Becoming what you eat! - From BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

I always used to get comments on how I looked. It was nice to be noticed for having a normal body weight. Also others also noticed that I didn’t overeat. I ate the correct portions. 

Well, that as all changed. I am now struggling with my weight. I am involved in a healthy eating program that sets goals to help me with my weight. I pray that I can reverse the damage I already caused my body. This issue has put more pressure on my back and hip. It seems to be a cycle….a never ending cycle. Maybe I need to transform my mind as well. 

And you would think that having numerous family medical issues as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure would motivate me, guess again. Lately, I have been praying for others and not myself because it feels selfish. I have been eating because the change of becoming a mother and staying at home has given a new unknown and stressful dimension of my vocation here on earth. 

Don’t get me wrong I have LOVED being a mother and staying at home and training my daughter in the way she shall go. I thought I could do it on my own. But I have failed miserably! I want to eat correctly again. I want to have the peace that passes my understanding rain in my heart. But I can’t do it without HIS guidance and forgiveness. But there is one last step which is even harder to meet or surpass - forgiving myself!

God's love and my smiles,

BethAnn  

Image Sunny Breakfast Vladimir Volegov

Dr. Jekyll and “Mrs.” Hyde - From Jenny

Jenny writes:

Are you familiar with this old story by Robert Louis Stevenson? Dr. Jekyll invents a potion in an attempt to hide the evil desires within himself with which he has been battling for years. But to his horror the potion transforms him into Mr. Hyde, giving the evil desires full reign.

Sometimes, as the wife of the pastor, I feel a bit like this twisted character. The “real me” is so very proud of my husband; of the studying he’s done and continues to do; of the work he so tirelessly goes after. He upholds the Office of the Holy Ministry very well, thank you very much! I’m sure you feel the same about your husbands. What a blessing isn’t it, to have the privilege to know these men?

I willingly share him with the people of the congregation, knowing that the Lord’s work needs to be done. People want his ministry so I release him to be “over there” at any and all times. Bible studies need to be written and prepared, sermons need to be researched and written, people need counselling, couples need to be married, widows need to be visited, meetings need to be attended, and the list goes on, right? I know it must happen and for the better part of the day, of the week even, I don’t miss him. He’s at work and I’m at work. We are busy with our callings, doing the Lord’s bidding.

But then he is asked to visit Africa with his father. He will be gone almost three weeks. He will miss two Sundays and five Tuesday/Thursday Matins services. The catch is that he will be home on Wednesday, meaning he should be able to have Matins on the following Thursday. But he cancels it, knowing he will miss six Matins services. He was told by his Board of Elders to take the rest of the homecoming week off – to be with family – to recover from jet lag. I love the Board of Elders! 

Sunday morning comes and we are all in church again. The congregation is happy to have their shepherd back. I am happy to have my husband back. My children are happy to have their father back. But there are a few who never miss Matins. Ever. And they are not happy. I feel Mrs. Hyde beginning to bubble under the surface. 

“I was going to have a welcome home party for him and he didn’t even have Matins.” 

I smile, understanding her disappointment. Mrs. Hyde continues to bubble. 

“I hate being away from Matins so long. Why did he cancel it?” 

I try to explain in a gentle way while Mrs. Hyde wants to raise her voice and say, “Because he’s been away from his wife and sons for over two weeks!!”  

She shakes her head in disbelief. “Well I just don’t understand. I had a bon voyage party for him and I planned to have a welcome home party for him.”  

Her lips purse as she walks away. Mrs. Hyde is not happy. Another member tells me how many times she will be away from her shepherd over the summer, what with all of his trips and the times she has to be gone. I listen sympathetically. Inside, Mrs. Hyde is now screaming, “What about your shepherd’s family?! Why are you people so selfish? Can you not understand how much of him we share already? Why must you steal away the time he is to spend with us?!” *sigh*

It can be a bit unnerving, dealing with this “Mrs. Hyde.” I love the members of our congregation. We have had, in the past, some difficult congregations to deal with. Most members have been anything but kind. The selfishness was par for the course. After three years of being in the midst of these loving Christians, I guess I was taken aback by their disappointment; by the upset in their schedule and how they vocalized it so matter-of-factly.

Just goes to show me that no one is free from the temptations of the Devil. Everyone is self-centered. Even the most faithful Dr. Jekyll can have a selfish Hyde within.

Weak and Loved

 “People say be strong. I say be weak and be loved.” Emily Cook

Emily Cook is the author of Weak and Loved: A Mother Daughter Love Story about her daughter's struggle with epilepsy. She writes:

"In October 2008, shortly after her fourth birthday, my daughter Aggie was diagnosed with epilepsy.  The year that followed was one of the most difficult years of our lives."

Right now you can get a copy of the eBook for Free HERE. I don't have an eReader but I just bought a copy of the book and can't wait to read it.

And she keeps a blog, Weak And Loved, if you haven't been there you should check it out. I've been blessed by her words many times.

"Emily Cook is a mother of six, a sinner, a child, covered in the blood of Christ, and freed from the burden of pretending she is strong. She s a woman growing backward, a mother-child, messy with sin, but rejoicing in the constant love of her Heavenly Father. She lives with her husband and their six children, including now-healthy Aggie, in the arms of the church where he is a pastor." from Amazon Bio

A Prayer Request - From BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

While I was pregnant I thought of a children's book that talks about how we get our belly button. Now I have been praying, discussing, and trying to figure out if I want to publish it or not. All the people who have read it so far really like it...and this is a first for me. When I have done projects before I haven't received good reviews! So I am excited about this. However, I want to publish but I am scared. Also I really don't have the money to self-publish. I need 2 peer review authors in order for CPH to  see if they would publish it. This is not just a children's book but a Christian perspective of God's creation and I use:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13 in the story to explain to the main character.

I just need prayers. I am not asking for help. But I would like to know if this is my selfish will or God's will. Maybe I will get some clarity if others pray with me. I will appreciate the time and prayers.

God's love and my smiles,

BethAnn

Marriage By God's Design

We all know that in our day, marriage is so misunderstood, undermined, despised and taken for granted. You look around and if you're like me, you start to feel like defending it is a "loosing battle". This morning I listened to an interview with Rev. Robert Baker on Marriage and I encourage all of you to listen as well.

Find it HERE.

And while I'm on the subject, HERE is another presentation on Marriage and Family that I enjoyed listening to some time ago from the late Rev. Robert Preus who, along with his wife Donna, "were asked to give a presentation to the seminarians and their wives on the subject of marriage and family - especially as it relates to life in the parish." I couldn't remember if I've posted it here before, if so, sorry, listen again!

Pastor's Wife - Perk #18

  

Kristi L. writes:

Funeral flowers.  That’s right, I said funeral flowers.

Several floral arrangements were delivered to our church this past week.  Two individuals, whose relatives belong to our church, died.  The outpouring of flowers enabled our church to be the recipient of some of those pretty blooms. One bouquet made the trip from Colorado to Nebraska.  It didn’t look quite right in a bouquet anymore – kinda wilty in places. Rather than throw the entire thing out, I got two nice floral arrangements.

See?  There are perks to being a pastor’s wife.  Yes, I know - they’re funeral flowers.  They’re beautiful in color, smell lovely, and I love them.  Now you’re wishing you had some, aren’t you?

New To GNW?

For any of you who are just beginning to read Golden and Noble Works (GNW) WELCOME! The purpose of this blog is to get to know each other better through encouragement in our vocations as pastor's wives and mothers and as children of God. If you would like to write up and "Introduction" of yourself and family please do and email it to me. My email address can be found on the side menu.

If you would like to make a post here, you can send it to me in an email as well. Anything goes with the posts. If you have a recipe to share, a prayer request, an issue you're struggling with (please try to keep these as "general" as you can), a great book review, an upcoming event, a super craft you want to brag about, whatever, feel free to pass it along here.

I wanted to point out a few things that I have added here that may be useful.

First, if you'll look to the right there is now a "Follow by Email" option. If you enter your email address there you will receive an email each time a new post is made on the blog. That way you don't have to come to the site every so often "just to see" if there's anything new.

Also, there are several new links to some resources that you may like. If you have anything you would like to add to our list (books, CDs, blogs, resource sites) please let me know! If you have a personal blog you would like to share here send me the address and I will add it to the "Our Blogs" list.

If there is anything else you would like to see here I am always open to suggestions!



*And I know you're wondering why there's a picture of a pineapple up there. Clicking HERE should hopefully explain that. It won't however explain why there's Pina Colada inside it...but the reason for that should be obvious.