Waiting to be served? Take a number

For a few weeks now, I've been mulling over how I'm doing as a servant.

I'm not doing a very good job.

Can I get you a glass of water?
The role of women in the church is a much debated and flammable topic. Why is a woman so threatened by male leadership?

Personally, I find that the majority of women I know in leadership capacities are humble women, and would truthfully rather be cleaning the commodes and serving tables than being the conference speaker.

Some people feel that the only way they can be used is to push their way to the top. But God's way is to start at the bottom. He will promote if one is faithful to the small things, regardless of gender.

I recall a moment shared with the Pastor's wife and Assistant Pastor's wife that I grew up with. I was oh, probably around 14. Our district campground had just built a new paved and roofed pavillion to replace the wooden picnic tables and yellow striped tent that had been the social hub of the campground for years. Family camp was going to start the next week, and my church was very involved in the caretaking and cleaning of the campground. I was helping them sweep the dirt off of the pavillion floor from where it had been flooded with rain/mud and had dried.

It was W.O.R.K.

I thought I was being funny, and I stopped and said "Whew!! Is this what you do when you sign up to be a preacher's wife?"

Sis. Assistant Pastor's wife laughed a little, but looked me straight in the eye and said, "You don't sign up to be a preacher's wife, honey. You are called." And went on about her sweeping.

I cannot think about the servant role of a minister and minister's wife without remembering that time. I can't remember any other time that these women of faith got up and taught a lesson either to women or to the church as a whole, but that moment impacted my life forever.

Instead of arguing in the comments about what role a 21st century woman should have in her church, I'd like to open it up to thoughts that you have of a woman exemplifying, nay, defining servanthood.

And after you are done, please send a thank you card to your Pastor's wife and the other women on staff at your church.

Don't forget the cleaning lady. She picks up your children's snotty tissues.


Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

How high can they go?

I guess when you're a coffee addict drinker, you can justify anything, according to this recent blurb about Starbucks's rising highway robbery prices.

Of course, it could be that Starbucks consumers are motivated by rationality rather than impulse. If Starbucks delivers more caffeine per cup than its competitors, and if people buy coffee primarily because it is an efficient caffeine delivery, then Starbucks' high prices don't seem so high. You'd have to buy a lot more Coke, or coffee from the guy on the corner, to get the same rush you can get from a Starbucks. If one dose is enough to get you through the day, in other words, Starbucks' expensive brews could save you both time and money.

Give me a break.

A coffee break, nonetheless. My husband is going to bring me home some gas station faux gourmet French Vanilla.

Now, does Starbucks deliver? I think not.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

If you have never gossiped before, you won't relate

I haven't forgotten about the unity subject. Actually, I feel like I have a better perspective on it at this time. I know we were talking about TV, UPC manuals, minister against minister, but division happens at every level of life if we allow it.

Being real

Essentially, I have been harboring an offense towards a saint in my church for some time now. I thought we had it resolved, but it has become apparent that is not the case. I found myself criticizing them first in my mind, then voicing my opinion to my husband, and then out and out gossiping with another friend.

I felt so justified! I was right!

Over the last couple of weeks, I began to realize that I was thinking more about the things I'd like to tell them off about than finding ways to reconcile. Consequently, I was not praying about the situation because I thought I could handle it on my own.

(Hey, we have all been here. I'm just here right now, and want to help someone.)

Sunday morning the visiting minister preached about not losing the love for the altar. I really began to feel convicted in my heart, and it worked on me all day. I kept remembering a scripture fragment, "restore to me the joy of thy salvation," and simply could not place it.

Sunday night a different visiting minister preached about not losing the joy of praise. In my heart, I thought, that is exactly what has happened. Being wrapped up in the politics of the situation had hindered my prayer and my praise.

The preacher gave the altar call, and I lifted my hands in the pew and prayed with all my heart, "God, restore to me my joy!" After a minute or so, I opened my eyes, and saw my husband beckoning me to the front. I thought, oh no, I can't play the piano now, I've got to pray. But I went anyhow, and to my surprise, the minister leaned down and said, "Sister, can I pray for you?"

Now, I know the voice of God, even if it is not an audible voice. There is no mistaking how God speaks to me. Right then, as the minister prayed for me, I remembered the whole scripture that had been whispered through my heart all day.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit withing me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psalm 51:10-12

Suddenly, the problems I was facing didn't seem so big anymore. I needed to repent from my wrong spirit and attitude!

So this has to do with Resolution Six... how?

A recent commenter said "Who would have thought it would become such a war? This says a lot about our inner Jesus."

Is it worth the division to change the manual? Holy men of God prayed and already fought the battle for us when it was not so attractive and entertainment was not yet the god of this world that it is today. Surely we can find other methods to spend our advertising dollars on rather than make this the deal breaker. Is advertising on television worth losing a brother over?

I have to think the answer is no. What do we have if we are not united with our brothers and sisters in Christ? A television, but a heart full of regrets?

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:35

I am meeting this person this weekend, and I plan to make things right once and for all. It doesn't matter anymore who is right and who is wrong.

It's time to put down the sword and pick up the towel.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Everyone's Connected

I am so excited! I got 2 (count 'em, 2!) more links to my EC profile from blogging this month. Thank you, 90&9, for helping me meet new friends to stalk get to know.

I'm just curious, with the GYD and some other districts beginning to link on EC, will there be an EC booth at General Conference next week?

I'm hoping to go Saturday night. See, after I blogged about our trip to Missouri, I got a voicemail from a very good friend from bible college. A GREAT friend!! One of the few that I not only am linked to on EC, but we actually talk on the phone and have meaningful, encouraging conversations. She was in my wedding. I will go to the ends of the earth for her wedding when that day comes.

(am I done with the penance yet, pal?)

Anywhoo, she was chastising me with my full name for not calling her when I passed through town.

I would like to publicly apologize to her. You know who you are. If I get to go to Conference, I promise to call you before I blog about it this time.

A-HEM.

Have you heard "Happy" by Ayiesha Woods? Go right to itunes and download it. That is some serious housecleaning music, let me tell you.

In other bragginess

I would like to pass on my tried and true recipe for green beans. Surely someone who reads this blog leaves the computer and cooks occasionally.

Liz's Green Beans

2 bags frozen cut green beans
1 stick butter, sliced
1/4 cup Oscar Meyer real bacon bits
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning

Combine all ingredients on medium, stirring occasionally.

Eat with a fork straight up out of the pan, they are that good.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Sorry for the unplanned hiatus

We were family reunion-ing in Missouri. Love this sign.



Apparently the kind gentleman who set up my mother-in-law's wireless network neglected to give her the network key so it is secure and tight. So secure that I couldn't get in. As for getting a wifi hotspot elsewhere in town? natch. We could barely get a cell tower.

Monday morning my twitches became unbearable. I scrambled around on the floor behind her computer to look for a place to *gasp* plug in my ethernet cable and found an empty ethernet port on her modem.

Funny thing is - I had already started up her 533mhz 64 ram computer to try and get my email. By the time I had already checked my email and browsed the latest edition of 90&9, her computer was just then opening a browser.

*shaking head* How does one exist on high speed internet with a dinosaur of a pc?

The Unexpected Beast From The Deep

*cue Jaws theme song


Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing

Along with lovely shots of all of our midsections.

Other random photos from our trip

Stopped by the side of the road to get this picture of the Arch at night.



Hey! Our odometer showed our anniversary date while we were at a stoplight. Very random that I even noticed the odometer as I rarely look at the dashboard of the car. I usually just get in and drive. My husband is faithful to fill up the gas tank for me, since I have that lack of noticing details like fuel.


We saw a building with horses on the side. Hmmm, I didn't know Missouri raised horses...



Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!