Yokemates

Sometimes all our husbands need from us is a smile. It can really be just that simple. In the early years of ministry there were times when I would ask my husband, “Do you want me to come today?” Typically, the event I was referring to would have been a funeral service, a wedding or a community event where he would be speaking. It was not uncommon for him to say, “Yes, at least there will be one smiling face in the crowd.” He wasn’t necessarily referring to a tough crowd or angry mob, but more to the support that he could find in the smile of someone who believed in him and who he knew would be praying for him. Unexpected changes to my schedule in the early years were very challenging. We had three under the age of five. A change in plans meant that I went into “mommy mode” big time getting myself ready - as well as the girls. In the scramble to keep to my new schedule I had to find the missing coat, stash snacks in the diaper bag, grab some ‘quiet toys,’ make sure I had a f...

Over the last few days I have beaten myself up a bit since I missed my self-imposed goal of sharing a thought or challenge with you every Saturday night. I am now officially three days behind schedule. Why? I could give you several excuses, but the reality of life is that we each have schedule challenges, and when that happens we all find ourselves scrambling for sanity amidst all the demands. The goal - prioritizing those demands before we get too frazzled and keeping some semblance of balance in the process. So, what got me off my routine? Just one extra change to my schedule, but that change took a bit of extra mental energy. I soon realized that I had to make a choice of where to expend my extra energy for the weekend - and my two grandsons won out! Then today, I was in the church office working hard to complete a few projects when I heard someone call out, "Pastor." This call was repeated several times before I was able to find the visitor and ask if I could help him...

We comfort the hurting. We seek the lost. We encourage the champion. We lend a shoulder to cry on. We speak truth. We open our homes in love. We rock the crying baby. We clean the toilet. We lend a listening ear. We fill empty stomachs. We set limits. We pursue the wanderer. We change dirty diapers. We clean the house, fix the meals and walk the dog. We fix things. It is human nature. It is a Godly quality. Depending on the size of the church, many of the faithful take on multiple responsibilities weekly to keep things running smoothly - filing in the gaps and fixing things! The worship director may also be the sound tech, children’s choir coordinator and the one who pulls together Christmas and Easter concerts, musicals or specials. The elder may sit on a board making key decisions regarding the future of the church as well as serving as church janitor and head greeter. This reality is often true for both the pastor and his wife. After all, what is the alternative when there are...

Snowflakes. They are so beautiful and peaceful. You can’t help but want a ‘snow day’ to snuggle up with a good book or to go outside and play in the snow! One of my favorite times in the snow was when my husband and I went snowmobiling together in Yellowstone National Park. Whenever I catch a glimpse of the picture I have framed from that trip, I have sweet memories. That was the first time I had ever seen so much untouched snow. In places, it actually looked like billowing waves of white with sparkles glistening as the sunlight hit each crystal. It was almost like a dream - the miles and miles of undisturbed wonder. Job 38:22 actually speaks of God’s “ storehouses of snow .” What wonders God has given us to enjoy! Tonight as I prepare to head for bed, we have several inches of snow laying on the ground outside. Our driveway has been cleared, the church parking lot and sidewalks are cleaned, and we are planning on having church in the morning. The temptation is to call a ...