The Moose Pond

I'm Being Interviewed and The Dude is No Help at All!

2009-02-19T21:04:00.005-06:00

So someone wants to interview me via e-mail; and as I'm looking over the questions they sent me, I tell the dude that for me, the toughest question on there is "What excites you most about your husband being a pastor?" I can name a few things that excite me; but to pick something that excites me most -- I'm going to have to think on that a while.

So I tell that to the dude, and he gets this silly grin on his face and starts listing potential answers for me:

potluck leftovers

using the church baptistry as a hot tub when no one else is around

cranking up my cd's on the church sound system and having a pretend rock concert

"I guess they're probably wanting something spiritual sounding there..."

:insert eyeroll here:

So anyway, then he says, "I'll know when I find the perfect church for me, because I'd be able to say all those things in front of a pulpit committee and have them all bust out in laughter."

Needless to say, I'm still thinking on my answer...

In Which a Dog Nearly Gets a Piece of Me

2009-02-16T19:59:00.007-06:00

I've been pretty absent from the blogging world lately. I guess life's been a bit too boring! But today -- a little excitement. I went for an afternoon walk and was nearly bitten by a dog! The owners were in their yard as I walked by, and the wife immediately started fussing at her husband that he was supposed to be watching the dog and "what if that'd been a child walking home from school?" Neither of them seemed interested in me at all as I walked by their corner lot, which was a bit perplexing. Were the shoe on the other foot, I'd have run over to make sure the passerby was okay and to apologize, but whatever! I let her fuss at him and just kept walking.

The dog didn't seem to break any skin, but he got a good piece of my jeans in his mouth -- right behind my knee. Later on this week, I may try to catch them in case they didn't notice that the dog almost got a piece of me. The lady is a retired teacher from the local school district, so I don't expect any problems. Still -- weird! At least it wasn't a large dog...

It's Fun, It's Free, and It's For the Kids...

2009-01-16T16:42:00.013-06:00

Check it out! From the creator of Veggie Tales -- a new Christian media network available free to all via the internet:

Find these videos and more at JellyTelly.Com

to add this video to your blog or website, just grab the following code (and if your blog is 3-column like mine, just change the width and height values to 400 and 246):

<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N1cEZ75TkDc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N1cEZ75TkDc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
<a href="http://www.jellytelly.com/" title="for Christian movies, videos, and games, visit the Jelly Telly media network">Find these videos and more at JellyTelly.Com</a>

A Prayer for President-Elect Obama and Crew

2008-11-05T22:06:00.000-06:00

Papa, I know this was a historic election in so many ways, and I'm so grateful that we can still transfer power between leaders in a relatively peaceful fashion. I lift up president-elect Obama to you this evening. First, I pray for him spiritually. May he seek your face and walk with you intimately. Please surround him with wise advisors so that he may govern wisely.

Second, I pray for his safety, and ask that you would protect him and his family from anyone who would cause them harm. Likewise, I pray for the safety of our nation, that you would help him to discern any future catastrophe and prevent them from happening.

I pray for his continued health and for the health of his family, that you would enable him to govern in the position you've allowed him to be elected to without distraction. I pray for him and his family today as they grieve their loss. Please grant them the comfort only you can give.

Papa, as you know, we've come a long way in our country in that a black man who might have been unfairly killed 40 years ago, can be elected president. Please help the experience to be a good one, and embolden your people to stand against the sin of racism so that we may wipe it out from amongst our people.

As for Michelle, Malia, and Sasha; I pray that you will surround them with your grace as they enter an even more scrutinized lifestyle with heightened protections. Please keep them safe as well, and please help them to have a normal childhood, free from the incessant photographers who often stalked the Kennedy's.

As per usual election, there are a number of people who are ecstatic and a number who voted for someone else. Help us to come together as Christians and work together for the causes we hold dear -- whether it's reducing abortions, helping the poor, caring for your creation, working to live at peace with all people, reaching out to those in destructive lifestyles or the myriad of other issues you may have laid on our hearts ; I pray that you will help us to listen to your voice and obey your will. I also pray that you will help us to hold our leaders accountable to the values we hold dear.

And lastly Papa, I have noticed our nation becoming more and more polarized with each election. Please help our nation to heal, and please help Christians and families who have alienated each other over a vote to reconcile.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Plants That Are Inherently Evil

2008-10-13T23:16:00.005-05:00

Here are my top three offenders. I generally avoid cacti and plants with thorns, but here are a few others I've found that are hazardous to me, despite an innocent appearance. Beware these evil plants:

1. Asparagus Fern -- It's a nice looking plant -- interesting foliage with little red berries in the fall. But... for those who dare to transplant it, they'll find evil lurking near the roots. Thorns, in fact. You probably won't notice them until after you've grabbed the plant and they're poking sharply into your hands.

2. Yucca -- It looks like a non-poking alternative to cactus; but beware. One session of pulling weeds near this plant is excruciating. That long green foliage is deceptively sharp on the ends. Each part of your hand that bumps into it will sport a red welt for several days.

3. Creeping phlox -- It's a nice-looking groundcover that blooms early in the spring (late winter in Texas). But beware -- that pretty textured foliage turns into sharp needles when dry. They will inevitably end up lodged in your fingers when you're working nearby.

So that's my list. Anyone else know of a deceptively evil plant? Please save my hands the pain of finding them out the hard way!

It's More Than Possible. It's IN-Possible!

2008-10-03T23:00:00.003-05:00

And if you've never watched The Three Amigos, then that title just went right past ya. I've been reading a new book, which I'll refrain from naming, and came across the so-called word, "inpossible". Now, normally I look right over typos and such when I'm reading something another person has written; but when I'm reading a book published by a major company, there's just this expectation, ya know?

That wasn't the first mistake I found either. What's ironically comical (at least in my grammar nerd brain), is that the writer used a whole page to thank people for their help -- including a relentless proofreader, as well as an editor with whom she worked closely.

So let's say maybe that error wasn't there when they proofread, and it was somehow a problem with the mass market edition only. Maybe it was because this was a grocery store reprint of the book. I say this because at Wal-mart, I recently picked up another book by a well-known author, and was stunned at some of the errors in the first few chapters.

What do you think? Does producing cheaper books for discount stores necessitate cutting out on some of the proofreading? Or was my experience just a coincidence?

Interesting Week For Us

2008-09-16T13:09:00.003-05:00

We had a fun week (sarcastic laughter). The dude had his gall bladder removed last Monday morning, and then Monday evening after visiting him in the hospital, our middle child decided to play superman off our bed and landed on his arm (yes, the one attached to the hand he writes with). So, back to the hospital we went.

Then Tuesday morning after only a few winks of sleep, I had to get up early and go over Algebra homework with the oldest son before getting ready for school. He'd completed it before we went to visit their dad, but he convinced me we'd run out of time for dinner and dad, and could go over it when we got back home. For some strange reason, we never got to it! Speaking of which, we found out Friday that the arm was for sure not broken.

Wednesday night, it dawned on me that I had better keep a watchful eye on Hurricane Ike, and stocked us up for that on Thursday morning, just in case. Friday evening, I hurried to mow the lawn to keep the mosquitoes down in case it was several weeks before we could mow again. The dude told me I was his hero. Thankfully, we were mostly missed, phew! Anyway, I spent a good bit of Saturday catching up on sleep.

Yesterday, I realized just how fortunate we are to have electricity. People 30 miles away from us do not have it, and aren't expecting it to be restored for 3 weeks. It's not that they had that much wind damage, but simply because they get their electricity from places like Beaumont that were much harder hit.

I also have realized we're pretty fortunate to have gasoline. Many people without electricity have gas-powered generators and are venturing out to other towns for their needs. Thankfully for them, we did get a cool front through Texas on Sunday. I know that'll help immensely this week, but it won't be long before it backs up as a warm front. I hope a lot of progress is made this week, as the Texas heat gets to be a bit intolerable without a/c, even this time of the year.

All in all, our daily stresses are nothing compared to those of others. I'm thankful this week for a husband who has mostly recovered, a son who can bathe and dress himself again, electricity, clean water, a home that is still standing, and so much more.

Our association of churches is getting a group together to relieve the volunteers who have been working so hard serving those displaced by Ike, and I hope that I can arrange childcare so I can be a part of it.

That's it for now!

Busted by the Preacher Man + Blurb About Men and Church

2008-08-26T22:00:00.005-05:00

The dude and I have been going at it lately (in a playful way). First, he dares to speak of me in his sermon (wasn't even deterred by the youtube video). He made fun of me for dragging him to some movie about an American quilt many years ago, and talked about the only reason he went was because he loved me (and had this unsettling need to count ceiling tiles in a movie theater). Of course, the church howled when he told them the name of the movie, causing me a bit of embarrassment to top it off. (Okay, so I laughed, too; but that's beside the point.)

So anyway, like many professionals, I have an appearance fee. Granted, mine is only five bucks, but it makes the point. However, if I make an appearance in a sermon without prior approval, there is a penalty charge. AND..... if my appearance causes discomfort on my part, there is a sliding scale multiplier depending on my level of embarrassment. So needless to say, I got a new pair of capris out of the deal.

Still, I had this mischievous need to jab back a little bit, and when I was working on the computer up at the church during the middle of the week, I found my chance. The title slide for his sermon was just sitting there tempting me. You see, when we went to Michigan last July, the dude made fun of me relentlessly for taking photos of "dirt, dead trees, and pieces of bark lying on the ground". He often uses my digital photos for backgrounds, so I thought I was doing him a favor. Plus, there were a lot of interesting colors and textures in those dead trees. I told him that any photos he uses had better carry a disclaimer that he made fun of me for taking said photo. And of course, they haven't.

So... I opened his title slide, and added a few words to it... something along the lines of, "I made fun of my wife for taking these pictures in ..." and left the rest the same. I felt guilty later in the week (what is up with that?!?!?!?) and decided I should warn him. He played dumb and told me that he'd already given the sermon slides to the lady who runs our projector.

Saturday evening, however, he feels guilty, (heh heh heh) and shows me that he had indeed caught my little prank, and edited it out. He also had made a new title slide for his sermon, and this is what it looked like:

The turkey! I haven't decided if said slide has earned me another appearance fee or not. I guess I kind of asked for it!

On an interesting note, he has recently read a book titled, Why Men Hate Going to Church, and it really struck a chord with him. He's been changing things up a bit, and that's included making his sermon into a two- or three-part message with other elements (like standing up and singing) sandwiched in between. He's actually gotten a lot of positive feedback from many different people, not just the men -- some have said they actually listened to the entire message for the first time ever. It was a bit awkward for the musicians the first time he did this, but it's quickly becoming smooth in transition.

He's also incorporated some participatory things in on occasion. The day we did the familiar "eye check up" passage, he got some folks to hold a large log in front of his eyes while he walked over to another person and blindly felt around on their face, offering to remove their speck. It was pretty humorous.

But enough about him, back to me... I'm plotting...

JellyTelly Prayer Day

2008-08-19T18:00:00.007-05:00

So I mentioned early last week that we were headed to the beach for a few days (and thankfully, the tropics were quiet this time around). Well, for those who don't know, many who read Phil Vischer's blog on a regular basis have begun praying every Tuesday for the JellyTelly Christian Media Network that's launching this fall. So, when I saw a jellyfish on the beach Monday afternoon, it reminded me of our upcoming prayer day. We usually see one jellyfish each day we're there, so I prayed a bit right then and resolved, "Every time I see that jellyfish tomorrow, I'll remember to pray for JellyTelly."

When tomorrow morning came and we walked to the beach again, we saw two jellyfish washed up near our favorite spot. So, Papa and I talked about JellyTelly. I wasn't near a computer to grab the recent list, so I just prayed for whatever came to mind.

We went back to our "clubhouse" as my youngest one called it, had a late lunch, played games, roasted marshmallows, gift-shopped a little, and found a few other things to entertain the younglings and kill time during the most sun-blistering time of the day. After an early dinner, we headed back over to the beach to play until twilight.

Passing by the two jellyfish, I prayed again for JellyTelly, and then went to play and hunt for shells. But I'm guessing God wanted me to pray some more, because another jellyfish washed up while we were there. The pastor dude picked it up by its top and threw it up towards the sand dunes, so that no one would accidentally step on it and endure the excruciating sting.

When another jellyfish washed up to shore, I was at a bit of a loss for words. I'd already pretty much prayed for everything I could think of in regards to JellyTelly. So... I just concentrated on thanking God for what He's bringing about through Phil and others, and sharing my excitement with Him about the idea. If you've read my Kissing The Prayer List Bye Bye blog entry, you'll know a bit where I'm coming from when I say I'm working to develop a closer relationship with God, and sometimes that just involves sharing a joyful moment together.

And then another jellyfish washed up! Yes, another one. We usually see one jellyfish a day; and on Tuesday, we saw five. As I watched the pastor dude toss the jelly, something he was quickly becoming a pro at, I wondered what in the world else I should pray. I didn't want to be redundant in my communication with God, so I asked Him about it and waited. As I was quiet, here's what came to mind: The issue between Phil and God aside, it was a lawsuit, though later overturned, that dealt the deadly blow to Big Idea Productions. So... I spent several minutes that evening asking God to protect JellyTelly from frivolous lawsuits and any kind of issue regarding intellectual property, copyright, etc. -- anything that could sink the boat before it ever launched.

After that, God gave me peace. I don't know if I'll ever know the reason why He kept prompting me to pray. That's the cool thing about God -- you can't see all the things He prevented from occurring; because, well, ummm.... you can't see something NOT happen, now can you? Sure, you could say the jelly thing was just a coincidence; but in my opinion, it was all God in the way I was instantly reminded to pray each time I saw one.

Today is another Tuesday, and I know God looks forward to prayers on behalf of this project He's placed on Phil Vischer's heart. If you'd like to be part of the JellyTelly prayer team, join us every Tuesday at The Cookie Lady's blog. You can find an updated list here every week: http://thecookielady.wordpress.com/jelly-telly-tuesdays/

It's a blessing to be a part of JellyTelly with my prayers, especially since I have zero talent in animating, puppetry, video production, etc. We can all help launch a network with no special skills at all, just our humble prayers to God. That's exciting!

Hitting the Beach Again...

2008-08-11T02:59:00.007-05:00

I'm up late packing and doing some last minute washing. I had an incredibly long evening nap, and now I'm wide awake. Good thing, because I am so not even close to being packed yet!

We're going to try the beach again as part of a few mini-vacations we're doing with the younglings this summer.

We haven't fared well our last two coastal outings. I wrote about the first incident last summer: http://the-moose-pond.blogspot.com/2007/08/back-home-early.html

Also, earlier this summer, our mission trip was cut way short by Hurricane Dolly. I'm still not sure our son comprehends "why God would cancel a mission trip." Or... "why God would allow the hurricane to blow over the outside walls of the new church building our crew worked so hard on." But, I know that God is good, and I hope someday my son does as well.

Sidenote aside, I'm looking forward to the next few days, and praying/hoping we get to finish our trip this time. Wish us well as we monkey around at the beach. (Had to get the word, "monkey" in, you'll see why at the bottom of this post. *smirk* Again, it doesn't take much to entertain me.)

Kissing The Prayer List Bye Bye

2008-07-31T21:23:00.022-05:00

That's right, I kissed my prayer list goodbye. I knew I had to do it the day my husband was back from a month-long sabbatical. That Sunday morning, right before worship was to begin, a woman approached me, looking for the pastor dude. She had a list -- a lo-o-o-ng list. I remember pointing her in the right direction, and then thinking to myself, "Oh, my poor man."

Fortunately for him, she only needed to tell him that she had some announcements to make before the service started. The list was just for her reference during the announcements. But still, the perceived situation made an impression on me.

I knew in my 20s that Christianity is about a relationship with God, and I knew prayer is simply a mode of communication with Him. Yet, halfway through a new decade, it seems I'm rediscovering this on another level. I've found that I can have much more than a relationship with God -- it could instead be an intimate partnership.

Another encounter I had that convinced me of my need to discard my old methods of prayer was a particular time when a friend of my husband's knocked on our door. I've seen God at work in their relationship for several years now, and that night it was very clear He was orchestrating things in this guy's life. So, after calling for the dude and leaving them to their conversation, I walked back inside and was about to begin praying the usual stuff, when I was stopped in my tracks with a thought: "Does God really need me to remind Him again that He desires none to perish? Again?"

So, I thought better of it and began thinking of all the things I've noticed God doing behind the scenes. When I was done, I was left with a prayer that went something like this: me giving God a thumbs up and saying, "I see what you're doing here and I think it's really cool!"

That was it! As shocking and unspiritual as that might seem to seasoned pray-ers who may quote scripture right and left in their prayers, it was at that moment that I rediscovered prayer as if for the first time. We're warned of vain repetitions in the Bible, yet books abound regarding how to pray, and many of them emphasize praying with scripture. There are even books with specific guidelines for how to pray in a variety of situations.

I'm sure those books have their place and I'm not criticizing them at all, but I had been putting so much emphasis on "speaking God's language" and saying just the right prayer (as if there were a formula), that real communication had gone by the wayside long ago. Do I really need to speak "God's language" to the author of the gift of tongues? I mean, really? Do I?

So here's what I do instead: If someone comes to me with a prayer request, I pray with them right then if at all possible. I don't add them to a list. I just pray for them. Face it: how many times do we put someone on a list and never follow through? So... they're encouraged right then and there through our time of prayer, and there's no danger of forgetting or losing my list.

After that, it's between me and God. As we talk, He reminds me of situations in others' lives and we talk about them. So... it's not that I've become self-centered and stopped praying for other people. It's just that I've given my list over to God in hopes of a more intimate relationship with Him.

Now, I can envision a time when I may again bring my lists to God. I could see myself climbing into His lap and looking over the list together. "I have so much on my mind, Papa, that I had to write it all down. Is there anything on this list we can talk about right now?" I can see that happening sometime in the future; but for now, the list is gone and it's just Him and me.

My Journey To The Shack

2008-07-17T15:34:00.014-05:00

So I finally read The Shack. In the beginning, I wasn't sure that I would. Many of my Christian friends had been talking about how wonderful it is, but some of the things they said really gave me pause... especially when one of them said that "Papa" in the story is a woman.

"Sounds a bit heretical," I thought.

Still, I found myself somewhat drawn to the title, and when I strolled past it in Wal-mart of all places one day, I couldn't resist picking it up. I'm one of these people who can glean good things from a book and chuck what I don't agree with in the trash, so I really wasn't too worried about being converted into heresy by reading one book. Also, the pastor dude and I would be going on a spiritual retreat soon, and it just so happened to be at a B&B called, "The Shack." I thought that was an interesting irony, and tucked the book away with our luggage.

In the weeks that passed, I stumbled upon a few reviews of the book online. The general consensus was that it was kind of good, but not really worth my time. Still... I found myself drawn to it, I'm sure partially because I have this "find out for myself" mentality about things. While I do appreciate the reviews and insights of others, they just have no way of knowing what I'll like/dislike and what I will/won't find touching. I did appreciate the warning that the first few chapters are a bit wordy and descriptive, which probably kept me from putting it down in frustration.

So, when we arrived at "The Shack", I had my husband take a photo of me pretending to read The Shack. I thought a friend of mine would get a kick out of that. The agenda for the evening was to eat, rest, and sleep in the next morning so that we could start our week of spiritual renewal on the right foot. When I did get out of bed, I read my Bible, prayed, and then curiosity just got the better of me. My friends spoke of how this book had really impacted them, and I was just in a place in my life where I was struggling and needing to draw close to God.

"If it is indeed heretical," I thought, "I'll put it away, knowing that I've at least looked inside to see if there's anything worthwhile." I enjoyed the prologue, but yes, some parts of the first few chapters were difficult to get into -- I had a hard time with the odd names of places, imagining the setting (though I've had the same trouble with many fiction books I've read in the past), and he introduced too many characters at one point for my brain to keep straight (two couples, one with children, whom I kept getting confused with each other). However... once I got into it, I couldn't hardly put it down.

Finally, it was time for the lead character to meet "Papa". I hesitated because I knew this part of the book had the potential to really mess with my good senses. I worship God, not a goddess. But, to my relief, Papa wasn't a woman. Rather, Papa had just chosen to initially appear to Mack in the form of a woman, and with some very good reasons. To me... that is an important distinction -- not that there's anything awful about women (I'm one, ya know!), but if the Bible presents God as Father, Son, etc. then I want to keep with the Bible. I chatted a moment with my husband who was reading nearby, and he made a really insightful comment -- "We are created in the image of God, but God is not conformed into ours." He thought he might have put what the author said a little bit differently about God and gender, but it didn't offend his sensibilities.

There were a few other theological statements that I ran past my husband. The biggest one was the idea that there's no hierarchy in the trinity of God, but rather a mutually submissive relationship. For some reason, maybe I'd read it somewhere, I always saw the Father in charge and the Son and Holy Spirit as submissive to the Father. To my surprise, my husband actually said, "No. They're equal." Wow... I learned something new about my husband's beliefs that day, and I did love that picture of God I was given.

Through the conversations with God, the book's author made several profound and insightful observations. I jotted down several quotes as I read. The conversation about the difference between expectancy and expectation is one that really got me thinking. Another intriguing topic of discussion was the self-centered way we judge for ourselves what is good and what is evil, while God has an absolute standard. And the most convicting one for me: "We want a God who will just fix everything so no one gets hurt."

I know the book draws criticism for supposedly promoting an idea of universal salvation. However, I didn't get that impression. At one point, Mack asks God if all roads lead to Him, and God says, "no," but that He'd travel any road to find someone. To me, that is in line with how God reveals Himself in scripture -- the one who is not wanting for "any to perish" and will move heaven and earth to orchestrate a meeting between a man traveling from Jerusalem to Gaza with one traveling back to Ethiopia.

Wordiness aside and bottom line: I loved The Shack!!! I went in thinking I may be able to glean a few things amidst some incorrect theology, and couldn't have been further from the truth. While I don't completely buy into every concept presented, and I elaborate on that a bit more in my comments to this entry, it is a beautiful book with a plot that is well developed, and... I loooove calling God "Papa" -- so intimate, personal and spot on -- see Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15,and/or Galatians 4:6. I'd read those verses many times before, and "Abba" never quite cut it for me. "Daddy" even sounded strange, maybe because that's what I called my father when I was younger. But "Papa" is just perfect.

As I finished reading, I found myself wondering what God thinks about this book. I do feel like He led me to read it -- I needed to hear what The Shack had to say. My husband wants to read it now, too, and I look forward to the theological insight he can give me from his seminary years. I'm sure there are nuances here and there he will notice that I did not. But you know... even if there are... I believe God loves us in spite of our imperfect theology, and I believe all denominations and non-denominations, strengths and all, have missed the boat somewhere. I don't believe it is dangerous to read a book by someone whose theology is different than ours. Even when we differ, we have so much to learn from the insights of others. People and their ideas are far too complex to be labeled, stereotyped, and summarily dismissed. I am so glad I gave The Shack a chance, and I know Papa was smiling as I did. He already knew -- our relationship will never be the same!

Greensburg

2008-06-24T19:29:00.001-05:00

There's a new channel on our cable network called "Planet Green". Well, I guess it's new -- new to me anyway, as I've just now discovered it! So... I was perusing their line-up and they have a documentary series about this town in Kansas that was destroyed by an F-5 tornado and how they've endeavored to come back "green". (It's only fitting, since they are Greensburg after all.) It's actually a pretty neat series. The people on the show talk about their faith, and how God has been with them through this tragedy. (Gasp! People of faith that are environmental, and environmentally-conscious people with faith!) So anyway, I've been watching it with interest.

My Son Wants to Play the Tuba, Thanks to the Veggies

2008-03-30T15:12:00.009-05:00

So why couldn't they make a show called, Gideon, Piccolo Warrior instead? LOL It's not just my son, it's my tiniest, smallest son who wants to play the tuba when he joins the school band so that he can put a football in it and see if he can blow it out of the tuba. I'm hoping he either outgrows this little dream of his or gets a bit more stocky in his body composition between now and then. I've seen little guys try to play tubas in marching bands, and it's a bit comical -- kind of like seeing a really tall guy get out of a Volkswagen Bug. I don't care how much more leg room they claim is inside, it just tickles me every time I see them unfold themselves from their cars.

Speaking of those silly vegetables, Phil Vischer recently announced on his blog that he's going to be launching "Jelly Telly". Sounds cute, doesn't it? You can read more about it here:

http://www.philvischer.com/?p=103

I enjoy reading Phil's blog. He's very witty, and he has a lot of insightful things to say as well. All of the "pulling back the curtain" posts are well worth the read. Someone posted "Jelly On" in the comments section, and now that phrase is stuck in my head! That's it for now...

What We're Cooking for Easter...

2008-03-17T16:44:00.020-05:00

Update: I added some additional notes in the comment section.

Want to share what you do to have a nice Easter meal? Blog about it and then head over to the Pastors' Wives Thriving Blog to post a link. In the past, we've always had ham, in celebration of being under grace and not the law (haha), but in recent years, this has become a favorite:

Passover Brisket
This is very tender because it's intensely marinated. I start preparing on Friday, then refrigerate Saturday night as directed, and put it in the oven Sunday morning right before or after church. If you can't find a butcher or market-trim brisket, or if the cost is too high, just get the regular packer trim brisket (which is much larger), cut off the thick end to freeze/cook later, and use the thin end instead.
*link to recipe I use*

Matzoh Ball Soup
I don't have a recipe, but the first time we made this, the pastor dude actually found a box at a Fiesta Supermarket with pre-measured ingredients. Since then, we've found a container of Matzo Meal (manufactured by Manischewitz) in the ethnic food aisle. There's a recipe on the back.

Green Bean/Carrot/Mushrooms marinated in cooked onions/sauce
I prepare this Saturday evening, refrigerate, and pop in the oven before SS/Church. This is a recipe that I picked up from Lawry's, McCormick, Del Monte... some food company. It originally called for a stick of butter, dehydrated onions, garlic salt, and seasoning salt. I made this for a potluck, and a few hours later a church member nearly died from a heart attack. So... this is my healthy version of their recipe, as I couldn't ever make it the other way again:

3 - 16 oz. cans cut green beans, drained
2 - 16 oz. jars baby carrots, drained
1 onion, chopped
1½ cups herb seasoned beef broth (or 1 can, the exact volume isn't critical. Using beef broth instead of chicken broth is important, though.)
2 – 4½ oz. jars whole button mushrooms, drained
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1½ tsp. lemon pepper or extra Mrs. Dash (in an alternative flavor, just for fun)
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 T dried parsley (unnecessary, but us if you must!)

Put green beans and carrots in a 3 qt. baking dish and set aside. Saute’ onions in beef broth until clear. Add all spices except parsley while cooking. Add mushrooms and saute’ for about 5 more minutes. Pour mixture over vegetables and refrigerate overnight. Cover and bake at 325° for 45 minutes. (I like to put this in when I turn the oven on, to let the dish gradually heat up.)

Salad
Hopefully that's self-explanatory; but when in doubt start with lettuce, spinach leaves, or something green and go from there... You'll know you're finished when either a) the salad bowl is overflowing, or b) you're sick and tired of chopping things.

Homemade Bread (cheating w/bread machine). We set up the bread machine the night before and put in all the dry ingredients. Then in the morning, we add yeast and any wet ingredients and turn on the machine. If we time it right and nothing goes awry, we come home to warm, freshly-made bread.

I am fortunate that the pastor dude can cook, so he always helps me out. Many times his parents come to visit. Here's what they brought last year:

homemade mashed potatoes (this was great for the Brisket gravy)
homemade mac and cheese for the kids
and a bunny cake she always made when her children were little.

Giggling as I Saw the Veggie "Pirate" Movie Today...

2008-01-12T20:10:00.001-06:00

If there were a scale with "Sunday morning values" on one side, and "Saturday morning fun" on the other, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything would lean more towards Saturday morning fun. It is definitely a fun and entertaining movie, with a nice message interwoven about true heroes. Some may be disappointed with the absence of a strong (overt) Christian presence and symbolism that the Jonah movie has, but I'm certainly okay with it. As a pastor's wife, I of all people can understand that Bob, Larry, and the gang need a life outside of church, too. All Christians do, for that matter. Plus, I did notice some interesting parallels, but I'll leave it at that until more have seen the movie.

re: Heroes and Men
I follow Phil Vischer's blog through bloglines, and I noted back in October that the first question he was asked when a group of religion writers screened the film was, "So are you saying only men can be heroes?" (http://www.philvischer.com/?p=87) I'd kept that question in the back of my mind, and can finally report that I don't believe the movie sends that message at all. The princess in the story is quite the heroine herself. In one of the movie trailers, the audience sees that she must be rescued from a dungeon, but that is such a small part of the story. Before her capture, she is a model of bravery to the pirates and her assistant. She is definitely not a hide-while-others-do-the-rescuing kind of girl.

My opinion
The best way to summarize my impression of the movie is to say that it is pretty much what I expected. I generally enjoy the video stories the Big Idea folks produce, and the Pirates movie is no exception. When I first started watching Veggie Tales, I would sometimes be caught off guard by the wit and humor, which would add to the fun even more. Today, it's more like ordering a favorite dish at a restaurant. The humor is familiar; but I never grow tired of it, and I always enjoy it.

Oh by the way, my kids loved it!

Moses Sings...

2008-01-03T21:06:00.000-06:00

I've spent so much of my quiet time in the New Testament in recent years, that I've decided to go back into the Old Testament. I just started at Genesis earlier this fall, and with the help of Wiersbe's Expository Outline of the Old Testament and my New Century Version of the Bible, I'm loving it. It's amazing the rich symbolism that I've been missing out on all these years.

So anyway... I was recently studying in Exodus and remember "reading" Moses' song of praise to God. I always wonder what the Old Testament songs sounded like. They're nothing like the songs we sing today. (No repeat choruses, for one thing, though sometimes the last line of the song echoes the first line.) I find myself singing the song in my head to a tune that I just make up as I go. I'm sure they probably seem a bit more singable in their original languages.

Worship...

2007-12-03T13:27:00.001-06:00

I've heard it said many times that everything we do can be an act of worship to God. Not disputing it, but where does that idea come from? Do you agree with the statement? Why are the things we do specifically considered as worship? Growing up, I always equated worship with praising God, ascribing to Him His worth, so this concept is a bit new to me and I'd like to have a better understanding of it. Thanks to anyone who contributes in any way.

Great Devotional

2007-11-20T13:57:00.000-06:00

I have stumbled upon a daily devotional that I really enjoy. I'd pretty much given up on devotionals, finding most of them too shallow. Enter Joni and Friends, and now I have a daily message e-mailed to me that really feeds my soul. Every devotional I've received so far has been taken from her book, Diamonds in the Dust. So, if you're not into e-mail devotionals, I would highly recommend buying the book. And no, she didn't pay me to say any of that! LOL

Suicide is So Cruel

2007-11-14T16:06:00.000-06:00

If you ever find yourself in the place where you're contemplating suicide--PLEASE DON'T DO IT! If you think nobody cares; I promise you they do. If you think your life is not worth living; you're wrong. If you think you're a burden; you're not. If you think others would be better off without you; you couldn't be further from the truth. If you think there's no hope; you're mistaken. As long as there is life, there is hope.

As a pastor's family, we minister to people when they get devastating news. We've pretty much seen it all by now, and we've seen firsthand that the families and friends of suicide victims hurt more than those who experience any other tragic death. The guilt, the "what if's", the "if only's" are so much more magnified and can be almost too much to bear. I often wonder, that if someone contemplating suicide could see into the future at the devastation it would cause, if they'd change their mind and find the help they need.

Sunday

2007-11-11T14:20:00.000-06:00

Wow. If I'm out of the house on Saturday evening, it sure makes it hard to kick it in gear on Sunday morning. I try my best to have everything ready to go so that we're not running around like crazy people trying to get out the door. So, if I'm gone the evening before, I find myself staying up into the illegal hours.

Today I taught children's church for the last time. I'd snuck into the office earlier in the week and had scratched my name off the rotation list. (I'm in charge of organizing it, so there was no one to tell, I just needed my name to stay out of the bulletin.) It's funny, but I'd felt guilty after bowing out earlier this week, but the guilt was gone when I was done. Phew!!! That age group just isn't my gifting, LOL, especially when we had as many as we had today.

Oh... and to score two in one day, I spoke with the nursery coordinator--I'm now off that rotation list as well, YAY!

Now I'm free to play the keyboard in worship every Sunday, which better matches the gifts God gave me in the first place. Someone donated a very nice, full-size keyboard to the church because our instrumentalists are too far apart and they needed a "bridge" up on stage, so to speak. So, I'm a bridge now, lol.

I still think I have a few too many plates spinning, so I'm going to delegate a couple more little things, in hopes I can feel more settled. They're really small things, they just use up valuable brain space. It's the small things that add up, though, isn't it? I found myself agreeing to them, against my better judgment; because after all, they were just a couple of little things.

Anyway, all that to say, it's a tired Sunday; but I feel good because I know I'll be less tired from now on.

I'm Laughing So Hard...

2007-11-10T00:44:00.000-06:00

After yesterday's link that made me cry, today's had me laughing so hard I could hardly breathe. Be sure to check out why this mom can't find babysitters:

http://mymundanemusings.wordpress.com/2007/11/08/why-i-cant-find-babysitters/

Oh wow...

2007-11-09T14:17:00.000-06:00

This is a post by John Piper titled, "What I Said at My Granddaughter's Funeral".

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/838/

Grab a tissue and read to the end...

Slowing Down...

2007-11-08T00:18:00.000-06:00

You know, there's only so much marathon cleaning/organizing a person can do before they just get sick of it. Or perhaps that's my problem, I've been trying to keep up a sprint's pace when a marathon is what's really needed now? I have done quite a bit, but I'm finding myself losing that gusto I had last week when I reclaimed our office from the black hole of doom. I had hoped to wash windows and scrub baseboards before weeks end, but I think I'm going to lower my standard a bit. If company can come over without causing me horror at the thought, I'll settle for that.

PW Website Update

2007-11-05T23:09:00.000-06:00

For those of you getting to the pastors wives message boards via my blog, I thought I'd make it easier for you and put up a link:

http://www.pastorswives.proboards15.com/index.cgi?

My apologies for not thinking of that sooner! Hopefully the main website will be functioning again soon, but at least the forums are still working!