~
There's JOY in the Kitchen ~
~When we realize that ~
The best gift a parent can give to their child is
the gift of time.
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A weekly newsletter from Sarah's Tent, an online
ministry tailored towards Pastor's Wives.
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Isa 51:1-2 / Isa 54:2-3 / Heb 10:24, 25
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FIRST THINGS FIRST
By JoyfulArt
As is our habit as parents, when confronted by
a bored child, we'll quickly tell them to stop
complaining and go clean their rooms. As a
pastor, when confronted by a disgruntled
congregational member, we may quickly tell them
to stop complaining and go pray about what ever
it is that is bothering them. With that in mind,
let me share with you something that happened to
me this week.
Monday began with open house in the school and
a whole mess of excited kids. Clothes had been
bought along with supplies. The season bringing
promise of change and order. Except in their
rooms. That was something I had HOPED to get in
order before they started school, but now found
myself, three days later still working on the
first room.
When my daughter and I started on her room, I
had no idea it was as bad as it was. Things that
should have been thrown away were stuffed in
drawers, and broken things lay underfoot. Clothes
that I couldn't find, were discovered behind the
dresser, and mismatched socks were found once
again. What had started out as a cheery day of
helping my child straighten up, became a day of
frustration, shouting, anger, and harsh words. As
many times as possible, my daughter would slip
out of the room, and find some errand to do as I
threw papers, clothes and broken toys in their
proper places, all the while criticizing angrily
what a pig sty the room was.....
That is until the Lord caught me up short. (He
has a way of doing that.) Suddenly my words were
echoing in my ears accusing my own lack of
properly training her to know how to be a good
steward of those things that had been given her.
Unlike any other human being on the earth, I had
just assumed that she knew what I expected of
her, and would know by common sense what it had
taken me forty years to learn.
My child, or congregational member is only
going to know what you as their leader, or parent
show them. Those trials in life that they
flounder in would go much better for them and you
as their mentor, if you would walk through a few
things with them. Jesus said, "Go and make
disciples..." not, "Go and build bigger
and better churches and make a name for
thyself."
You should see her room now! After cleaning,
organizing and decorating her 'space' my daughter
is walking upright and proud. In fact she
couldn't wait to sleep in her room tonight after
several weeks of begging to sleep in the front
room (because of the heat she said), or in our
guest room. As I passed by her room I glanced in
to see her carefully placing things back where
they belong and hanging up the clothes she had
worn today.
Such a simple solution for a complaining
parent! I guess we reap what we sow in more ways
than one, huh? As a pastor I pondered this issue
while rearranging her furniture. Thinking about
the luncheons that I've been to where other
ministers complained about their people, and how
they seemed to always go through the same trials
and fires, how they never knew how to do what was
needed in the church, and how they never brought
anyone to church with them. Could it be, that
like my daughter who found every reason to slip
out of the room, that our members may be sensing
our displeasure? Perhaps what we ask of them is
too overwhelming, and all they really need is
some loving discipleship? John Maxwell states
discipleship and proper leadership simply by this
easy formula. 1. I do it 2. I do it, you watch 3.
You do it, I watch 4. You do it.
Before you complain next time about your
child's skills, or your memberships commitment,
think about what you have sown in their lives.
Have you equipped them? If not, then repent, and
begin from scratch. It sure is a whole lot easier
on your nerves that complaining, whining and
yelling!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A man is known by the company he
organizes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
FAMILY TIES
By Gammy123
Hello ladies. My husband and I recently
adopted an almost 7-year-old son a few months
ago. Our son is mildly mentally retarded and has
other behavioral challenges. Because of this, I
have joined a listserve of adoptive parents
(mostly moms) of special needs kids.
Recently we were talking about our kids and
church. It really struck me how many of the moms
hesitated to bring their kids to church because
they are an extra handful! Some of them said that
their pastors told them to find another church
that could meet their needs if their kids were
going to be so disruptive. Many moms were saying
how their churches wouldn't ask for more
volunteers to help teach and help with the Sunday
school classes to deal with behavioral issues.
When you see "that boy" that always
makes trouble, or that student in your Sunday
school class who disrupts your lesson, PLEASE
pray for the child and their families. It is so
difficult a lot of the time for moms to
understand how much time and effort and patience
it requires to parent these children. And the
moms and dads NEED to be filled up spiritually.
So if there is any way to help them and care for
the entire family, it would be such a blessing
from God.
I have heard it said that attitudes start from
the top down. So in congregations, I guess that
means that the pastor and his family's attitude
would be noticed and others would follow suit.
Even though special needs children are quite a
handful and many people are somewhat scared of
them, they are God's children and they really can
do positive things with some extra direction and
help.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come
to Me, for such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Let us never push aside the children for our
"most important" adult needs. May God
bless us and show others through us how important
His children are.
Matt 18:5
And whoso shall receive one such little child in
my name receiveth me.
~ ~ ~ ~
Prison Ministry
By Susan
I am part of a Christian letter writing
ministry to inmates. This ministry is for those
in the USA and goes through US postal Mail. In
this ministry we write letters to inmates to
encourage them in their walks with Christ. This
is safe because the inmates do not know your last
name nor address. We have over 60 inmates waiting
to be written to so we need more writers to join
the ministry. (This is through the regular US
Postal Service)
If you are interested in learning more about
this ministry, please e-mail me at WriteMin@aol.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Matt 25:36 ". . . I was in prison, and ye
came unto me. Matt 25:40 And the King shall
answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
(KJV)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
FREE NEWSLETTER!
Born Again Marriages now has a quarterly
newspaper called, "The Marriage
Encourager" that we would like to make
available for No Charge to any members of Sarah's
Tent for one full year.
This 20-24 page newspaper has wonderful
stories of marriages that made it through
difficult times, poems, encouraging words, and
more. To subscribe please E-mail to us and give
us your snail mail address: Directors@bornagainmarriages.org
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
People are lonely because they build
walls instead of bridges. Joseph F.
Newton
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POT LUCK!
Copy Cat Recipes
Sent in by PrasHm
Olive Garden Chicken
Contributor: Giz2day
chicken breasts
Soy sauce
pineapple juice
onion
garlic
Marinate chicken for 24 hours and then grill.
Gourmet Low-Fat Smashed Potatoes
Contributor: BSchulz604
This tastes like the gourmet potatoes served
in posh restaurants these days! It's, not only
delicious, but good for you!
Roast, wrapped in foil (like a Hershey's Kiss)
at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes:
l whole yellow onion--tip cut off
l whole bulb garlic--tip cut off
Allow them to cool, then squeeze the pulp from
the garlic and chop the onion after peeling.
Quarter and boil until tender:
6 red skin potatoes (leave the skins on)
Drain potatoes, mash with garlic, onions, some
low-fat milk, and a few spoonfuls on non-fat sour
cream. Add snipped chives, if desired.
Be sure to check out ministry tested recipes
at: Doffycook's
Nethome
For even MORE recipes, click on these!! More
Recipes and Once-a-Month
Cooking (OAMC)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NEEDING PRAYER?
Contact Sarah's Tent at SarahsTent@aol.com
, and not only will we pray, but your request
will be sent to the proper prayer chains as well.
Just be sure to send your praise report when God
moves on your behalf!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CHUCKLES
Sent in by Nets4Him
When my daughter was about five years old we
came out of church on a Sunday morning into quite
a summer storm. Most of the congregation was
huddled together on the front steps of the church
when to my great chagrin my daughter says in a
loud and melodious voice, "Look Mommy ...
it's raining like hail!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
After church on Sunday morning, a young boy
suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've
decided I'm going to be a minister when I grow
up.
"That's okay with us," the mother
said, "But what made you decide to be a
minister?" "Well," the boy
replied, "I'll have to go to church on
Sunday anyway, and I figure it will be more fun
to stand up and yell than to sit still and
listen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A heavy snowstorm closed to schools in one
town. When the children returned to school a few
days later, one grade school teacher asked her
students whether they had used the time away from
school constructively.
"I sure did, teacher," one little
girl replied. "I just prayed for more
snow."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Three small boys were bragging about their
fathers. The first boasted that his dad owned a
farm. The second said his dad owned a factory.
The third boy, a pastors son, replied:
"That's nothin'. My dad owns hell."
"No way," another boy scoffed.
"How can a man own hell?"
"Sure he can," the preacher's son
said. "My mom told my grandma that the
elders of our church gave it to him last
night."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
On vacation with her family in Montana, a
mother drove her van past a church in a small
town and pointing to it, told the children that
it was St. Francis' Church. "It must be a
franchise," her eight year old son said.
"We've got one of those in our town
too."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bouncing out of her first day in nursery
school at Mount Moriah Presbyterian Church in
Port Henry, New York, a 3 year old girl gleefully
informed her mother: "We had juice and Billy
Graham crackers!"
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Joy In The Kitchen is an extension of Sarah's
Tent An online ministry devoted to gathering
together God's silent warriors, the wives of
pastors and ministers of all denominations and
cultural backgrounds, as well as their families,
for fellowship, support, laughter and prayer. Isa
51:1-2 / Isa 54:2-3 / Heb 10:24-25
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