The Preacher's Wife

Just think about this for a moment or two. My wife has been the wife of a preacher for over 20 years. She has stood in the background for a long time knowing the life of a preacher. She has not been in the spot light having had four very active and accomplished children.

She was always "Britt's wife," "Lori...Jeff...Anthoney...or Tim's mother." She was very seldom just Lisa. That has been difficult for me lately to deal with. Why? Because I know she is so much more than that. She is awesome. She is amazingly intelligent and resourceful. She knows how to be frugal and how to stretch the food to make it last. She is wonderful as a mother and friend.

This last Saturday, Lisa returned to her roots. She went back to her 30th High School Reunion. She was apprehensive and almost backed out of going. She talked herself into going for at least thirty minutes.

She clung to my hand as we made our way down the corridor, grabbed my arm as we got to the door only to find two of her oldest and best friends waiting for her to arrive. "Lisa" they cried out and the hugs began. I was so thankful that they were there for her. I, on the other hand was the spouse. You know, the one in back, not as included, tolerated (just kidding) but you know the story. She was elated to see people she had gone through elementary, Junior High and High School with. She saw old boyfriends and old school mates and one or two she didn't know. (Out of a class of over 400 can you remember them all?)

Four and a half hours later after pictures, dinner, and more remembering than I could ever do, she looked at me with a smile and said, "It's time to go home" and we did.

Sunday came and once again I "The Preacher" was at the fore front getting all the questions and the thanks and the pats on the back. Well, here is to all those wonderful people who made my wife feel like the girl I married. She was happy. Not that she hasn't been, but she was Lisa Bird again for just four and a half hours. It makes me tear up just writing this down. Those who planned and sacrificed a lot of time did so, at least in my eyes, to make my wife a little happier. I'll never forget that night as long as I live.

No, you can't go back and relive the past. I understand that. But, you can relish in the light that was poured out on your life at those times in the past. Take time to notice the preacher's wife as well.

I'll see you later

I Heard It on TV

"I heard it on TV so it must be true."

Every hear that one? I have, and honestly, I thought it at one time when I was still a child. I thought that since they made the movie "Chariots of the Gods", talking about alien life coming to earth, there must be aliens. After all, it was a documentary.

Not all that we see is true. Technology has made Harry Potter fly out of our imaginations and we have seen it on the big screen. For ages I thought "Gone With the Wind" was a historical reckoning of the events surrounding the burning of Atlanta. I also thought that Mary Poppins was real as well.

I lived in a fantasy world of things that I wanted to be true.

Still today, many of us are trying to live in that same type world. We see it, they say it is true, therefore it must be. Be careful here, there are forces at work that want us to always believe the lie.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:8

The word of God is the only true word and guide we can be sure of.

I'll see you later.

What Fun!

I had the opportunity to go to see the Texas Rangers last night with a good friend. He is also my brother in Christ. I admire his love for his family and his dedication to raising them correctly and know that so much of life is before him. He is an inspiration to me and I wish that I had his attitude about so many things.

We had great dialogue, at least for me it was, I can't speak for him. I enjoyed being with him and being able to meet a friend of his that he apparently admires. His voice lifted when we talked of his children, his wife and his parents. He seemed content in life, not satisfied, content. There is a great difference and he knows it.

It made me wonder, "Do we know what it truly means to be thankful and content?" I hope I do now. It has taken me a long time to get there but I believe God is helping me by giving me people to see living contented lives.

I'll see you later!

Facebook Realities

Yes, it has hit me and hit me hard. The reality of the fact that past friendships that have been left alone for decades still twinge my heart when I find the outcome has been a death. Wow, I could not have been more saddened by news than when I found my dear friend's, Nick Stevens, daughter had tragically been killed in a freak accident last year. We hadn't seen each other or been in contact in over eighteen years. How sad?



We made connection on Facebook and I cried for two days as I read the story of his daughter's passing. It was as if I had lost a close friend myself. I felt hurt and pain in my heart unlike any I had ever had in a friend losing a child. I was amazed at how it impacted me emotionally and spiritually. I longed to wrap my arms around my friend and comfort him from his loss. But, it had been over a year. He had begun his healing and I found comfort in it.



I do not seek comfort for myself in all of this, I am just thrown back into reality that the world is getting smaller all the time and my days are numbered with nothing but better things to come.



Facebook, last week, brought me face to face with the loss of twelve friends I knew nothing about having passed away. I grieve that I had lost contact. I morn the fact that the only thing I will have for the rest of my life is a memory of them, as vague as they are. I have morned the loss of loved ones but for me to see my class and school mate's names on a list of those who have left this life hurt me and I cry.



I hope that now I can keep up better, because of Facebook, and let them know that they were special and still are in so many respects. Teachers, classmates, church family from the past, church camp friends, ministry friends and my relatives, thanks for letting me know how you are doing.



I'll see you later (on Facebook)

Children and Grandchildren are to Love

Well, I'm a grandfather. I am proud to be a grandfather. I have four wonderful grandsons, Kyle, Andrew, Joe Braden, and Joshua. They make me happy and I love being happy.

As I raised my children through the years I heard others make statements like, "If I would have known how fun grandchildren were I would have had them first." I understand the sentiment of that statement to a degree, but let me tell you what I have been thinking about the raising of my family, my children.

I didn't do a great job in a lot of ways, but I made sure of one thing. I loved them and I believe that they knew it. Oh, we had arguments and power struggles just like most families. I had to apologize a lot for the mistakes I made and even had to say I am sorry on more occasions than I care to admit. But, I don't think one of my children would ever think I didn't love them with all of my heart.

I can only hope that my children learned the lesson on loving their families in the way that it was intended. I know that at looking at my grandsons that they are loved and they are cared for beyond their needs. That is a good thing.

I hope that my grandchildren grow up to love their children and grandchildren the way that I love mine. I also hope that my children grow to love their children and grandchildren in that same way.

My children are far from perfect, I know, I brought them into an imperfect world to love, hold, and comfort through the difficulties they would face. I wasn't always right, but I never stopped loving any of them. My children, Lori, Jeff, Tony, and Tim are mine and their mother's joy and bond. We love them and I believe they love us and have learned that love from being loved.

May God bless you in your love for your family.

I'll see you later.

Why Do We Do That?

Why is it that when we travel we ask for prayers for a safe trip, but we fail to pray that same prayer when we drive across town? Why do we ask God to be with our loved ones traveling to see us yet, when they arrive, fail to fall on our knees and thank God for their safe arrival?

We ask a lot of God and many times fail to thank him for what he has given us. We ask expecting God to give us what we ask for, then, when things are given we give no thanks. Too many times we fail to remember that a "No!" is sometimes a better answer. Ever thank God for saying "No"?

I too find this problem at work in my life. So many times I ask God for help in leading me in my studies and then, when the sermon is prepared and delivered, I fail to thank him for clearing my mind to bring the sermon to life. Many times the sermons I am not really happiest with are the ones that get the most "Hey preacher, great sermon today," or "Britt, I really needed to hear what you had to say today. The message was right on target."

Not too long ago one gentleman came up to me and said of a sermon I was not particularly happy with the delivery of and felt I had missed getting the message I was looking to get across to make sense, "Preacher, that was one of the best sermons I have ever heard. I am so glad you listen to God when you prepare your lessons." I definitely stopped right then in my mind and thanked God for the lesson.

What have you stopped and thanked God for specifically lately? Why don't you drop to your knees and be thankful for what he has done in your life in a specific area? Don't expect yeses from God when you pray, expect answers to your needs. Listen to the Father call out your name and lead you to where you need to be and then thank Him for leading you in the direction that is best for you. Thank Him for listening and doing for you what is best.

Sometimes we need to remember to pray about all things. Like I have begun telling folks lately, "Ask God to do for you what is in your best spiritual interest." Then thank Him for the answer, whether it is "Yes", "No!", or "Wait."

I'll see you later.

Liberal, Conservative, or Independent?

Liberal means to most, "You don't think like I do." Conservative means "You and I think alike." Independent means, "You do your thing, I'll do mine." In reality, do we not have a more pressing thought, "I want to do things God's way and not the world's?" No matter how hard we try to be one way or the other we seem to forget that God was very liberal in many areas and very conservative in others.

Maybe its time we started concentrating on God and let Him take care of the world. He asked us to be different and that would make a difference. I am sure that he is disappointed with the way things are now, but when has he not been? He is a gracious and loving God who accepts us where we are and strives to lead us to where He wants us to be. The question is, "Do we want to please the world or God?"

Liberal or conservative take on a whole different meaning when we are talking about ourselves and our relationship with the Father. Question, God gave us the freedom to choose. Did he not try to persuade us to do what He chose for us to do? He gave us the right to be independent in our choices. However, those choices, if made incorrectly, have ramifications which will be shown for what they are in the end. There may be discipline due us as a result of the choices we make independently of God. He is, after all, our Father. Isn't He? I am sure we can answer that question without going into much detail.

So, where do you stand? Liberal? Conservative? Independent? Do we have one hand out and the other on our pocketbooks? Or are we truly just a Christian, just God's child, because we want what is best all round in our lives.

Just thinking!

I'll see you later.

Britt