Tuesday, January 10, 2006

This aint momma's diner kids

So it was sloppy joe night here last night. I set toddler spawns plate in front of her and she says very sternly " no momma". I say to her , " you will eat this or you will go hungry little Missy"

Then she says she wants toast. I say no toast you eat this. To which she demands to eat something else. And I tell her no. After about 10 minutes of fighting with her I say

" you want some oatmeal"

The kid had 2 bowls...I have no backbone...

****************************************

so I have more news on the 15 year plan. The husband had a meeting with the pastor today to talk.."bidness"

To which I learned some troubling aspects of this whole preacher profession.

I don't normally like talking about money on here, but this is troubling me and I need to share it..mmkay?

The husband has a Bacholers degree already. SO he will be getting a Masters in whatever it is preacher have. Now most folks with a Masters degree make about a 6 figure income. Well not us...We will be going backwards.

right now he makes over 70,000..I know its not a lot, but it is pretty good for us..If we did not have to make 2 house payments, credit card bills, and both our student loans..We would be the freaking Rockefeller's....But we have all that..So we deal with it....

Once the husband becomes a preacher...He will make only 38,000 to start...How the heck does that work? I am going to have to be the breadwinner, I can see. And I don't like bread.

But I told him there is a plus side....Making 38,000 for a family of 5 is considered poverty..So we can get food stamps and Medicaid...Works for me...I have always wanted to live off the fruits of the government...That is not a bad goal is it?

But alas , Christina will get a job to get er done..Cant have the kids getting free lunch at school...Oh the talk...

Cant have the preachers kids on skid row...Then again, maybe the church members would donate more every week..See there are plus sides to everything people..You just have to look.

Toodles

ps...the next post down is a conversation with Toddler spawn..I am addicted to the audio posting..yup need a 12 step for that too..

***editors note..the hubby has informed me we get a free house and utilites with the gig...But to me living in a home that you dont own is just kind of barbaric..you cant paint it..you cant fix it up...I am very fussy bout my living qaurters...very fussy indeed......This is why I did not join the military....I need my own home..such as life..

carry on.....we are done here

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, this is for sure part of the plan? Can't you make a list of pros and cons together or something? Seems like both of you should be on board, huh? Take care, Girlie. :)

pack of 2 said...

Damn...that is a huge difference in cash-o-la! I don't know if I could do it!!!

I'm off to listen to your singing now...damn, I'm so out of the loop these days.

Shel

Melis said...

Ummmmm... TRIPLE HOLY BATSHIT! I'm not so sure that I'd be all kinds of gungho on that 15 yr plan either. I would have to agree with you on the whole house thing as well... if it's MINE, I want it to REALLY be mine! Good luck on that one girly!

Karin said...

The other question you need to ask him is where do you live once he retires? The church will need to give the rectory to the new pastor. Also not all churches have rectories so you can't count on a house being part of the deal. I studied to be a minister and then choose a completely different path. Also just because the hubs has a bachelors doesn't make seminary a masters degree. What it will add is a lot more student loans and less ability to pay them. However there are a lot of perks to being a Minister and family and that can overweigh all the cons. I am bitter about the whole thing in my case so I am not the best to offer advice here. I would advice the hubs to get more involoved in the church perhaps lead the men's ministry and see how it feels. Perhaps he can get what he needs by not giving up all that he currently has. I will shut up now because I am going into blogger overdrive.

keesh said...

Wow. what a change in lifestyle for you. Not to mention who knows how much responsibility will fall onto you. they may want you to run some woman's groups or something...good luck to ya. when does he plan to start schooling for this?

eyes_only4him said...

ok,I will try to aswer everything in one commnet..
yes it is gonna put a damper on me living like a millionaire..I dont like this part..

he will start classes this summer and wont be done for about 4 or 5 years ,as he can only go part time..He is getting his masters cuz that is what ya do...most preachers do...

he is already on the sunday school commitee..( he is charge of the whole production)..he is also the head of the kids minestry, and on hte finaince commetee, and another cometee that I can remeber..so he has been involoved in the church for a long time..

We are planning on moving to South Carolina next year. He will conitie his study there, and that is where we will be.

I guess the pension plan..(for the methodist church anyway) is very very good...and the methodist church either gives you a house to live on our they offer you a houseing allownace for you to live elsewhere...

Our pastor now makes just a little elss then the hubby does, but he has been a pastor for 10 years..obviously one does not become a pastor for the money..cuz you make nothing..

So I will have to work also..which is fine cuz by the time this all goes down everyone will be in school full time anyway..

ok, did I cover it all?..HAHA

eyes_only4him said...

Angie,
I get where your coming from, but I have thought long and hard bout it..and I guess my only issue has been money...But by the time he would acctually be a full time preacher most of our debt will be paid pff..I will be done with my student loans in 2 years, hubby will be done in about 5..( the church is giving him scholership for his schooling right now), my van will be paid off in 2 years and hopefully that dang house back home will sell before I die..

so I have been thinking about it..but I do know that I will get a job outside of the church, becuase i will need anohter outlet..

and I was joking about living off the state...I could never do it, nor would I ever want to:)

Anonymous Fat Blogger said...

I sooo need to get caught up! I can't hear your audios here at work, I tried yesterday and today. So I guess that means I'll be logging on at home...bummer.

It sounds like y'all have everything planned out....yes I said y'all, I'm from FL....lol I wish you the best of luck if that is what you really want. I'm not sure if I could handle having people look up to me...hee hee

momma of 2 said...

Good luck with this decision - it's a pretty major one, and one I would have a hard time with.... I am not preacher's wife material... thinking of Annie on 7th Heaven - that's not really me.

Mandi said...

Ok I usually don't do this, but on this subject, I felt the need.

My dad is a pastor. He hasn't always been one. He was a very good lighting designer. He was making $75,000 a year. However, God placed a call on his life and he left that job to serve the Lord. Now he makes $25,000 a year. a huge pay cut, but God has blessed them. And I don't think one should become a pastor to get a free house either. They've lived in several parsonages and have had free reign to paint or whatever. Now they own their home.

In my opinion, you have no desire to become a pastor's wife. I also think that God calls a man AND his wife into Christian service. As a pastor, a man needs his wife to support and understand the ins and outs of pastoral living. Are you prepared to do that?? Also, in the Bible pastors are called to a higher standard. Are you prepared for that??? I grew up as a Pastor's kid and everyone had very high expectations of my family. I'm not saying this is right, but in 1 Timothy 3 it says, "Now the overseer (pastor) must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self controlled, resepctable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not vilent but gentle, not quarellsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Christina, I'm not sure this is the path for you and I would caution you and your husband to seek God and His will. There is way more to this than with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Christina, I'm not sure this is the path for you and I would caution you and your husband to seek God and His will. There is way more to this than less money and a free house. I realize I've opened a can of worms, so be it.

Choppzs said...

That sounds exactly what it was like when we were in the Marine Corps!! lol As a Sgt. my husband made 26,000 a year and we had 2 children. It makes me sick to hear that most of our military is considered poverty level. It is pretty hard when you have credit cards and a mortgage, but somehow we managed and got through. It all works out.

As for the "free house" lol, it does suck big time!! You can't do anything with it except with accessories. Unless of course, you pay to have it repainted white when you leave, but then that costs to much money and takes to much time.

eyes_only4him said...

denise,
trust me its for the best..the audo sucks and you dont wanna be scared by the singing..haha

Momma,
I have never seen 7th heaven..am I an outcast now?..haha

Mandi,
I respect what you are saying..the truth is I do not tell the whole story on here because some things are private...But he feels he has been called to do this..and this is why we are willing to scarafice our currnet lifestyle to do so..although I am not sure bout whole idea, I do support it. I am the one who is worried about the money part, not him..I have unrealsitc ideals in my head. That is just me.

I by no means think that getting a free house is a perk. I was just saying this to get the point across we would not have a mortgae paymenr, cuz how could you make one on that kind of money.

This is something he has talked about for years, I never thought he was seroius, but the last 6 months or so I see he is.

and I dont know what you mean about
"quarellsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything."

He takes good care of this family..he works his tail off so I can stay home with the kids, he respects me and will do anything for me or the kids..and he has..He is a very relgoius man who feels the need to "help" anyone who he thinks is having a hard time...he would give a paycheck away to someone if he knew they could not pay thier bills for the month..

The things I wrote on here are greatly over exxagered and some things have LOTS of details left out..(because I am a drama queen) and some things are private.

Although I have not been "called" to do this job, I have been "called" to help him do it. By helping I mean I am willing to sacfrice our family time and some money for him to do this..

I know money is not the end all and be all...But it is somthing I worry about . It is human to have worries such as those. He does not worry about that..I do..I worry about everything though..

although I respect your thoughts, I must say that you really dont know the whole situation or understand the big picutre.

eyes_only4him said...

chopzz,
I know my sister's "husband" is in the navy and he makes nothing..I dont know how they do it..

The thing about the house that bothers me is, I wont feel like it is home, knowing that it does not belong to us..I would never feel like I had home that was ours, that I could paint, kncok out walls, or whatever...But I will need to get over it I suppose..I have lots of time...this is a 15 year plan after all..HAHA

Nicole said...

Christina-
You know, in your heart, that God will provide. And if it's His will for your husband to become a preacher, then He will change your heart and prepare you for it, too. We will support you in whatever decision you make.

:* Princess

Twisted Lady said...

I dunno. I would not be on board with a pay cut like that. How are you going to have time for a job?

Um, why does he need to do this? Minus the obivous reasons...

eyes_only4him said...

Princess,
thank you..and your right, it will all work out..I just have to stop worring bout it..

thersa,
it is a heck of a pay cut...

but by the time he would be doing it full time, I would want to be having a job anyway..the kids will be older, and i cant just sit here and blog all day..HAHA

but this is something he feels he needs to do..and I am not gonna mess with The Big Man upstairs..if he called him for it..I wont argue..:)

Anonymous said...

damn nothin. thats what my husband brings home, and i aint got no job no how. i'm in school full time. we make do. our house isnt' much but its mine. it's gonna be okay there little missy. so long as you never have no in yer heart.

i missed something major. i didn't realize your husband was going to become a pastor, what the heck? and do you all go to church, and what do you have a degree in? don't MAKE me read this whole blog!

eyes_only4him said...

susie,
yup we all go to church, the kids are in sunday school, the hubby is head of 2 commneties and we are both in choir..( no comments missy...haha)

he has a degree in boilogy and math..I on the other hand did not finish yet..I went to beauty school about 11 years ago, and I have thought about medical school once upon a time..If I would go I would be done shortly..not with medical school but with something..I think about beocmeing an RN or going in to real estate..

my house istn much either but its where I live, and I can rip out the walls if i want...I need to get rid of my old house though..that is what is killing me..sucks..

but thanks for the encourging words..you are the best;)

keesh said...

i am glad you are seeing the postives of hte whole change and figuring on teh timeframe at least you have some time to get some things paid. I hope your house sells too. that would suck. Good luck to ya and as Susie said, God will give you what you need.

Karin said...

Ok Christina now that I said the negatives I will give you some positive reenforcement. I know you are a loving and giving person and that when the time comes for you to be a Pastors wife you will be ready for it. A home feels like a home because of who's in it not who owns it. You will be able to paint and decorate the house. No you can't knock down walls but more and more houses are being build as part of communities and you can't knocked down walls either. I know that the money seems overwhelming right now, but as you said by the time this happens all the kids will be in school and you would want to be working anyway. My Mom was a stay at home Mom until I went to Kindergarten and then she went stir crazy and got a job. I still feel like she was always there for me and because of her job we had extra money for trips and dinners out. Don't be too hard on yourself, when your life starts a new direction it is ok to get scared by the road signs, if you weren't looking at all the details you would be foolish not prepared for service. I know it seems weird to get advice on this from a converted jew that once studied to be a pastor, but know I have been there and I understand the pull. If you want to talk you can email me.

eyes_only4him said...

Kish,
well i have had lots of time think about it, being I am in the misdt of a mid life crisis and all..haha.

it will be hard to adjust too, but hopefully it will all work out.

Karin,
converted Jew or not, you sound like you know what your talking about:)...thank you for the words of encourgement and I know you are right..owning your house doesnt mean it cant feel like home, or that we will be less happy..Just means I cant knock out walls..haha

thank you for your supposrt and advice, and dont be surprised if you dont get an email from me..
thanks friend:)

Tee/Tracy said...

Wow. Crazy. I like the part about being able to get food stamps though. LOL.

eyes_only4him said...

i mean dont be surpsied if you DO get an e mail from me...my spell checker has the dya off:)

eyes_only4him said...

Tee,
I made a funny huh?..HAHA..

I was just teasing though..but wouldnt it be nice to have your groceries paid for..

*sighs*

Jamie Dawn said...

My hubby has been a pastor since 1983 and he doesn't have a Master's. He has a Bible degree and a Music degree. He has been a youth pastor, music pastor and the big honcho pastor.
I wish your Hubby success!

Oatmeal or Sloppy Joes? I'd take Sloppy Joes!!

Foxy said...

i would of gave in and let her eat the oatmeal too- i'm always worried about my kids not eating enough..lol

and about the whole pastor thing- wow! it took me an hour just to read all the comments, but it sounds like you already got some good advice. whatever you choose, i wish you lots of luck and happiness. :)

Anonymous said...

heres the other one. profile pic of angel girl.

Anonymous said...

heres the other one. profile pic of angel girl.