A Bundle of Myrrh

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Since it’s October and all, I thought this a good time to sit down and write a bit on being Lutheran. Well, not on being Lutheran but on how I became one and why. I just want to tell my story, my journey. I feel strange doing this, but I am writing it down for my own memory and for my children who might be curious someday. It’s hard to write something like this and it’s hard to keep it short! I’ve broken it into 3 parts, just 3 don’t worry.

I write this not to “bash” any other Christian denominations. Also you need to know I don’t believe that Christians in other denominations are not saved. A lot of what we believe is very different but God’s Grace is still manifest despite this. His Word is powerful and life giving. Where His Gospel is preached and believed in Faith there is Salvation.

First some history:

I was raised as a Baptist. But as I learned more about other Baptist churches I realized my church was of a different sort of Baptist. My pastor was a Baptist who dabbled in Calvinism. I think because of that we had a Calvinism with altar calls, Grace mixed with decisions for Jesus. I’ve recently learned that he was early to a party that is just starting to get bigger in the Baptist church.

A wave called “New Calvinism” is beginning. You can learn more about that HERE. As I listened to that interview I realized that it was pretty much my own story out of the Baptist church.

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I can’t speak for other Pastor’s families or what family life might be like in other denominations for a pastor’s family. I can only share our life, what we have encountered in the short 7 years as a pastor’s family in a rural town.

No one goes into this life really knowing what to expect. You can hear stories, you can be given advice, but like with other things, marriage or parenthood, you just have to start living it to learn it.

One day at a time, one month at a time, each one bringing it’s own changes, it’s own routines, it’s own troubles. And I’m sure there are families in other walks whose Daddies have been given other callings that could say some of the same things as I will. A Daddy’s work can make life lonely for many families, I know, I was raised with a Military Daddy!

I laughed when after explaining to a friend of mine that this new baby of ours isn’t due until April 15th, which means we clear Advent, Christmas, Lent AND Easter and how that is a little blessing, she said, “Only a pastor’s wife would have thought of that!”

She’s right, our family revolves around a slightly different calendar than a lot of families. Pastor’s wives know when our husbands will be at their busiest, the times of the year when they will be pulled and stretched thin, more tired. Typically the times of the year when other families are relaxing a bit more our family is just “gearing up!”

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