tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20413825.post4419173182207809337..comments2023-08-17T09:12:22.703-04:00Comments on The Confessing Tiger: Learning a hard lesson from an unbalanced lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20413825.post-37307004761349337802009-07-17T09:57:18.504-04:002009-07-17T09:57:18.504-04:00...I once had a pastor who almost daily reminded m......I once had a pastor who almost daily reminded me that ministry is "24/7 and that's just how ministry is." He repeated often, "That's what you signed up for when you became a minister. Your family just has to understand that." Sadly, I believed that for a while. I allowed him to convince me that my family must always sacrifice so the church can always win...<br /><br />Interesting. My 1st priest and his wife definitely believed they and family came first ALWAYS: The second service was over, *wham-o*: Back home with the door firmly slammed shut and don't bother them! Don't e-mail, phone, nothing. I dunno, that sort of struck me as "We want to work 2 hours a week and otherwise it's ALL *OUR* TIME" (blatant selfishness). Their attitude was also that ANY TINY need was absolutely outrageous and they'd instantly guilt induce parishoners to back off. Considering I work an average of 50 hours a week (and care for a disabled spouse), I just couldn't sympathize all that much with their self-important and selfish behaviors! <br /><br />A Baptist friend of mine would agree with the pastor who said it's 24/7; that is how the Baptist churches she's attended operate.<br /><br />What is the fine balance? I don't know. I'm a layperson obviously.<br /><br />But I know all too well the other side of the story: As a fairly new Christian (3 years) I apparently still cannot find the balance of what's fair and appropriate interaction/needing clergy versus trying to be as self-supportive as possible. Frankly I opt for the latter, just to be on the safe side. And I also often feel it's a no-win situation; I *sometimes* feel I'm being scrutinized if I do or don't turn to clergy. >:-\Cindynoreply@blogger.com