More answers…(from the question here)

Christie asks:

Do you still have that red sweater and maternity jeans? Or are you done having kids? lol, I loved that story about your dermatologist, btw….Christie

For those of you who are new (or don’t recall), Christie refers to this post. And the sequel. And the other sequel.

Hi there Christie.

The jeans are in my closet, but that sweater? Gone. I grew to HATE that thing. With a passion…although I’m kind of bummed I got rid of it because it would have made a cute purse.

Are we done having kids yet? Not sure. If I was pressed, I’d have to say I don’t think our family is complete. But who knows. What I’d love to do is adopt several siblings (like 3) from Africa. I’m also open to giving birth to more. Let’s just say I’m in deliberations with God (and my husband) about this.

Lindsey asks:

What are your favorite comfort foods?

and…

If money were absolutely no option, where would you go on vacation and why?

Hey Lindsey.

Comfort foods. Hmmm. First, mashed potatoes with gravy. Second, ice cream. Anything else is a very distant third.

Vacation: India. As a missionary kid, I’m grateful to have traveled quite a bit. I’ve never been to India, though, and I’d love to go. I’m not sure what it is about it that I find attractive except that I love Indian food and I LOVE those pictures of the colorful spices in burlap sacks lined up in the public markets. I have the idea that the people are equally beautiful.

Last but not least, Joann asks:

My parents were an interracial couple, married in the 1960s. Is it hard to be an interracial couple these days? If so what is the toughest part? What is the best part?

Joann, I didn’t know that about you. Sweet.

I don’t find it particularly difficult. It was different when we first started dating, though. That was almost 15 years ago. (HOLY COW. Did I just write that? I KNEW I was getting old.) The toughest part was figuring out how I would fit in his family and vice versa. But we figured it out. I think I can safely say we both feel fully accepted and loved by our families. We are blessed.

There are a lot of great things about it. My prayer is that our relationship serves as an example of God’s love and grace. I’d also like to think that as a pastor and his wife, we contribute to a multiethnic congregation by virtue of who we are. And our children are scrumptious (if I do say so myself). My husband calls them chocolate chip cookies…their skin being the golden brown of the cookie and their dark eyes being the chocolate chips. Me? I’m the sugar cookie of the bunch. Not that I’m ashamed of my sugar cookie-ness, but what I wouldn’t give for their skin!

Another answer to a question from this original post.

Amy asks:

Thanks for throwing it wide open. I’d love to know what kind of role you take on yourself as the wife of a pastor. How do you interact with the people in your congregation? How do you stay connected to the congregation without being completely open in areas where you can’t be, i.e. your husband’s ministry and it’s impact on your marriage? Also, how do you maintain boundaries for your family and keep ministry where it should be?

Hey Amy. Cool name.

Wow, tough questions. I’m not exactly sure what you mean when you say “what kind of role you take on yourself as the wife of a pastor” but I’ll just talk about my experience and hopefully will answer your questions.

I have no idea how to be a pastor’s wife. My husband went to seminary where he learned how to be a pastor and for as much is expected of pastors’ wives, it’s rather unfortunate there’s no Pastor’s Wife 101 class for us. The truth is, I totally wing it. (And so does every other PW on the face of the earth. That’s my theory anyway.) In reality, I can do nothing except be myself. Cheesy but true.

I am 100% certain God called my husband to be the pastor of our church. I’m also 100% sure I’m supposed to be my husband’s wife. Therefore, I can safely assume I am supposed to be the pastor’s wife at this church at this time. Scary if you ask me, but who am I to question God.

As for knowing what to share and what not to share, I’m pretty comfortable sharing most things about me and my life. I typically don’t just offer my innermost thoughts unsolicited, but if I feel like my experience is relevant, I generally don’t have a problem “lettin’ it all hang out” as my father would say. Some of the most valuable things I’ve learned in life have been from people who were willing to share openly the not-so-glamorous parts of their lives. If someone can learn a thing or two from my dumb mistakes or if my experience assures them that they are not alone in their own struggle then it’s one more way of experiencing God’s redemption as I see it.

Having said that, there are some things I will not share with the masses. I am blessed to have a small group of women with whom I can share most everything else. It’s great to have a place where I can be myself and know I will be encouraged, supported and prayed for. Beyond that, I have one very close friend not associated with the church at all. I can’t think of one thing I would not share with her. She is a kindred spirit and an absolute gift.

And boundaries. Ministry has a way of creeping into every area of life. Admittedly, I’m not very good at keeping them separate. Nevertheless, I can tell pretty quickly when I need a break from church stuff. For example, when I’m overwhelmed with the urge to run away to the nearest cave and post a sign at the entrance which reads, “WARNING. BEWARE OF PASTOR’S WIFE. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. PREPARE TO DIE.”, that’s a pretty good sign.

Well, I’ll just dive right in to answering your questions. I’ll start with some easy ones to get me going. First up? Tess. She asks:

What’s your favorite color? And do you use Sudafed, Benadryl, or Tylenol Allergy when you have a stuffy nose?

Favorite color. I’d probably have to say blue. But I like white too. I like ‘em because they’re crisp and clean. I’m diggin’ orange lately too. But I think that’s just a passing thing. Like most things are for me.

As for meds…none of the above. I just ride it out. I don’t know why I have this thing about taking medicine but I do. I resist. Actually, I think I might know why I have this issue, but I don’t want to gross you out.

OK, I will gross you out. (Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want to be grossed out.)

So, when I lived in Africa, well, let’s just say that Immodium AD was my friend. (If you are unfamiliar with Immodium AD, it helps with, shall we say, intestinal problems. OK, diarrhea.) Well, I remember having a conversation with someone once (don’t remember who) and they mentioned that popping Immodium AD like it’s goin’ out of style might not be such a good idea. I found this intriguing because after all, the stuff works like a charm and I used it quite frequently. I inquired, of course, as to why it wouldn’t be a good idea, and they told me it was because if you’ve got a stomach bug which is causing diarrhea, it might just be a better idea to let the thing run its course (that pun was totally not intended) instead of effectively trapping it in your system. Totally made sense to me. How that translated into, “Hey, I should never take any medicine, ever, ” I have no idea.

OK, let’s take one more question before I go to bed (which I should have done long ago). I’ll opt for another easy one and tackle the ones requiring more brain power later.

Julie asks:

What has the transition to three kiddos been like?? I’ve heard if you can manage 3 you can manage 10. How’s it been? I’m expecting my third in Feb. (I’m an only child and already find the activity level of my house on the high side…) Thoughts?

First off, congratulations! Second, your statement about the activity at your house being “on the high side” is the funniest thing I heard all day. The activity in my house with two small children was more like when you’re at church and the microphones freak out and you get feedback that pretty much destroys your eardrums.

OK, the transition to three has been the easiest for me so far. 0 to 1 was, for all intents and purposes, THE END OF THE WORLD. But that’s just me. 1 to 2 was easier and 2 to 3 was even easier (not that it’s been easy, just no longer one, neverending day that lasts weeks months, punctuated by an occasional nap, a piece of dry bread and the overwhelming urge to scratch my eyeballs out with chopsticks). I’ve pondered this a great deal. I’m not sure if it’s easier because #3 is an easier baby or if I FINALLY HAVE A CLUE.

I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.

(Got a question for me? Shoot.)

When all else fails, copy someone else. That’s one of my mottos. I do it when decorating and now, when blogging. So, I’m copying Lindsey over at Enjoy the Journey and I am taking your questions. Is there anything you’d like to know about me? My thoughts, opinions, what I had for dinner? If so, toss me a question. Who knows, maybe I can jumpstart this blog once more.

Check this post out over at girltalk…and be sure to watch the video.

Businesses have ‘em. Organizations have ‘em. Corporations have ‘em. Churches have ‘em. I’m wondering if families or individuals have ‘em. I’m talking about a Vision Statement. Despite all the time I’ve spent discussion visions for various entities, I have never once thought about coming up with a Vision Statement for myself or my family. I find that strange. I don’t know why. Seems like I/we (probably both) should have one. But I need some ideas. So I ask, do any of you have a personal or family Vision Statement?

I’m not blogging lately because, well, I got nothin’. Besides, my last post used up all my thinking brain cells.

What I’ve discovered is that thinking brain cells are a lot like my 6-pack abs: if I don’t use them, they go away. Or, more accurately, they turn to mush. (Not that I’ve ever had 6-pack abs, but you get my point.)

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About 5 minutes just lapsed from the time I finished writing that last paragraph to the time I began writing this one. Because why? Well, because I looked at that phrase “6-pack abs” and was overwhelmed with the urge to do with it what I always do with things like that.

Google it.

You can imagine my intrigue when I found this article come up in the results: The Secret for 6-Pack Abs. Well glory be. Finally. A secret.

I read the article.

Dumb.

The bottom line is, there’s no secret. Unless “diet and exercise” is what you call a secret. Give me a break.

A secret would be something like, “A small group of cancer researchers at one of the country’s well-known universities was studying the effects of chocolate on the brain cells of rats who are entering the twilight years of their lives. In the process, they discovered (quite by accident) that humans who want 6-pack abs can achieve this goal easily by consuming, of all things, a jumbo size Hershey’s chocolate bar with almonds. But there is a catch. The jumbo chocolate bar, eaten alone, will not achieve the desired results. Surprisingly, the only way a well-defined 6-pack will emerge, is if the jumbo chocolate bar is first smothered in peanut butter, then sprinkled with crushed toffee and finally, served atop exactly 4 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. The scientists discovered that this particular combination works in such a way as to safely, quickly, painlessly and effortlessly dissolve fat, particularly in the abdominal region. The loss of fat then reveals firm, well-defined abdominal muscles, often referred to as ‘6-pack’ abs.”

Yes. That would be my kind of secret.