Walking on Egg Shells

This can be the scenario from time to time in the home of the Pastor on a Saturday night...  and probably for most other PW's on Sunday mornings.  My husband is out of the house before my eyes are even open on Sunday mornings... which is probably good for the both of us:), but I remember the mornings before we held 5 services where I'd go to them all, and Sunday mornings could be the worst day of the week for our family, for our marriage.  Everything goes wrong,  the kids fight, we're running late, clothes needed aren't cleaned ironed, and of course when we get into the family car (aka my car) the gas light is on... all minor stupid things on any other day... but not this day.  It took YEARS for us to get it, MAYBE just maybe there was something going on here?  Something bigger than our imperfections & short comings... something spiritual. I now understand this about our life, and on this day when sometimes the "tone" isn't just as I think I deserve, or he's not as attentive to me, or leaves a mess of books lying around... I LET IT GO! I understand that his heart is heavy for the task that lies ahead and I KNOW that he is such an amazing man of God, husband, and father! So... I choose to pray for him instead & help to carry the burden, I try to tend to the needs of the house & our 3 children, and to help him get to bed Saturday night or out the door  Sunday morning as peacefully as possible.   The REAL truth is that 9 out of 10 weekends I get this right~ TONIGHT was the unfortunate exception.  Luckily we salvaged the day, and he'll head out the door in the morning knowing that his heart not be heavy about what is waiting at home for him at the end of the day!  His heart is freed up to love God's people & lead HIS church!

Introducing Just Being REAL...

Being Real with yourself, others, and God is the vision God gave to my precious husband Matt & I over 14 years ago to plant what we now affectionately refer to as Sandals Church.  Over the years what this all means for me has been redefined & articulated as I've grown, changed, & experienced the ebb & flo of life. Unfortunately the phrase "just being real"  has more often than not been used interchangeably with "just being rude" which has wounded many a hearts.  I hope to give a new spin to the phrase~ one that might lead into a new experience with the idea of being real, and maybe in some small way~ begin planting seeds in others to begin to be real with themselves, others, and God in their lives.  Being real for me is pursuing  who I was created to be, and continually comparing that to who I am actually being. Sharing my real brokenness with others & experiencing love despite who I can be, and in turn offering love to others as they share who they really are & helping them discover who they were created to be.  Being real is constantly renewing grace & making being a good heart handler of others a priority in my life.  Life is so random, so routine, and then so unexpected all at the same time... that's what you'll find here: random, routine, unexpected (well probably not really cuz I'm so "safe" but who knows). You'll hear me share about how I'm REALLY doing, who I REALLY am, how I'm REALLY wired, how I REALLY blow it, how I REALLY love others, how I REALLY spend my time, how I'm REALLY broken, how I'm REALLY in need of grace & forgiveness, and what God is REALLY teaching me along the way.  Life is complex, wonderful, sad, exhilarating & exhausting~ this is how being real plays out for me as a (Pastor's) wife, as I am a mommy to my 3 amazing children, as I cultivate my friendships, and how being real weaves it's way through my ministries.  This isn't going to be everyone's REALity, but it's mine!