There are some good things about being a pastor's wife, but most of the stuff is hard. I'll be honest. Really hard. Like today.
I only have two "best" friends in the world (other than family members) and my friend Ingrid is one of them. On Saturday, three of her friends were in a car accident. Two of them died. It is not fair to Ingrid, or anyone else for that matter, that these two young men were taken from family and friends long before it would be expected.
Yesterday was the reviewal and today was the funeral. And let me just say, they sucked. As a friend, I am required to be there for my friend emotionally, but as a pastor's wife, I need to drop everything and physically be there. Don't get me wrong, I would not have wanted to miss being there for Ingrid, but these things are some of the hardest things that cross my path. No one likes to go to funerals, but it is sometimes even harder when you are there to be support for the mourner and not mourning yourself. I hate having to see my best friend cry and sob and go through that stuff.
So here's to my brothers and sisters in Christ: Just know that yes, this is my job. But I love you and would do it anyway, because that's what its all about.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
What kind of coffee are you? (This is essential for all days lived beyond this point.)
| You Are a Double Espresso |
 Hey Energizer Bunny Girl! Do you ever slow down? You're a mix of high energy and ambition, perfectly matched with strong espresso When you want something you get it - by any means possible You're driven, determined, and no nonsense. Which is just how you like your java. |
Exactly.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Trying to be Domestic
You know, I think one of the biggest challenges for me is being domestic. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a clean bathroom, but I guess it just isn't my first priority. I really have to work hard to stay at home and do something that I "should" do. Here is an example. My office is ALWAYS in a complete state of disarray. I hate it. Craig hates it. But it is like trying to stay best friends with Paris Hilton. There are high times of my relationship with my office. But the low times are low, very low.
I have struggled forever to live up to what I was taught was the ok standard for what my home should be. My mom is a more than a model homemaker, she is what homemakers aspire to be when they get good at it. Her house is SO FREAKING CLEAN I might venture to say that germs have given up and moved to the creepy looking house next door. (Or maybe they have shacked up in the meat my mom isists upon defrosting on the counter, OVERNIGHT. Please, Mom, please defrost that crap in the microwave before you and Dad die of food borne illnesses.) I think she vacuums before the dust has a chance to settle from the last time she vacuumed. Everything always looks cute, tidy, put away, dusted, sparkling, fresh, [insert your own adjective or adverb.]
My sister Elly apparently gained most of this skill from my mom. Even though her life is in constant turmoil, she still has time to create awesome crafty things and always keep her house rediculously organized. It is so organized it is amazing. I remember how she used to ask me if she could organize my room. I still to this day, do not know if it is because it was horribly disorganized in her eyes, or she just loved organizing sooo much.
I am good at a few things. The fact was brought to my attention yesterday. One of our college students, Frank, was staying over a couple nights ago because he was catching the Amtrak to Chicago. He forgot his flip flops and I called him because I was concerned that he might need them. At first he deemed them not necessary, but then recanted. I decided that he needed a lunch for the train, too, so I made him one. He was grateful and it was no big deal to me. I know that that sort of a monkey wrench would screw up more than just the morning for some people, but I like those sort of interruptions. I also love to cook. I am not sure if anyone if my family likes it as much as me, but I know my dad benefits greatly from this hobby. He loves it when I cook, especially things like Mushroom Struedel or anything else with a lot of garlic.
I guess re-reading this still leaves me feeling inadequate, like those are ok things but not quite the Standard of Awesome. But maybe someday I will excel at things like some of the fantastic ladies in my life.
I have struggled forever to live up to what I was taught was the ok standard for what my home should be. My mom is a more than a model homemaker, she is what homemakers aspire to be when they get good at it. Her house is SO FREAKING CLEAN I might venture to say that germs have given up and moved to the creepy looking house next door. (Or maybe they have shacked up in the meat my mom isists upon defrosting on the counter, OVERNIGHT. Please, Mom, please defrost that crap in the microwave before you and Dad die of food borne illnesses.) I think she vacuums before the dust has a chance to settle from the last time she vacuumed. Everything always looks cute, tidy, put away, dusted, sparkling, fresh, [insert your own adjective or adverb.]
My sister Elly apparently gained most of this skill from my mom. Even though her life is in constant turmoil, she still has time to create awesome crafty things and always keep her house rediculously organized. It is so organized it is amazing. I remember how she used to ask me if she could organize my room. I still to this day, do not know if it is because it was horribly disorganized in her eyes, or she just loved organizing sooo much.
I am good at a few things. The fact was brought to my attention yesterday. One of our college students, Frank, was staying over a couple nights ago because he was catching the Amtrak to Chicago. He forgot his flip flops and I called him because I was concerned that he might need them. At first he deemed them not necessary, but then recanted. I decided that he needed a lunch for the train, too, so I made him one. He was grateful and it was no big deal to me. I know that that sort of a monkey wrench would screw up more than just the morning for some people, but I like those sort of interruptions. I also love to cook. I am not sure if anyone if my family likes it as much as me, but I know my dad benefits greatly from this hobby. He loves it when I cook, especially things like Mushroom Struedel or anything else with a lot of garlic.
I guess re-reading this still leaves me feeling inadequate, like those are ok things but not quite the Standard of Awesome. But maybe someday I will excel at things like some of the fantastic ladies in my life.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Some Crazy Life I Live
I think that I may be the world's worst blogger. I literally have something insane that I could write about every single day. I guess that is how it goes with pastor's families.
Now I realize that the last time I wrote something here was about 6 months ago. Not acceptable.
Since the last time I wrote here, we voted as a church to dismiss our senior pastor. My daughter graduated from preschool. Craig and I went to San Diego. Then we took a trip with some friends to Chicago. Then Craig and I went to Portland. Then Seattle. We even got a chinchilla! (Get where I am going here? I could've posted a ton of stuff, and this is just the big stuff, not just the daily hilariosities.)
But today, the thing that compels me to post on my blog, is something that no one ever wants to happen to them. I got fired. From a job. Not just any job, but my job at the coffee shop. How hilarious is that? My friends tell me that it is something that has to happen at least once in your life. It makes it even funnier because it wasn't anything that I did, it was a personality clash with my boss. There was nothing that I could do to make the situation better. Believe me, I tried. Nothing helped. At the "firing," I asked her what she thought of my customer service. I told her that I felt like it was awesome and any customer would say the same. She told me that was true, but there is behind the scenes customer service too. Huh, has anyone ever heard of that? Like I said, my firing was a stretch.
Of course, being a PW, I always try to see what God is doing with what happens to me. This couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Here are the "perfect timing" reasons:
1. It is summer. Who wants to get up at 5am to steam milk for 4 hours every day?
2. With Craig being the only pastor at our church now, his responsibilities are going to increase. (More pay for this added work? Bwuahaha!)
3. Something really terrible happened to one of my friends. I felt like now if I need to pack up and leave to go be with her, I can.
4. Literally THE NEXT DAY, I got an offer to come on as a more serious photographer with the guy I have been working with. He is one of the most sought after wedding photographers in the area. (Thanks Dad, for suggesting we go talk to him at that conference!) He saw my work and thought it was amazing.
Moral of the story? I guess I can be anything I want when I grow up. But that doesn't mean I am cut out for everything.
Now I realize that the last time I wrote something here was about 6 months ago. Not acceptable.
Since the last time I wrote here, we voted as a church to dismiss our senior pastor. My daughter graduated from preschool. Craig and I went to San Diego. Then we took a trip with some friends to Chicago. Then Craig and I went to Portland. Then Seattle. We even got a chinchilla! (Get where I am going here? I could've posted a ton of stuff, and this is just the big stuff, not just the daily hilariosities.)
But today, the thing that compels me to post on my blog, is something that no one ever wants to happen to them. I got fired. From a job. Not just any job, but my job at the coffee shop. How hilarious is that? My friends tell me that it is something that has to happen at least once in your life. It makes it even funnier because it wasn't anything that I did, it was a personality clash with my boss. There was nothing that I could do to make the situation better. Believe me, I tried. Nothing helped. At the "firing," I asked her what she thought of my customer service. I told her that I felt like it was awesome and any customer would say the same. She told me that was true, but there is behind the scenes customer service too. Huh, has anyone ever heard of that? Like I said, my firing was a stretch.
Of course, being a PW, I always try to see what God is doing with what happens to me. This couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Here are the "perfect timing" reasons:
1. It is summer. Who wants to get up at 5am to steam milk for 4 hours every day?
2. With Craig being the only pastor at our church now, his responsibilities are going to increase. (More pay for this added work? Bwuahaha!)
3. Something really terrible happened to one of my friends. I felt like now if I need to pack up and leave to go be with her, I can.
4. Literally THE NEXT DAY, I got an offer to come on as a more serious photographer with the guy I have been working with. He is one of the most sought after wedding photographers in the area. (Thanks Dad, for suggesting we go talk to him at that conference!) He saw my work and thought it was amazing.
Moral of the story? I guess I can be anything I want when I grow up. But that doesn't mean I am cut out for everything.
Monday, November 27, 2006
45 Random Things About Me
1. I hate seafood. It literally makes me gag.
2. I once saved my sister Elly from drowning (we won't mention that it was sorta my fault she fell in the lake in the first place.)
3. I hate the color purple.
4. One job I had was in a costume shop in a theatre. It was super fun building costumes.
5. I threw up for the first five months of my pregnancies. Yes. Both of them. I was always thinner AFTER I had kids.
6. I had the same Bible study group all the way through junior high and high school. Our names were: Jennie, Joy, Janna, Jenah, and... Elizabeth. I still keep in touch with Jennie and Joy. We have been friends since the 3rd grade.
7. I love to sing and have been a back up singer on an album. Here is the address... you can hear me singing! Listen: http://www.timlemmens.com/songs/kum_ba_yah.mp3
8. Charlotte Church used to make me cry. Not sure why.
9. I am in love with Culver's. I can't get enough.
10. I was born in 1979 in MN. Funny how you end up back where you started out.
11. I am a humanitarian.
12. We only have one car and prefer not to use it if we can. (It happens to be a VW Passat, though, and it rocks.)
13. I am an environmentalist and I feel it is my responsibilty to be that way as a follower of Christ. (Hence, #12.)
14. I dislike being called a Christian. I love being called a follwer of Jesus or a Student of Jesus.
15. We have 2 kids and there we'll stay.
16. I am totally proud of my Pastor Dude and he kicks butt at what he does.
17. I lived in inner city Chicago for almost 5 years. They were some of the best years of my life.
18. One of my best friends is Fran, and incidentally, that is the middle name of my daughter.
19. I am extremely stubborn.
20. I love to run.
21. I love to take pictures.
22. I lived in Italy for a summer doing my internship and took a trip around Europe with the aforementioned Fran. It was awesome.
23. I graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a BA in Urban Ministries in '01.
24. I am completely in love with my sister who almost drowned because of me... I think she is one of the coolest people I know.
25. My other sister is a chef. Isn't that awesome??
26. I am the oldest.
27. I can speak Swedish. Språka svenska?
28. I love to cook. I am always making new things.
29. I don't like fruit but I love veggies.
30. I am completely obsessed with my body image, yes, I admit it.
31. We are "flexitarians" which means basically that we don't eat a lot of meat. But not opposed to eating it now and again. I have to have a burger every once and a while... c'mon.
32. I donated my hair to Locks of Love.
33. I looooove to write our Christmas letter. In fact, I start thinking about it for the next year shortly after I write the one for the current year.
34. I am learning to be a barista.
35. My son looks creepily just like me.
36. Lots of people tell me I look like Julia Roberts.
37. On the first day of kidergarten, a boy had his foot over the first seat on the bus and I wanted to sit there. I told him to "Move it or loose it." He moved.
38. I was once arrested in Chicago and taken to Cook County in a paddy wagon. It sucked. I was never charged.
39. I broke my arm when I was 8 and it went unnoticed for long enough that I didn't get a cast. When I finally went in to get an x-ray a week later, it had started healing perfectly and never needed a cast.
40. Our house was built in 1882.
41. My first date ever was a Cub's game. It was with my husband.
42. I attended my first year of college in my senior year of high school.
43. I mentored a little girl in inner city Chicago while living there. Her name was No-No.
44. I love to watch MTV and VH1.
45. I am terribly afraid of riding in a car with more that 4 adults in it.
2. I once saved my sister Elly from drowning (we won't mention that it was sorta my fault she fell in the lake in the first place.)
3. I hate the color purple.
4. One job I had was in a costume shop in a theatre. It was super fun building costumes.
5. I threw up for the first five months of my pregnancies. Yes. Both of them. I was always thinner AFTER I had kids.
6. I had the same Bible study group all the way through junior high and high school. Our names were: Jennie, Joy, Janna, Jenah, and... Elizabeth. I still keep in touch with Jennie and Joy. We have been friends since the 3rd grade.
7. I love to sing and have been a back up singer on an album. Here is the address... you can hear me singing! Listen: http://www.timlemmens.com/songs/kum_ba_yah.mp3
8. Charlotte Church used to make me cry. Not sure why.
9. I am in love with Culver's. I can't get enough.
10. I was born in 1979 in MN. Funny how you end up back where you started out.
11. I am a humanitarian.
12. We only have one car and prefer not to use it if we can. (It happens to be a VW Passat, though, and it rocks.)
13. I am an environmentalist and I feel it is my responsibilty to be that way as a follower of Christ. (Hence, #12.)
14. I dislike being called a Christian. I love being called a follwer of Jesus or a Student of Jesus.
15. We have 2 kids and there we'll stay.
16. I am totally proud of my Pastor Dude and he kicks butt at what he does.
17. I lived in inner city Chicago for almost 5 years. They were some of the best years of my life.
18. One of my best friends is Fran, and incidentally, that is the middle name of my daughter.
19. I am extremely stubborn.
20. I love to run.
21. I love to take pictures.
22. I lived in Italy for a summer doing my internship and took a trip around Europe with the aforementioned Fran. It was awesome.
23. I graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a BA in Urban Ministries in '01.
24. I am completely in love with my sister who almost drowned because of me... I think she is one of the coolest people I know.
25. My other sister is a chef. Isn't that awesome??
26. I am the oldest.
27. I can speak Swedish. Språka svenska?
28. I love to cook. I am always making new things.
29. I don't like fruit but I love veggies.
30. I am completely obsessed with my body image, yes, I admit it.
31. We are "flexitarians" which means basically that we don't eat a lot of meat. But not opposed to eating it now and again. I have to have a burger every once and a while... c'mon.
32. I donated my hair to Locks of Love.
33. I looooove to write our Christmas letter. In fact, I start thinking about it for the next year shortly after I write the one for the current year.
34. I am learning to be a barista.
35. My son looks creepily just like me.
36. Lots of people tell me I look like Julia Roberts.
37. On the first day of kidergarten, a boy had his foot over the first seat on the bus and I wanted to sit there. I told him to "Move it or loose it." He moved.
38. I was once arrested in Chicago and taken to Cook County in a paddy wagon. It sucked. I was never charged.
39. I broke my arm when I was 8 and it went unnoticed for long enough that I didn't get a cast. When I finally went in to get an x-ray a week later, it had started healing perfectly and never needed a cast.
40. Our house was built in 1882.
41. My first date ever was a Cub's game. It was with my husband.
42. I attended my first year of college in my senior year of high school.
43. I mentored a little girl in inner city Chicago while living there. Her name was No-No.
44. I love to watch MTV and VH1.
45. I am terribly afraid of riding in a car with more that 4 adults in it.
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