Preacher Wife

My husband wondered the other day what kind of style I’d sport as a preacher. I shot up an eyebrow when without thinking it through, he cast his vote for fire-and-brimstone prophet. He had forgotten how much I’ve changed over the years – at least those few days out of the month between cycles. I reminded him how shockingly diplomatic I’ve become with those who test me. And he quickly ran through my writing in his head and realized I am generally very nice on this blog and will pose no threat to dissenting perspectives. Ah yes, he could see his wife the congenial, cerebral teacher and preacher delicately offering what may be unpalatable in a chalice honeyed with reason.

Holistic Husband jumped and burst out, “A stinking lie!!”

It was unfair that I’d get away with it when he doesn’t get away with much at home.

79 thoughts on “Preacher Wife”

      2. Right – if it’s a genuine follow. =)
        This is a new rhythm for me. I’ve had to make adjustmts with the new fall homeschool cycle. I’ll have to go longer stretches of quiet.

        *very sad*

  5. Don’t stay quiet for too long. You dismantled your comments on a post where you said thinking you’ll be missed is narcissistic, so I couldn’t reply. But i look forward to your writing.

  8. Oh yeah. From the first read of your work, I was aware that you could be a fire and brimstone preacher. No doubt in my mind at all. I’ll tell you why. Human nature is often tested and/or strengthened by God in a process that is analogous to producing steel in a crucible. The person is placed in a situation where they are “heated” by friction or challenge or resistance until the temperature becomes so high that the person is “purified” by having all the impurities stripped from them leaving just the molten pure soul. From the inside out, the crucible is pure steel except where the impurities have floated to the top. When you are writing, we get to see your world from the inside , looking out at existence. Pure, faith, strong etc. That’s when we experience you from the inside looking out. My experience with such people as yourself (who are fired by a higher power, are determined, are meticulous,etc) is that viewed from the outside one gets to experience all the fire and brimstone that has accumulated on the surface. From the outside looking in, you no doubt have a very challenging personality. If you expect half of others what you expect of yourself, you can be, I am sure, the purveyor of the wrath of God. I mean that in the very nicest way possible, of course 😀 , (**Run away! Run Away!**)

      1. I’m about the head out for the next county over. I’ve slept very little this week – an understatement and need to catch up on the homeschool. I will do so when I surface. =) I am growing farther and farther behind on the visits back to dear readers. Just having trouble keeping up. Thanks for your patience, Paul.

    2. Pretty remarkable observation and feedback, Paul.

      “From the first read of your work”. You mean the first post of mine you ever saw, Praise, Smarts, the Myth of Self-Esteem??

      Yes, I’m familiar with the process and Biblical metaphor of the crucible and its dross.

      You nailed it, actually. Pretty amazing. “If you expect half of others what you expect of yourself”
      I have grown to shed expectations of people – even friends. Mentioned this in the Lessons from my 30s, the post that launched AHJ. This act of surrender and freeing people freed ME and has helped me become more gracious than anyone on this planet would’ve imagined possible. I always said it was a supernatural change. =)

      Problem is, there is one person you sorta can’t help but have expectations of. For the small matter of sacred vows and the fact that you need to keep serving each other to build a life together. =) And THAT is where my man doubled over from the indignation that I could be so longsuffering with others… LOL

    1. Ha ha you could see it, huh? I’ve been revealing bits this year. And I actually JuSt fixed it to fire (from the hell I had originally). I was at the end of my tether, not having slept this wk, when I wanted to put out the last post for the wk.

    1. Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

      Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

      If OM and I were less who we are – secure, not easily shaken – we might for no good reason be embarrassed (I think, I can’t quite speak for him) and keep our distance hereon. You are tempting me to blip your comment LOL. But in the power of my innocence I shall leave it.

      1. Sorry for the joke. I don’t keep up that closely, it’s just too much! I’m quite sure that whoever you’re married to is a gem. He did dance with you, after all. 🙂

      3. Thank you, that was sweet! See, you are sweet, tell hubby I said so. Yes, we did start out close to the same time. Your blog as sprouted wings! Mine, a bit of a tortoise, but moving along in the right direction for me. Still plugging along on my book, and getting lost in ancestry.com too! Fun all around.

      4. “See, you are sweet, tell hubby I said so.”

        Ha ha ha ha. I had to step out of the mom-pop restrnt a few hrs ago THREE times to ask the customers to smoke farther away. We were right by the door and I could smell it the moment they lit up. I was so mad, the second time it was a pack of Korean dudes who I think I frightened with my glare. “I’m not paying so my son can eat in a gas chamber.” LOL

        Book. Wishful thinking here. So happy for you.

      5. I hope ancestry.com was useful. The last I heard from you was when you’d expressed in contributing to the Race Around the World. I didn’t ask twice so as not to pressure and I don’t usu. visit when someone disappears only because I don’t want to obligate them to visit back. =) Funny thing is, it often turns out it’s because WP had wiped me off their READER. ^^ The Race was amazing. Several readers asked that I compile the series into an ebook.

      6. Oh, was that the poetry compiliation? It’s funny; I wrote a poem for that and my hubby thought it wasn’t appropriate (about step-parenting) to air publicly, so I started an anonymous blog about step-parenting and then never got back to enter it! Are you still doing it?

  15. I have been a preacher’s wife for 45 years. I have preached one or two times when he was ill in the past 9 years. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I would preach again if he ever gets sick. He stays healthy, and I remain quiet.

  16. Hi, D. The river of time and blogs is rushing by me . . .ahh. I am reading and I am thinking, but I may not be commenting right now. Liking, but not mindless likes, trying to send positive vibes through the ethernet. I know, I know, as you wrote earlier, no one cares . . .

  17. Ha, ha…I view you as a very “congenial, cerebral teacher” and being able to capture attention from all different factions ~ a true talent. Then again, it is just a like a husband to burst the bubble 🙂

  20. Hmmm…

    I’m aware of two stereotypes labeled as hellfire & brimstone:

    1. Generally a shouting, red-faced, sweating fundamentalist preacher with poor theology.

    2. Any preacher who dares to proclaim the gospel of grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone.

    I wonder which your husband was referring to? 😉

  22. Diana you have a wicked way with words and I think what ever you took on you would do it in your own sleek style. As long as you have a man who believes in you, (and gets you) life is pretty grand. Laughing together keeps us sane.

  24. This was almost like a song, “delicately offering what may be unpalatable in a chalice honeyed with reason.” And you really are nice in your blogs. Should I be scared? *gulp*

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