Blessed Are The Flexible

Probably one of the top three qualities needed in a woman of God.

Flexibility.

Yesterday afternoon around at 3:45pm, I received a call from work saying my shift was called off with my current client seeing she was in the hospital.  I texted my husband and told him I could go to the high school football game with him.  He was very excited and honestly, I was relieved to have a little extra time off to catch up on a few things.

Around 5:30pm, I received another call from work asking if I could do a shift for a new client.  I called my husband back and told him I couldn't go.  Then I cried.  Being flexible.  It is a challenge.

Flexible is such a needed and important aspect as a mom, wife, Christian.  

And honestly, it can break us if we let it.

1.  When you're flexible, you present a much more positive attitude.

I am the person who writes out a To Do list for every day and I want to stick with it.  My husband loves to be spontaneous.  Sometimes, he calls me and asks what I am doing.  Then he asks me to go somewhere with him.  It may be for a lunch date...shopping...a visit...or errands.  I can either enjoy the time with him (and away from the kids!) or I can sit and think about the things on my to do list and be poor company.  He wants and needs me to be positive!  Pastors have enough negative from others - they need their wives to be the most positive person in their world.  

2.  When you're flexible, you gain the reputation of being easy to work with.

In ministry, there are certain people that you just don't ask anything of.  Usually because they always seem bothered, put out or reluctant when you ask something.  There are others who say yes with a happy spirit and truly want to help.  They are easy to work with and just a blessing to a pastor and pastor's wife.  Which one are you?

3.  When you're flexible, you will be balanced in different areas of your life.

While I am encouraging being flexible, I also want to mention that you do not need to let people run you over with every whim and request.  You do need to consider yourself and how much you can handle.  It is all a matter of balance.

Challenge:  Plan to be spontaneous.  Being spontaneous is a great way to purposely work on being flexible. So hard for some of us but it is needed!

Ways to Give Back to the Leaders in your Church

Today's post is a shout out to those in your church who "make it happen".

Disclaimer:  I am a pastor's wife.  This is definitely not trying to get attention for my husband and I.  We have so many awesome people in our ministry that "make it happen" at SVBC!  It is dedicated to them and to those of you in the cyber world at your church.   You are loved and I thank you!

Maybe that is you.  Or maybe it is your pastor and pastor's wife.  Perhaps it is a lady or couple in your church that give all their heart, soul and time to the work of your church.

The church is the family of God.  It is a place where we work and serve together with a common goal - the Great Commission.

We are also in the same fight together against Satan.  We need to support each other.  We need to defend and encourage each other.

What can you do today to support that person or couple that "makes it happen" in your church?  

Invite them to dinner in your home.

Take them to dinner at a restaurant.

Make them a meal on a busy night.

Make them a batch of homemade cookies.

Give them a gift card to go have a meal and a night off.

Babysit for their children for free.

Ask every week - what can I do to help you this week?

Stay faithful to your position/place in the ministry.

Give their children a small gift just because.

Write thank you notes of gratitude.

Bring them their favorite drink and snack.

Do a ministry errand for them during the week to ease their schedule.

Offer to give someone a ride for church or other ministry programs/activities.

Take note of big days on the church schedule.  Ask the person in charge of that activity - what can I do this week and on that day to be a volunteer for that activity?

Get involved in your church!

Pray every day for those people.

There are many more ways to support and bless those that "make it happen".  The devil wants to destroy us from within.  Don't let that happen!  

Support, encourage, and defend your family of God. 

When Your Schedule Is Overwhelming You...

When you don't think you can, that is the time to do it.

In the last couple months, my schedule has really turned me for a twist and turn.  And honestly, some days, I almost feel lost.  Like there is just too much to handle and juggle that it makes it hard to even focus.

My work schedule has just been a mess.  Different hours and days each work - no consistency.  Except it feels I am always there and not home!

We added two more large elements to our ministry.  Four adult Sunday School classes - one which I now teach.  Being a Sunday School teacher is a huge responsibility!  It is not just showing up with a lesson on Sundays at 9:45am.  It is investing in the lives in your students.  We also added our Wednesday evening programs.  Huge, huge, huge.  It was doubling what we currently had.  

The tendency is to pull back and think about me, me, me.  "I can't do it.  I don't have the time."

How about putting faith in God for your schedule?  

I tend to put much faith in God for material things.  And many times, 

things happen that I wasn't really even praying specifically for...but something THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.

For instance, our family could use a larger dining room table.  There are six of us and we had a four seater table.  I had thought about getting a larger table...checked Craig's List...yet with many other things demanding your money, it wasn't a priority.  Saturday, we were given a dining room table from a sweet lady in our church.  God knew my thoughts.  He blessed my faith.

We have a fridge in our garage that my FIL's neighbor gave us around five years ago.  It is so nice to have an extra fridge with a big family.  However, it started making noise, quit and then froze up.  I was a little sad but it wasn't a necessity.  I thought about it but that was it.  Just yesterday, another couple-friends of ours-gave us a fridge that we put in our garage.  God knew my thoughts.  He blessed my faith.

You see, we can do the same with our time.  

Do you trust God to expand your time and make your schedule work?  

Sometimes, we don't take the time to give to others because we are focused on our schedule.  

Try giving up your time to do something for someone else today. 

 Let God work out the kinks.  I know that is what I am going to do today.

The Lesson Learned From a Used Car

"I need a car."  This was the conversation that began several months ago.  

My husband has a truck.  A 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 - a gas guzzler and we were beginning to have trouble with it.  One of the main problems was stalling while driving it. Not good while driving down the road and trying to make a turn. 

We paid cash for the truck five years ago and we have received our money's worth for sure. 

"I know."  However, car shopping and buying is one of my least favorite things to do in the entire world.  You can rarely get a great deal or steal while car shopping.  It is almost a given that you will pay more than you want.

And I did not want to finance.  No...no...no!  

It became a source of contention between my husband and I. Arguments and tears (that was me, of course! :) He preferred getting a newer and nicer vehicle - yet the only way to get that was financing.

After several months, I said, "OK...I am OK with you getting a car on financing only after we pay off the van."

My husband was happy with that.  

You see, sometimes, differences in marriage is not worth the arguments, fights and broken relationships.  

In this case, it was more important for me to give in than to get my way.

Submission.  Just a good thing to keep alive in your marriage.  It doesn't mean that you give up all your opinions.  It doesn't mean you give in and let the other have their way all the time.  It just means that you know that your relationship is more important than winning.  And you submit.

So I did.  

Last week, we had a couple over for dinner from our church.  Somehow, the conversation came to cars...and long story short, he had a buddy he worked with that had a car for sale.  An even longer story short, we purchased that car with cash for the price of $1,500.00.

Yesterday, we registered it and are now the owners free and clear.

After we purchased the car, I told my husband the story of submitting and how it was only after my obedience that God sent the blessing.  

Yes, I love that we made a very wise financial decision for our family.  (Thank you, Dave Ramsey! :)  

And even more, I love that God brought us together on the same page. In a way that I never could have through fighting for my way.

"Are you happy?" I asked my husband.  "I am very happy!" he said.

So am I.  Thank you, Jesus.

Home Project: Solar Mason Jar Lights

Today, I wanted to share about solar mason jar lights.

It is easy peasy to make solar mason jar lights for your porch or deck or outdoor area!

You simply need:

Pint mason jars

Garden solar lights

A hot glue gun

I suggest taking a jar with you to the store to make sure the solar lights fit.  The Dollar stores usually carry the smaller ones.  I found the larger ones at Wal-Mart.

1.  Take the stem off the lights.

2.  Hot glue the rim of the lid.  

3.  Press the light firmly into the jar until the glue dries.

Set out in the sun and enjoy in the evening!  Remember, the lights will need to be in a sunny place to charge in the day.

You can set these along a deck, steps, a front porch, a walkway.  

I have mine along our privacy fence for our deck.

Our front deck has no outlets.  This was a simple way to add lighting without electricity.

Thank you to Jenny for the idea and Megan for the use of her hot glue gun. :)

Try this easy project today and enjoy tonight!

Our Deck Build - Making Your Home a Special Place

I wanted to share our deck build and makeover. :)

These hanging baskets are so pretty.  

I found this bistro set on clearance at Wal-Mart.  It is a great place to have a cup of coffee and read your Bible.

This was our home before we bought it.  Much potential and much to be desired! 

For several years, I had my tomato plants on this side of the house.  This was two years ago - the girls looking at the worms. :)

This is what it looked like before the deck on the right. :)

My husband first built a privacy fence.

Jake Allen, one of the men in the church, orchestrated the building of the deck and really made this project happen for us.  

When we came back from Spiritual Leadership Conference, Jake has finished the deck.

My husband left for Alaska and I was able to put on the sealant.

I found this bench on Craig's List and painted it.  Jenny helped me pick out the colors and she suggested yellow and I loved it!  Yellow is my favorite color - bright, cheery and happy. :)

One of my favorite things I did was this project - my jar solar lights.  (Stay tuned to the next blog post for details!)

At night, my deck has a warm and inviting glow.  It is a great place to enjoy the evening cool air, look at the stars and relax.

The solar jars add the nostalgia of a country place to our deck.  I just love them!  

What a transformation!  Yes, hours of work together this year.  But what a great thing to make home a special place.

It is not hard to make a place that you can enjoy.  A can of paint, a few bright pillows, canning jars and solar lights and pretty flowers.  

After six year, we had our little dream come true through hard work and saving.

Home sweet home. :)

Why I Like One Subject Notebookes

Mondays are a good restart day!  There are so many organizational items out there today.  So many use their phones and calendars to stay organized.  I have all that.

Sometimes though, I like to keep it simple.  And maybe a little "old school". :)

My best days are when I make a TO DO List for the day.  It tends to keep me focused.  I like to use these one subject notebooks for my lists.

I simply write - "Monday To Do" on the top of the page and list all the items for that day's schedule.  I then cross them off as I complete them.

I like a notebook this size because:

1.  It is large to write down a long list and ALL my reminders.

2.  It is cheap.  I buy a stack like this when they go on sale for $.17 at Wal-Mart for back to school.

3.  I don't have a pile of wrinkled and folded lists in my purse. (Have you ever tried to find that one paper that you jotted down that one thing you needed to remember? :)

  

I carry my notebook wherever I go.  On errands, to work, to church.  I always have it to remind me of what I need to remember!

How Do I "Follow Jesus"?

Following Jesus.  What does that really mean?

Well, simply, it means movement.  You can't "follow" someone if you aren't moving.

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:14

The word press here is to simply move.  When water stops moving, it turns stagnant.  When you aren't moving in your relationship with Christ, you are turning into a stagnant Christian.  Who are the ones that complain in your church?  The ones SITTING in the pew.  

Read your Bible...ask your pastor what you can do to serve in your church...share Christ with others...join a Sunday School class or Connection Class.  Always be taking steps in your Christian life!

 You have a high calling - step up and follow!  How do I do that?  Take a step and move. :)

MS Dixie Dinner Cruise Outing

Yesterday, we took a dinner cruise on the MS Dixie on Lake Tahoe with our church family as the end to our marriage quarter.  We had a wonderful time together!  

Pastor and Mrs. Eric Tastet ;)

Josh and Jenny Musser 

Josh and Jenny do multiple areas of service in our church.  Music pastor and pianist is their main duty.  Josh also teaches an adult Connection Class on Wednesday nights and Foundations 201 Sunday School class.  Jenny cleans the church weekly and teaches the Puggles Nursery class for our Awanas Club.  And really help as doing all the extra behind the scenes things that make a church run. :)

Pastor and Mrs. Rick Stonestreet

Pastor Stonestreet pastors Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield, CA.  We met the Stonestreets on a Sunday evening when they visited our church while on vacation.  That began a dear friendship with this couple.  If you are a pastor or pastor's wife, you know how precious true friends are in the ministry.  These are that friend!  

Rick and Helen McCoy

The McCoy's have been with our church family almost a year.  They have seven children and are a wonderful part of our church.  Rick is now an adult Connection Class teacher on Wednesday nights.  Helen works in our church nursery.  They were the winners of our Marriage Quarter contest and won this dinner cruise! :)

Can you see the castle on top of the island? :)

The end!  (And now I need to make a day trip to Tahoe for some hiking!)

Sierra View - First Wednesday Services!

In the midst of the world news of fighting in the streets, missiles being fired, floods in the East...Sierra View has its own news headlines.  Do you ever feel that what you are doing doesn't have importance in this world?  Sometimes, the things we give our time and life for seems like a drop in the bucket.  Yet remember, ANYTHING you do for Christ and eternity has lasting rewards.  If you are out there and feel like what you are doing doesn't have significance, keep going!  It is worth it!

Last night was our first Wednesday evening services for our church!  

Our Wednesday nights are broken up into three categories.

The first is our AWANAS clubs for our children ages 3-6th grade.  They are held in the main auditorium.

Everyone was excited as they had their picture taken for the first night.

The teens are our second category.  They meet in a school that is adjacent to our church building.  This is for 7th-12th grade.  They are also doing an AWANA Bible study.

The third category is our adults.  Adults attend our Connection Classes.

Connection Classes are small groups with one teacher.  They have a time of food and fellowship.  They will be going through a discipleship program called Daily In The Word by Lancaster Baptist Church.  They are small Bible study groups designed to disciple adults in our church.

Right now, we have two adult Connection Classes and they meet in the Fellowship Hall.

We could not make our programs work without our secretaries.  This is Jodi signing up children for AWANAS.

We had 75 in attendance for our first Wednesday evening service night!  The spirit was excellent and I believe everyone went away excited and refreshed.

We praise the Lord for His blessings!