Panty Hose and Other Supportive Events 
by Shannon Parish

When my daughter was only three, I had an experience with her that will forever remain in my mind as one of my favorites memories.

 Standing on my bed, this little doll begged to wear pantyhose like Mommy.  “Surprise!”  I said as I pull out a brand new package of bright red pantyhose for little girls.  She squealed with delight and stuck her little leg in the air, toes pointed like a small cherubic angel.

 I rolled up the hose leg and started to slip the hose on her small foot.  She started bouncing up and down on the bed.  “Denise,” I said “I can’t put these on you when you are bouncing.  Hold still!”  She said “Okay Mommy.”

 Once again I started to slip the rolled hose over her chubby little toes.  This time, however, as I started to pull the hose over her foot and up her leg, she started wiggling back and forth with exaggerated movements, making grunting noises.  I had to giggle thinking of the high energy level of small children, but it was impossible to get the hose on with her moving around so much.

 Exasperated, I said, “Denise, why are you wiggling so much and what are you moaning and groaning about?”  She stopped and with a puzzled expression on her face tossed her little hands in the air and said, “But Mommy, that’s what YOU do when you put on YOUR pantyhose!”

 Children watch everything we do, right down to the tiniest detail.  They trust our every word and do exactly as they are told.  That is, until they see us compromise on something.  When we ‘give a little’ it tells them that it’s not really that important to obey. 

 When we talk about that frustrating person in our congregation, and complain about the opposite of what we preached on Sunday, our children learn that everything is a lie, or at least, nothing to be taken seriously.

 We preach to the congregation that it’s vital to support the ministry, to show up for services on time, and to participate in worship with their whole hearts.  Are they just reflecting our behavior?  As spiritual children, they take their clues from us.  After all, the Bible did say that what we sow, we reap. 

 What have you found yourself frustrated over in regards to your congregation?  Could it be that they are only acting out what they see in you?  More than once I’ve visited a church and been struck by how much the congregation reflected the pastor.  A quiet teaching gift resulted in a quiet, listening audience.  A loud preacher was reflected in a rambunctious, vocal congregation.  A giving pastor was honored by a giving congregation, and an involved visionary of a minister lead an involved, active congregation.

 Just food for thought.  
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Judg 7:17-18
And he said to them, "Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do: When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, 'The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!' "

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Web Site Updates

For those of you who are regular visitors, you’ve already noticed many changes in the Sarah’s Tent web site. For some of you, it’s been frustrating because the java scripts we placed on the pages are not compatible to your browsers.  If that has been you, don’t despair – thanks to a few alert ladies, we’ve been notified of the problem and will be correcting this annoyance during the next two weeks.  I apologize for the frustration and inconvenience!

 There has been another issue with the web email addresses. As soon as our host provider discovers the glitch, our email addresses will be changing. You will be updated immediately when these are activated. 

My thanks to Phyllis who has so graciously given me constant feedback to needed changes and issues.  Thank you to the rest of you who have been so patient through these learning curves! 

Keep returning to the web site on a regular basis, as new additions are in the works!  Be on the look out for:  

By fall a PASTOR’S KIDS PAGE will be added and devoted solely to the brave kids who endure the lives of ministry with their folks. Included will be coloring pages, stories, message board + more!  FUN! FUN!  

GUEST GALLERY & SPECIAL GUEST CHAT!!!

We are pleased to announce to you our first special guest chat with published children’s author, Susan Taylor Brown! Susan is our July guest!

You can read more about her by visiting:
http://www.sarahstent.com/Guest%20Gallery/July%20Guest1.htm

 NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION

 We have obtained a list program to handle the newsletter subscription and delivery process.  By fall, this will be in effect, and we will no longer be using egroups.com to handle our newsletter lists. 

E-GROUPS BUDD Y LISTS

As many of you have noticed, summer is upon us.  That means not as many are using the egroups Buddy lists as before.  During this summer, we will be working to streamline the groups and bring them ‘in-house’ as well.  Look for more changes as the summer progresses! 

PERSONAL NEWS 
REGARDING SHANNON & CHRISTINA

Stop by our home page, and click on BEHIND THE SCENES to read about new events in Shannon and Christina’s world.

Go to: http://www.sarahstent.com/InsideTent.htm

NEW PASTORS' WIVES WEB RING 

Amy O of ‘colored ball fame’ and more popularly known as the Hostess & Founder of Life in the Fishbowl at: http://pastorswives.org is developing a pastors wives web ring.   

A web ring is a nifty icon that when clicked will take you to the next web site that is another pastors wives web site.  We are looking forward to supporting and promoting one another as we claim a glorified corner of the Internet for pastors’ wives!

If you know of a pastors’ wives web site that you’d like to see included in the ring, please write either Amy@pastorwives.org or Shannon at Sarahstent@aol.com with the URL address of that site.
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I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse the something I can do.
~ Helen Keller

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Our Sponsor

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CHAT NEWS!
Our recent Poll regarding Chat time preferences is now closed.  

5% of the JOY IN THE KITCHEN readers responded.  Here are the results: 

1^st  Choice =    Thursday - 2:00 pm MST
2^nd Choice =    Mondays - 8:00 am MST & Tuesday - 8:00 pm MST
3^rd Choice =     Wednesday - 11:00 am MST 

To be notified of Chats, subscribe to: mailto:st-chats-subscribe@egroups.com

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 WINNER!!!

  AmyO found last week's colored ball. 
Her original art print is in the mail! Congratulations Amy!

Click Here to learn more.

Contributing a prize is a great way to show off your talents or business! 
Contact Sarahstent@sarahstent.com for more information.
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John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 
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Our Sponsor

Many churches place plaques on pews or walls thanking faithful givers who donate financially to sow seed into fertile ministry soil. 

This spot is reserved for you!
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Nothing Dies Quicker than a New Idea in a Closed Mind.
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Dot is traveling this week – 
Jeanne (GcmDave1@aol.com)has a recipe she’d like to share with you! 

Pound ground beef
Half large green pepper and onion
Can large pitted olives cut in half
Can of corn
Sack of Vigo brand Mexican rice. 

Cook Mexican rice per directions.  While rice is cooking brown hamburger, peppers and onions.  NOTE: Do not add olives yet.  They would get too soggy. 

Drain burger and stir in cooked rice.  
Add can of corn drained.  Stir in olives right before serving. 

I had it with Louisiana hot sauce on it.  Some additional ideas might be, cover with salsa at the table, or add cut up tomatoes as the olives are put in. I bet it also would be good with sour cream.  If one wished to save fat and try the sour cream idea, crushing cottage cheese with a fork until it is fine adds an almost identical flavor.

It is very good, easy, quick, cheap, and sticks to the ribs.
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CHUCKLES & THOUGHTS

People can be divided into three groups:

1. Those who make things happen

2. those who watch things happen

3. Those who wonder what’s happening

 When God Prepares to do something wonderful, He begins with a difficulty. 
When He plans to do something very wonderful, He begins with an impossibility!

 We become like those with whom we associate: “A mirror reflects a man’s face, 
but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.”

 The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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WEB SITES & RESOURCES

 Visit our LINKS page for a wide variety of resources.
 Trade permanent links with us 

Joy in The Kitchen Volume 4 Issue 19