hospital
It was Friday night and as many know, Friday is date night for Earl and me each week. But last week it was a little different.
Earl began CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) classes at the end of August, and they last until December 18th. This past weekend was his first of eight, overnight, on-call volunteer times.
So we decided that we would have a date night on Thursday night. We tried a restaurant in downtown, Charleston. We love sampling the food at different restaurants, and I almost always prefer Italian. Unfortunately, we left the restaurant $60 poorer and still hungry. Whoever heard of leaving an Italian restaurant hungry?
Friday is also Earl’s day off (on call 24/7 always, but we say it’s his day off), so he got up early, worked on his computer, went into the office (he feels guilty now that he takes a day or two for the chaplaincy program, so he goes in on Friday)….then he came home and worked on one of his many auto projects before dressing to the nine’s and heading to the hospital.
Before leaving he asked me, “Would you come to the hospital and have dinner with me?” OK, I’ll be honest here, as the pastor’s wife, my first thought was not positive. It was more like “What? You’ve got to be kidding!” But even as he was asking, and I was rejecting, I knew without a doubt, I would be going with him.
It’s not often that I deny Earl his heartfelt requests, and anybody who knows me, knows this is true. But why would I deny myself an opportunity to spend a little time with Earl, even if it is in a hospital cafeteria? As many people know, a pastor’s family life is very difficult. Check out the blog-post here that I wrote concerning statistics on a pastor’s life and family. So with this knowledge, I know not to make our life any more difficult than it already is. If I’m given an opportunity to be with him, and I can do it, I’m there!
When I met him at the St. Francis Hospital cafeteria, I must say that we enjoyed a fabulous fish dinner with rice and greens along with drinks and bread – all for less than $10. The meal was fabulous! My date continued on with a tour of the chapel, the CPE offices, and then I was brought upstairs to see where he would be spending the night. It was in a small room on a tiny little single bed. Earl is 6’2”, and this was not going to be comfortable for him to say the least. Not only that, but the bed wasn’t even made up. Ghee-gads! Earl and I spent a few minutes locating the linens and then without a second thought, I was making up his bed for him.
I figure it this way, I feel so blessed that God has given me a few things in this life to oversee, whereas Earl has been given much to oversee. I certainly want to make sure that I do all I can for such a caring, compassionate and humble pastor, so that he can touch the souls of those in distress and those that are depressed and dispirited, by the Spirit of God that works through him.
Matthew 9:36 NASB
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
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18 Sep 2012
by pastorswifelife
in September 2012
Tags: bag of regrets, choices, Christ, Christian, Christianity, decisions, Epistle to the Philippians, Forgiveness, future decisions, God, I have no regrets, Jesus, Jesus Christ, looking forward, Philippians 3:13, regrets, Religion and Spirituality, the goal, the prize
How many of us can look back on our lives and say that we don’t have any regrets? I most certainly cannot.
I had a friend that wrote a letter to me about 10-12 years ago, and one of the statements that she made was, “I have no regrets in my life.” Wow. This is a woman that I went all the way through school with. She married, had children, owned a business, and was an elder of her church. How can someone go through life and look back and say that all the choices he or she made were the correct ones – no regrets? 
I regret things all the time. I seem to have a whole bag of them.
1) the tone of my voice when I’m irritated and take it out on someone else;
2) not making more friends;
3) having too much pride – causing me to hold back an apology that is due someone;
4) not giving enough of myself to the needy;
5) denying God when He’s asked me to do something that was out of my comfort zone;
6) not getting involved in a particular mission that God has laid on my heart for 13 plus years.
I believe there are different kinds of regret. Some are regrets concerning decisions we’ve made in our lives that didn’t help us out personally. Other regrets concern decisions we’ve made that didn’t better someone else.
My regrets revolve around the decisions I’ve made that didn’t make someone else’s life a little better or a little easier. I’ve been somewhat selfish in that regard, and I’ve regretted that tremendously. But that is a regret that can be eased from the burden that I drag around with me. It doesn’t need to be over my shoulder, weighing me down. I can move forward in life and work on helping the next person that comes along that is in need of Christian grace and love. I have His love because God has blessed me with it abundantly. So why not share it with those who need it most?
I have no regrets for me personally. I don’t regret poor decisions that I made that hurt or hindered me. I don’t regret decisions that I made that didn’t prosper me. I give thanks to God that He used my decisions to grant me experiences in order that I can help someone else who needs the same grace that I received from God.
I can move forward, making my future decisions better, based on the experience from my past. God doesn’t want us to have regrets after we have been forgiven. He wants us to live from this day onward for the better – looking forward to the goal – of being like Jesus Christ and looking forward to the prize– of being with Jesus Christ, not looking back and holding onto regrets. I’ve dropped my bag of regrets……with no regret!
13… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Philippians 3:13
- No regrets! (simplelifeheartenings.com)
- 5 Ways to Battle Regrets (michaelkingbooks.wordpress.com)
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