what a day

As we were walking back from the park i noticed that our gutter on the front of the house, above the porch looked like it was sagging a bit. So, I decided that I wanted to climb out on the roof to check out the gutter. Roger, got freaked out and didn't want me out on the roof alone ( a man thing I guess).  Being the determined little snot I am I climbed out on the roof with him anyway.

We crawled out of Anna's window so I just left the kids in her room with the door shut. I left the window open because paul was standing there watching us and I was hanging out close by the window.  All of a sudden I heard a scream. I turned towards the window and noticed that it had slammed shut all by itself. (they're very OLD windows)  Then I noticed that Anna's hands were under the closed window. I screamed "Roger, oh my GOD."  It seemed like it took forever but we finally managed to get the window open only to find Anna's hand completely smashed. It looked horrible. A mother's worst nightmare. My knees started shaking and I felt like I was going to loose my balance.  All I could keep saying was "we've got to go to the hospital. oh, God her hand, her hand."  

To make a long story short we rushed her to the emergency room, had several x-rays (hard with an 11month old) and left with a bear, motrin, and a "she'll heal faster than you will" from the doctor.  I'm just thinking God that he was watching out for us. I can't help but think "what if it was her head that was in the window."  

"Thank you Lord for watching over us....ps, sorry I took your name in vain.  I'll work on that."  Amen     

playing dress up

Anna and I played dress up this morning after her lovely little bath. My mom got her two adorable dresses and I just couldn't help but think "wow, I have a little girl.  so, I guess I need to practice being all girly."  It was so fun putting her in little dresses and watching her discover the texture. She is so funny. I told her we were trying to "pick out her dress for derby day so we would know what kind of hat to get!"

interdenominational group for wives of ministers

So, being new to the whole "my husband is a full time minister" thing I have been in great need of some mentoring. I have so many questions about so many things and so many burdens to get off of my shoulders by sharing them with other ministers' wives.  

For the past 2 months I have been in the non stop thinking mode of "wouldn't it be nice to have a ministers' wives only club."  An all exclusive club for those strong women who so often times work tiresly behind the scenes with little to no recognition. Those women who feel they have no one to confide in for fear of their dirty laundry being spread out all over town. If your the wife of a minster you know what I mean.

About two weeks ago, after some deep prayer, I decided to pick up the oh so lovely Western Recorder (a baptist newspaper) that was lying on the table beside the couch. Roger, gets them in every so often and most of the time I throw them away before ever thumbing through them. However, for some reason, you could say it was God, I do, I thumbed through it that day. The first article that I came across was about a conference that was held for ministers' wives intitled "Between Us".  WOW!!! I got very excited, perked up and read through the article. The two women that held the conference were fellow ministers' wives who had gotten together to write a devotional book for ministers' wives intitled "In Our Shoes."  

The authors Jennifer Landrith and Rachel Lovingood "categorize minister's wife's into four descriptions"

• A Specific Calling:  The women felt a clear, distinct call to ministry 

• A General Calling:  The woman felt called to serve but didn't know specifically in what capacity

• An Unexpected Calling: The woman was surprised by the call to ministry. maybe she married an accountant that later became a pastor. 

 

• An Impersonal Calling: The woman sees the ministry as their husbands job. Often they resist the concept of partnering with their husbands in ministry.
  

After reading about this book and their categories I decided to research it a bit and ultimatly decided to BUY the darn thing.  The week before I actually bought the book I had decided that it would be a great tool to use during the "minister's wife's only meetings."  To my surprise, upon receiving the book from my lovely husband who made a random trip to the book store for me, I found a leaders guide section in the back of the book. The authors had placed that section in the book for those minister's wife's, like myself that had a yearning to start a group but had no clue about how to go about starting one.  AWESOME.  

But, I am a little freaked out. I kinda feel like Moses here "But Lord I stutter."  Of course I don't stutter but I am young and new to the ministry. I have the fear that the wives of ministers who have been in the ministry for 15 to 25 years will look at me and be like "what does she think she is doing.?"  So, I have wrestled with this and prayed a lot about it. But I have such a strong conviction that I just can't not do it because of my fear. 

My next step is to contact the wives that live in the community and have an informational meeting about the group. I want this to be a group in which everyone is a leader. I'm pretty excited!!!  So, well, here I go out to start an exclusive interdenominational group for wives of ministers.

 

Let's all pray :)

a day to reflect

I'm so tired and have no clue what to do with myself.  Should I take a nap, sit outside and read the pleasure book I brought that I think sucks (twilight), should I work on my paper that is due the monday after we get back, should I go sit in the hot tub in the rain??  Who knows??  It is a dilemma.  So, I guess I will right a blog and see what happens after that.

Today is our last day at the beach. (sad times)  but it has been a very relaxing day (even though I am tired right now.)  This morning I got up bright a early (not really) and sat alone with a cup of coffee, a bowl of cereal and my Bible. After that I put on my walking gear and took off alone on the mile walk to the beach through the beautiful trees. A storm was brewing on the horizon so it was dark and misty but oh so lovely. I enjoyed taking in all the sights, sounds and smells of the world around me. At one point I found myself rubbing my hand across the bushes to watch the dew drop onto the ground and onto my hand.

The beach was beautiful. There is just something sacred about being alone on the beach in the morning hours. I walked a little ways down to where all the MASSIVE houses are. It seemed more peaceful there. It was away from the hotels and resorts. I found myself sitting on the wet sand close enough to the ocean that the waves were touching the tip top of my shoes. I sat there for a good 30 min.  Looking out.  Contemplating life.   Then all of a sudden I saw something in the distance.  I focused my eyes as much as I could and I believe there was a group of dolphins jumping.  Who knows if that is really what I saw.  But at that moment that is what my mind saw.  My heart smiled.

On the walk back to the resort I stopped into the resort that Roger and I stayed at on our honeymoon 5 years ago. I walked around reminiscing about our stay and how much we have grown as individuals and as a couple. I began to wonder what our next five years would be like.

 

After a nice hot shower Roger and I decided to have lunch at the same place we ate at during our honeymoon. It is a restraunt located in the hilton at the weston resort here on the island. We had alligator for appetizer, I had shrimp and grits ( a local fav) and he had some sort of chicken sandwich thing.  We also split a glass of Riesling. 

Since I got back from my walk this morning it has been pouring the rain. But we have still had a lovely day. I feel very blessed to be alive. This afternoon we plan on going to the ocean and jumping in. No matter how cold or rainy. Then we are going to run to the nearest hot tub to warm up.  My only fear is that Ill get eaten by a shark. But what is the likely hood??  Adventure, that it my middle name.  Right??

Vacation day 2

Today we spent all morning at the pool.  At noon the men folk came out and asked us to come in. They had made us all lunch!!  How sweet!

After lunch we packed up our things, got on our bikes and rode the mile to the beach. It was such a beautiful ride through the trees! So flat and so peaceful.

At the beach alex and the kids enjoyed making sand castles. Roger and I bought a cheap kite at the store and had a great time TRYING to flying it.  Mary, Paul and I took a very long bike ride down the shore. I felt like I was in a movie. It was so great. I even rode the bike with paul into the waves!!  Paul screamed with laughter as the water crashed into the tire and then onto our legs. We found a shallow spot in the ocean and walked out on this island thing. It was so awesome to be WAY out in the ocean surrounded by water, on this little island. While there we saw a MASSIVE jellyfish, a beautiful starfish (which I picked up and let Paul hold) and tons of these MASSIVE looking crabs.  

When we got back to the house Mary made us a lovely chicken dinner!  mmmmm

I went to the local mall on the island and got the twilight book.  After the yummy chicken and a nice hot shower to wash MOST of the sand that I picked up from the beach off my sticky sun lotiony body, I jumped in my jammies and curled up on the couch.

Vacationing with friends Day 1

I am at the beach!!!  I NEVER thought the day would come when Roger and I would be able to go back to our honeymoon spot but NEVER underestimate God.  He is TRULY good!

We had a MARVELOUS and RELAXING day!  Early this morning we took a lovely walk down to the beach. It was Paul's first time seeing the ocean. He was speechless and I had tears in my I eyes I was so happy for him. "you know who gave you this wonderful gift called the ocean?  God gave it to you baby. Isn't God so good!" The child thought he was in heaven. He ran and jumped and played. It was wonderful. Roger and I had one of those "5 years ago we were honeymooning on this very beach and now here we are with our Paul boy," moments. It was truly fantastic.

When we got back from the beach we played the "jump in the heated pool, then the cold pool and then the hot tub," game while the kids played in the kiddy sprinkler/pool thing. It was so nice to be with friends talking while the kids played until their hearts content. 

Around 5pm a BIG storm came, which was also very nice. I sat outside alone on the back patio and watched the weather change. The day became darker and darker and then the flood gates opened. We all got cozy inside the HUGE time share, some of us watching tv, some talking, some trying to read and some napping (or trying to). 

We just recently got finished eating the lovely spaghetti dinner that the men folk (Roger and Alex) made and the delicious raspberry pie one of the kids made. It was nice to sit down to a home cooked meal with friends after a day at the beach!!!  

It's still raining AND THUNDERING LOUD.  But the kids are asleep and we are sitting outside on the patio, talking and watching the rain. 

I can't believe this is just the first day. We have 5 more days left!!!  This is so refreshing!

Tomorrow the ladies are going to yoga before the beach. yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the mountain top and it is ooooooh so nice!

Funny Moment

As Roger and I were walking the kids back from the library we heard someone yelling. Then we noticed that the boy way down the road was yelling at the little boy riding by on his bike.  He was yelling "Hey, you got any dip?"  The little boy replied "yeah, back at the house."  "Well, bring me some."  "ok"   

Roger and I just stood there with one of those "umm what the HELL" expressions on our face. At which point our neighbor walked by caring some fast food into his family (he has a little girl close to anna's age and a little boy about 5) smiled and said in a joking/mocking way "of course he has dip. he's almost 6!"  We all just stood there for a second laughing at the situation.

Then Roger yelled out "oh man the diversity that surrounds us. YES!!"  One night we are talking to a sad, drunk rich women and the next to a child that carries dip.  this town is nutts and we live right in the heart of it.  

I totally need to write a book.