So I got my hair cut really short today, and the lady who cut it did an awesome job, and she said, "WOW! You look like 15 or 20 yrs. younger!!" I thought to myself....being 40...that would make me pretty young...or either I reallly looked awful before!! :) I'm going with the really young theory. ya'll have a great night. I'm going to a homeschool mom's group thing...can't wait!!! New friends to make! yahoo!

Have you ever found yourself in the stupidest conversation ever and couldn't stop? You know, someone makes a statement, you make a statement in response, and everyone else in the world (except the person you were talking to) gets in the middle and adds all kinds of meaning in there that you never intended??? I really hate it when people pick a fight with me. I don't mean like, I'm always right so don't question me, I don't mean, I don't like to discuss issues (say, of Theology)...I just mean, if we are having said discussion....keep the personality out of it! I guess some people just don't even realize how hurtful and mean their words can be....you know, open mouth...forget to engage brain? I do that sometimes. You know, open my mouth before my brain has the chance to engage? We all do, we're human, we mess up, we sin, we speak before we think. But, ya know...some people are just wired to argue against everything. Period. I was in a "discussion" with this guy and someone jumped all over me for what I said. I happen to have been right, btw, but that doesn't matter. He tried to make what I said look stupid, he disagreed w/what I said etc. Then....two posts later...under a different person's post....he totally backed up what I was saying that he argued against. Ridiculous. Those kinds of people need to all go live together in a commune somewhere and argue nonsensically with each other and leave the rest of us alone. THere. I'm through with my rant. Ya'll have a wonderful day. :)

i'm back.....

SO, it's been a long time, Yes? Well, i'm busy :) Not that I don't love you all...I am just short on minutes!! The ladies in our church have just started the Angela Thomas Bible STudy "Do You think I"m beautiful?" It is awesome, and I am NOT just saying that!! She really has a way of cutting through the junk and just saying what you need to hear. I HIGHLY recommend it.

That being said, I have been having a rough couple of weeks. I'm not sure why, but have you ever felt like no matter how hard you run, no matter how fast you move, no matter how busy you stay, you never get one step caught up? much less ahead! I feel like everything I am doing is rushed. I do NOT like that. That is not my style in the least. I like to be free. I like to just pick up and do what I want, when I want. Well, that ain't happenin' anymore!! Not cool. Ever feel like every single minute is scheduled? And if you do not jump when the buzzer goes off you'll never make it? Well, that's where I am. The strange thing, is that usually people who say these things have their kids so over scheduled, that it is creating this kind of chaos. That's not the case here. I have 3 boys, the only independent type activity they have is soccer, the two youngest, who are on the same team. Not a lot of scheduling required there. But, I go from one thing to the next w/no real break. Ugh..... I get up, I make coffee, I drink coffe while reading bible and doing devotions, baby arrives, feed baby, feed other kids, start school, baby nap, school, lunch, baby lunch, school, baby nap, baby leaves, dinner, whatever...visitation, soccer practice, bible study, other bible study...you name it, I'm there. Do not for a minute think that I want to or can quit a single thing I'm doing. I really, really can't. I am just waiting for the calm. It's gotta come. I'm praying for peace, for relaxation, for something.

The one benefit of all this activity....I am becoming ORGANIZED! Shock! Gasp! Surprise! ME? you say??? Organized???? NOt likely!!! well, it's true, In self defense I have become a planner. I love forms, do you? If there's a form, I wanna fill in the blanks!! :)

I have no deep thoughts or eternal wisdom to give...but I'm here slogging through the trenches. Tryin to smile through it, because despite my lack of a sense of self worth....I have GOD-worth. I know He loves me, He thinks I'm beautiful, and He can use me...no matter what. :)

Puttin' in a plug....

I'm taking a quick opportunity to put in a couple plugs for stuff I've found I love.
1. The Old Schoolhouse Planner (Making a plan for school and home)
This thing is really cool. You can order a CD for your computer...it's absolutely FULL of useful, wonderful cool forms for planning stuff. If you like forms and planners, but have never found one with the stuff you need...this is it. I have turned a ring binder into the ultimate planning machine. It rocks. This thing has forms for planning everything from your day, to your week, to your year, to your kids' schoolyear, to meals daily weekly and monthly. It's incredible. It even has forms to plann your kids' 12 yrs in school. I just love it and cannot say enough about the stuff it has. It has also, lots of educational info. like conversion formulas, periodic table, mulitiplication table, history timeline, TONS of stuff. Love it, check it out.
2. "in our shoes...real life issues for Minister's wives, by minister's wives"
by Rachel Lovingood and Jennifer Landrith\
This is an awesome personal bible study for women in the ministry. It's incredible. Daily, I glean something from it. It's amazing. I just can't say enough good about it. If you're a ministry wife...read it.

the worst blogger in the world

Ok, so I may not be the worst blogger in the world, be i'm certainly in the top 5 laziest, right??! Well, lemme just say, get your flu shots when you're supposed to, ok?? I had never had the flu until last week...( and still now). Me, and two of the boys got the flu. Not cool. REALLY, not cool. I'm pretty sure it had to be the swine flu, since the symptoms matched (kids puking) and the timing...seasonal flu is gone. So, that being said...the flu STINKS! I mean, walking down the hall made me get winded!! Our hall is not that long!!! I still have diminished lung capacity. The kids are still sleeping waaaaaaaaaay more than normal (all is not bad, is it??) But, we're on the mend. Just had to put in a plug for the flu shot...though Roger did have his flu shot this year and he still got sick...those vaccines don't last forever! :)
Pray for us and our church as we seek to feel our way thru all that needs to be done and figure out how to do it...and how to garner interest. Man. Ministry is NOT easy, is it?!
Love ya'll.
J

kids in church

Ok, so my kids gave me a chance to prove my title tonight. You know, "saved, not perfect." Wow. Was I not the perfect mom tonite. Roger was totally out of control at church both this morning and tonight at revival. I had to take him out of church and spank him both times. I was mortified. I HATE doing that. But, he was screaming during prayer this morning!!! What's up with that???? All 3 were trying my patience tonight. So. The preacher's kids are not perfect. His wife's not perfect. Actually, he's not perfect either. But that's ok. If I've learned nothing else, I know God loves me even when I'm not perfect. I did actually manage to concentrate enough on the sermon to get the idea. We're doing revival this week. Our "theme" I guess is "refresh, renew, revive." Pretty cool. Tonite was refresh. Rob talked about how if you never "get off the bench" and get worn out...you don't need refreshing. Made me go, "huh." I don't feel that way with church, I do feel that way with school...my school. YOu know, the expensive one. I need to get off the bench big time. Who knew grad school would be so hard?! LOL! Who knew that reading a book a week would be so hard?? I can read a fiction book a day and not sweat it...but, give me something I didn't choose....?? Forget it!!! It's HARD! It's hard to find time...it's hard to find desire.
So, Thank you GOd for loving me and my imperfect husband and kids. Thank you God, for pouring out your spirit on us that we can feel your presence. Thank you God for putting us in a church that does not even EXPECT us to be perfect. Thank you GOd for the wonderful loving friends you have sent our way. Thank you for the daily encouragement. Thank you for perseverance through Your strength, YOUR power, YOur love, Your glory. Let your love shine through my life and spill all over the place. Let your love seep into the fibers of my life and those around me, that no one can look and wonder if I love you and follow you. Let them ask why. Let them know it's you, not me.
In Jesus' sweet and Holy Name!!!!
AMEN!

Rough week

Ok, so it's been a rough week. I'm physically worn out. Did you ever stop and think about being spiritually worn out?? I am right now having so much trouble finding time for my personal devotional. I am taking a class that is draining me when it's supposed to be filling me!! My back hurts, my left arm feels like I've pinched a nerve, we've had every imaginable problem trying to get a desk set up for me so I can get out of Rob's office space. You name it. Of course, God gave me a gift--the absolutely most knock-your-socks-off sunset ever on the way home from T-ball. He still loves me! :) Some days it's harder to remember that, isn't it.

So, being a pastor's wife and feeling spiritually drained is bad. I am gonna have to drop something. Not sure what, or how, but I'm gonna. I supposed to be praying for one hour every day. That's hard. I fall asleep. I can totally understand the apostles now. Not in a cool way either, but in their misery at their inability. Can you not stay awake and watch for an hour???? ugh. Pray for me please. I know I must say that every post, but I WILL pray for you! :)
We've got to uphold each other, lift each other up to Him in prayer. The only one who can do a thing about any of this stuff we call life.
Ya'll take care.
J