Monday, February 28, 2011

HEART REACH

Good Monday Morning, Ladies! So far, it's a beautiful day. The sun is shining and it's warm outside. The weatherman does predict storms with strong winds later today-I hope he's wrong! I hope you all had a good Sunday. I had a great one. Saturday night, my Va. Tech Hokies beat #1 Duke in basketball which made me really happy when I went to bed late Sat. night! Every February, our church does what they call "Heart Reach". Each Sunday School class is given the name or names of a widow or widower in our church and the classes do something special for the people whose names they are given. Our class had a potluck lunch after church yesterday for our two ladies. We gave them each a pretty, potted flower and I made little favors for them using cardstock, punches, and rubber stamps. Inside were Lindor chocolate ball truffles. The ladies seemed to really enjoy everything and it was such a blessing to be able to do something for them. James 1:27 states: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." If your church doesn't have a ministry to widows and widowers, it would be a good time to start one. HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Myspace - Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan

Myspace - Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan

Click on the Blue title above to hear and see this video!

Blowin' in the Wind???

"How many roads must a man walk down, before you can call him a man? The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind." Boy, the wind sure has been blowin' here last night and today! We had up to 60 m.p.h. wind gusts!
I sure am glad I wasn't flying anywhere- I really don't like bouncing all over the sky! But, back to the song. Is the answer really blowin' in the wind? If we answer our serious questions in life just by "the way the wind's blowin'" (or just by what current culture tells us), we will end up in a pretty big mess. You all know that the only way to get the right answers is to seek God's will. Certainly, don't let today's society sway you when seeking answers. Don't even let church members with their own agenda influence you. There are always some in every congregation who "get in good" with the pastor or minister's wife in order to try and get her to influence her husband into doing things they want done. Beware of these people!
I like this quote from Dr. Seuss: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose." Pray, Spend time in God's Word, Listen. Let God answer your questions and steer you in the right direction. Don't get blown away by a strong wind!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

SURPRISES

It was supposed to be 50 degrees here yesterday. We had a meeting on the other side of town at 2:00 and the bank's temperature sign read 32. Needless to say, it never made it to 50. On our way home, we had a sudden surprise-it started snowing! It was coming down really hard and was beautiful (though totally unexpected). We went to Kroger's and when we came out, the snow had stopped just as quickly as it had started. Do you like surprises? I love getting a surprise gift or card or phone call from an old friend. I always want my Christmas and birthday presents to be a surprise. When I had some daffodils bloom in an urn in my garage one February, that was a nice surprise. (I forgot that I'd planted some extra bulbs in this urn when I moved it into the garage at Christmas.) There are good surprises and then there are bad surprises,too. When we got a letter from the water company telling us our meter reading was extremely high and we probably had a leak, that was NOT a good surprise. (we did have a leak and had to have the pipes replaced from the outside of our house to the water meter at the road-ugh!) When your husband gets a call in the middle of the night that someone's been taken to the hospital gravely ill, that's a bad surprise. When someone jumps out and scares you, that's not the kind of surprise I like. We enjoy the good kind of surprises but we don't care for the bad ones. Sometimes God allows the unpleasant surprises to jump out at us. Other times, He blesses us with special ones, like rainbows or sudden but quickly passing snowstorms on a day that's supposed to be 50 degrees. How do you handle surprises? When they're bad ones-ask for God's strength and guidance or comfort. Lean on Him. Search his Word for wisdom. When you get a nice surprise-remember to say Thank-you, Lord! I pray you will be blessed with only good surprises today!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Turning Points: Leading Through Change by 100x - Eventbrite

Turning Points: Leading Through Change by 100x - Eventbrite
Check out this Online Conference for Women's Ministries. You can listen in for free! It's on March 2, starting at 11:00 a.m. Just click on the Blue Title at the top for all the information.

Monday, February 21, 2011

WELCOME TO TOWN!

At church last night, we celebrated our Min. of Youth's 15th Anniversary! I think this must be some kind of record for a Youth Minister. He does a great job and we are truly blessed to have him and his family. We were in several churches for 2 yrs. or 3 yrs and then were fortunate enough to serve our last church for almost 13 years. For a staff member, that's a long time. I'm sure many of you have experienced all those moves to other churches. It's not an easy thing to do, especially for those of you with children or teenagers. Change is hard.
Leaving friends or family is hard,too. There's so much stress involved in the process of moving. We've been blessed to have been welcomed very warmly by all of the churches we've served. However, I do remember the first day we arrived in one city to look for a place to live and there was nobody there to meet us or help us.
Someone had miscommunicated. It was a very lonely and empty feeling. It did not give us a good first impression of that church! Fortunately, this was a town near where I grew up and we were familiar with how to get around and I even had an Aunt who lived there. I can't imagine what it would have felt like if this was a totally strange place to us, like other towns we've moved to. I can recall moving to a new town,to a new church and wanting to pick up the phone and call someone and suddenly realizing-I didn't know anyone there to call! Remember what it feels like to be "the new kid on the block"? When a new minister (Baptist or otherwise) moves into your town, make that extra effort to make them feel welcome.
Take them a a little welcome gift or invite them out for lunch. Tell them the best place to buy groceries and recommend a doctor. Give them your phone number and e-mail. Do whatever you can to help their move be a little easier. When we moved to Roanoke, our pastor and his wife gave us a little basket full of muffins. In it was a note that said "Welcome Home". That truly touched my heart and made me feel welcome. Help make someone else feel welcome to your church or town!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD

My husband took me out for a belated, Valentine's Dinner tonight.
He had a stomach bug on Mon. On the way home, we saw the most gorgeous full moon!
It lights up the blackness of the night sky with it's silvery glow. It's as if God just turned on a huge spotlight to guide the way home for those who are lost.
Sounds like what he did when he sent Jesus into the world, doesn't it!
When we were on a 3 day, Carribean Cruise, years ago- we had a full moon almost every night. It was spectacular out over the vast ocean. We were also blessed to see some of the most stunning sunsets you'll ever see. It was just like watching a huge ball of fire, gradually paint the sky with streaks of pink, yellow and orange and then gently drop into the crystal clear, blue water below. Amazing! God is so good! Take time to notice the world around you and be sure and tell God, Thanks!
He's given us so many beautiful creations to enjoy! It's a wonderful world! Sleep well, sweet ladies and have a great Lord's Day!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

HEAVENLY SUNSHINE

God must have decided we all needed a break from winter! He blessed us with sunshine and 70 degrees temperatures today. Tomorrow's supposed to be even warmer! This is such a treat in February. I was able to walk around our neighborhood and deliver my donation envelopes for the Am. Heart Association. I do this every February and it's NEVER been warm enough to walk. I usually drive on the wrong side of the street and stick them in their paper boxes, quickly, before I freeze or get hit by a car coming down the street. (We live in a cul-de-sac and there's not much traffic on our street other than those that live on it.) I also took advantage of this "heat wave" to finally get rid of some dead pansies on my back porch. I've had to look out my kitchen and dining room and see those poor,dried-up, droopy flowers all winter. It was just too cold to go out and throw them away. Sometimes you may feel dried-up and droopy, just like those poor pansies.
But, just like He did with this little taste of Spring in the middle of winter, God will always be there to shower you with the "pick me up" you need. He knows when you need some sunshine in your life and will provide it for you. Enjoy the warmth in the air tomorrow and may each of you feel the warmth of God's love for you!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

THIS AND THAT

I just read something in "Family Circle Magazine" that could really help save you alot of time and help prevent some stress. Linda Fears, who is Editor in Chief of the magazine suggests this: She sits down every Saturday and makes out a list of what she plans to have for dinner every night during the coming week. Then, she makes a detailed list of everything she needs to get when she goes to the grocery store. This way, when she gets home from work, she knows exactly what she's going to have time to make and has all the ingredients on hand. I'm sure it takes alot of discipline to make yourself do this but, just think how much easier it will make the week ahead! You will save time and energy, thus eliminating stress and giving you time for something else (maybe a bubble bath or time to read a story to your child).

In trying to find resources for Ministers' wives, I discovered a wonderful site that you might want to check out. Go to: Contagiousjoy4him.com. Several ministers' wives share their knowledge and experiences with you and they are even giving away a book this month. The book is "From One Ministry Wife to Another" by Susie Hawkins.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13

I pray for you to have joy and peace today!

Monday, February 14, 2011

LOVE IS....


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EACH OF YOU! I once gave my husband a little book by Charles Schulz entitled "LOVE IS...WALKING-HAND-IN HAND" with Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty on the cover walking hand-in hand. Here are some other definitions of love from Mr. Schulz and the Peanuts Gang: "Love is...having a special song. Love is...accepting a person for what he is. "Love is...sharing your popcorn... Love is...getting someone a glass of water in the middle of the night." "Love is...looking out for your friends. Love is...a phone call. Love is... a helping hand." " Love is...trust. Love is... eating out with your whole family. Love is...rooting together for your team. Love is...wanting to make someone smile. "Love is...listening without interrupting. Love is...being polite to people. Love is...visiting a sick friend. "Love is...watching someone else's boring show onn T.V. Love is...sitting all the way through a recital. "Love is...believing in someone. Love is... helping someone through his battles. Love is... walking in the rain together. Love is...making fudge together. "Love is...flowers from your favorite person. Love is...being tolerant. Love is...letting your house guest have your room. Love is...waking someone up from a bad dream. Love is... being hospitable. "Love is... dressing up for someone. Love is... a push in the right direction. Love is...not nagging. Love is...being faithful to the very end. Love is tickling. Love is...an invitation to lunch... Love is...allowing someone to sleep late. Love is... hating to say goodbye. Love is...mussing up someone's hair. Love is...close dancing. Love is...a goodnight kiss. "Love is...a smile even when he keeps you waiting." I would say Charles Schulz knew a few things about love, wouldn't you! Of course the greatest love of all was God sending his only son, Jesus, to suffer and die on the cross for our sins so that we could spend eternity with Him. Always remember how much you are loved and share this love with others! I hope each of you have a Happy Valentine's Day!(I made the Valentine in the picture above and send it out to each of you today!)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

GET AWAY-TOGETHER

My husband and I just enjoyed a wonderful week-end get away in Lewisburg, WV. We looked in a few little shops in the historic downtown and we drove around the countryside and discovered a beautiful, old, covered bridge. The snow on the bridge and the surrounding farmland was just gorgeous! We stayed at an Inn in an old house with a small dining room downstairs. We ate,slept,read and enjoyed the rocking chairs infront of the fireplace in the lobby. Of course, I had to have a cup of hot tea infront of the fire! It was such a fun and relaxing time. (and Lewisburg was voted the "Coolest Small Town in America" while we were there!).
It is important for ministers and their wives to get away from work, family members, and even their own children. You need time for rest and you need time to spend together as a couple. With all the stress and demands on you and your husband, it is crucial to your marriage that you get away together every now and then. You don't have to go far or even spend alot of money. Be creative. Just be sure you make time for each other! Every relationship needs nurtured to grow and last. Go get your calendars out as soon as possible and find a time to get away together!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

GOD THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL-PART 2

Here is the second half of the little book "GOD THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL" By Max Lucado. "Turn to the sidelines, that's God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that's God applauding your steps. God is for you. If he had a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there's a tree in heaven, he's carved your name in the bark.
Maybe you don't want to trouble God with your hurts, but..."he cares about you"
1 Peter 5:7. He is waiting for you, to embrace you whether you succeed or fail. Your heavenly Father is very fond of you and only wants to share his love with you.
"Blessed be the Lord your God who has delighted in you...1 Kings 10:9" Untethered by time, God sees us all. Vagabonds and ragamuffins all, he saw us before we were born. And he loves what he sees. Flooded by emotion, overcome by pride, the Star maker turns to us, one by one, and says, "You are my child. I love you dearly. I'm aware that someday you'll turn from me and walk away. But I want you to know, I've already provided a way back." You have captured the heart of God. He cannot bear to live without you. God's dream is to make you right with him. And the path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back. "It is not our love for God; it is God's love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins." 1 John 4:10 Can anything make me stop loving you: God asks. Never, no, not in a million years, never ever. "You wonder how long my love will last? Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Find your answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. That's how much I love you." God does more
than forgive our mistakes; he removes them! We simply have to take them to him. You can talk to God because God listens. Let a tear appear on your cheek, and he is there to wipe it. He has sent his angels to care for you, his Holy Spirit to dwell in you...his church to encourage you, and his word to guide you. As much as you want to see Him, he wants to see you more. If you want to touch God's heart, use the name he loves to hear. Call him "Father." HE THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL!"
It is my prayer that these words will encourage and uplift you today and help you to realize just how very much God loves you and how very special you are to him.
Have a fantastic day!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

GOD THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL!

A few years ago, a special friend gave me a fantastic, little book by Max Lucado, titled "God Thinks You're Wonderful!". I'd like to share these words with you. "God is fond of you...If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. If he had a refrigerator your picture would be on it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever we want to talk He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart. Face it, friend. He's crazy about you. By the way, it may be difficult for you to believe that God knows your name...but he does. It's written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by his lips. Your name. I have written your name on the palm of my hand. - Isaiah 49:16
Our hearts are not large enough to contain the blessings that God wants to give. So try this, the next time a sunrise steals your breath... or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless...remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers,
"Do you like it? I did it just for you." If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would he? He could have left the world flat and gray...but he didn't. He splashed orange in the sunshine and cast the sky in blue. And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are you'll see that too. Did he have to make the squirrel's tail furry? Was he obliged ot make the birds sing? And the funny way that chickens scurry...or the majesty of thunder as it rings? Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste? Could it be he loves to see that look upon your face? So promise me you'll never forget... that you aren't an accident or an incident...you are a gift to the world,a divine work of art, signed by God. You knit me together in my mother's womb.-Psalm 139:13 You were knit together. You weren't mass-produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth...by the Master Crafts-Man. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while." This was a little over half of this little book-I'll share more with you tomorrow. If you don't think you're worth much or if others have made you feel insignificant and that you aren't all that they think you should be-just read over this again and remember how special you are to God (and isn't that all that really matters!) Have a great day!

Monday, February 7, 2011

LOVE,LISTEN & HELP

Sorry I haven't written anything in the past few days. I had houseguests over the week-end. We went to a fun place called Bubble cakes. All they have are lots of unique cupcakes and something to drink. I had a Creme Brulee cupcake that was delicious! If you have one of these in your town, I would highly recommend it!
My husband spoke at another church on Sunday but my houseguests went with me so I didn't have to deal with not having anyone sit with me. I did know a lady there but she was in the choir. It was so exciting to see this church packed! I only found a place to park because I parked in a visitor's only parking space. We had to sit in the balcony to find a seat! The Lord is really working in this church and I am so thankful they are growing so much. I read this from a friend on Facebook the other day and thought I'd share it with you. "A person's most useful asset is not the head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen, and a hand willing to help." -status shuffle. I thought this was so true! I am definitely not saying we shouldn't keep learning but I don't think we make a difference in our world just by how much knowledge we have. It is the people who live life sharing love with others that really make a difference. It's that person who cares enough to take the time to listen when we need to unload a burden or get advice that we will remember. Those who use their hands to help others in need will impact the life of each one they help and isn't that what God wants from all of us. So let's use our hearts, ears, and hands this week to make a difference in someone's life!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

FUN AND GAMES


The family that plays together, stays together. At least that's my philosophy. Ministers and their families are busy people. Between church, work, school, sports, housework and cooking meals there is very little time left for anything else. Somehow, you need to let something slide and make time to play games together as a family. If there are 2,3,4 or more in your family, it doesn't matter. Two can play a game together just as well as 4 or 5 or more. Get out the old board games and put away the electronics. You will be surprised at how many children and teenagers can still enjoy an "old fashioned" game with no batteries or computer chip. Monopoly, Scrabble, Life, Sorry are oldies but goodies when it comes to board games. Twister is always popular with those still flexible enough to survive it. When my nieghbors' kids came over, I had a tin with some pick-up sticks in it. They wanted to learn how to play it and enjoyed it so much that the next time they came, they asked me to go and get it out so they could play it again. These were 7th grade boys who are always playing video games and on a variety of sports teams. This year, at Christmas, I introduced them to Chinese checkers. Set aside a Family game night-put it on your calendar and don't let anything other than an emergency stop you from keeping it! Maybe vary it some and have a family movie night with popcorn. Make a picnic for supper and eat on a blanket on the floor (infront of the fireplace if you have one). I guarantee there will be no ants bother you this time of year! Whatever you decide to do, as the old Nike commercial says..."Just Do It!" You'll be surprised at how much closer this will bring your family together and how much fun you will have. I look forward to some of you sharing about your game nights or other family activities you do together. Have a great week-end and have some FUN!


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

RESCUED

We've been in Richmond since Sun. afternoon for meetings and got home about 5:00 tonight. We had just finished unloading the car when the phone rang. It was an old friend of mine who lives in another state now. Her husband left her a few years ago and she desperately needs a full-time job and to be able to move out of the house of her mother who is mentally disturbed. She has a teenage daughter to care for also. She was in the very depths of despair when I talked with her. Please pray for her! She's even given up on prayer. She says she's prayed for 4 years and things just keep getting worse. Later tonight, I heard Beth Moore on television sharing this passage of scripture: "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters . He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Psalm 18:16-19
Beth asked her audience what foes were too strong for them to handle. Do you have foes that are overpowering you? "Foes" can be actual, human enemies but they can also be other things such as fear, depression, stress, a feeling of inadequacy, loneliness, a quick temper, a sharp tongue, etc. Ask God to deliver you from any foes that are too strong for you. He will rescue you, just as He will rescue my friend, in His time. If you are feeling like my friend, I pray for you to get comfort and encouragement from someone and from these verses. I pray God will strengthen and uphold you and that you will not lose faith while you wait for him to Rescue You!
Remember-God loves you and will never leave you or forsake you. He is your lifeboat!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

THE IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP

We need fellowship with other Christians but we also need fellowship with other Ministers' Wives. We need to get to know each other so we can pray for each other and encourage one another. You may live close to another MW or you may be isolated from any other MW. Whatever your case may be, you need to be able to find another MW to have fellowship with. She doesn't have to be Baptist. Having another lady who understands the day to day pressures that you face is crucial to maintaining your health, both physical and mental. If you can get together face to face and share a cup of tea or go for a walk, it will do wonders for your outlook. If you can't get together face to face, then talk on the phone or by e-mail. Share your concerns and needs. Build each other up and lift each other up in prayer daily. It is my prayer that this Blog will provide that needed fellowship for some of you. If you prefer a more private conversation, please feel free to e-mail me at janiec76@cox.net. 1 John 1:7 tells us: "But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin." So you see, the Bible even emphasizes the importance of fellowship with each other! Make the effort to seek out another MW and start fellowshipping! (or should that be ladyshipping??, ha,ha). Have a wonderful day!