Sidekicks Clergy Spouse Network
Where the Pastor's Wife / Husband Can Climb Out of the Fishbowl
You've found Sidekicks, the Clergy Spouse Support Network
New to this site?
What am I doing here???? If you feel lost, not to worry, you're among friends. This website is designed to get clergy spouses connected and communicating with each other.
Sadly, due to spammers, our site may not be able to remain public much longer. At the moment, all pages may be accessed by visitors as well as members, with the exception of closed groups. Comments made in closed groups can only be viewed by group members, so comments made there won't get back to your congregation.
Share a little or a lot, use a pen name, substitute a holiday for your birthday, even use a cartoon instead of your photo. Posting age or gender is optional.
To read the Guidelines and Rules, after signing up, click here.
Health Matters
Okay, a "few" rules isn't really accurate. There are 64 rules to be exact. But they're witty, simple, and you don't need to memorize anything. They're all common sense, and once you start, you'll be on a roll and it'll be easy.
I'm talking about Michael Pollan's most recent book, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual."
The little paperback, which I read in about an hour over a tall latte, is divided into three sections that develop principles set out in his earlier book, In Defense of Food. The principles are:
1. Eat Food. That is to say, don't eat stuff that has been broken down to its molecular components then rearranged and synthesized into a packaged commodity. Eat real food from farms, without much done to it outside your own kitchen.
2. Eat Mostly Plants. Pollan has a real knack for words. For example, one of his rules is: If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't.
3. Not Too Much. Here's the idea: eat less food, but spend more money on better food. I realized that my husband and I already do this with coffee, choosing to buy premium fair-trade coffee, and really enjoying the flavor. Organic produce is a bargain when compared with junk food and fast food. Pollan credits one rule to wise grandmothers: pay the grocer, not the doctor.
Here's a review of Food Rules , by Tara Parker Pope.
See more health topics in our Health Matters archives.
What are these GROUPS?
To start a new group of your own, click above on "Create a Group," then follow the prompts. Your Group can be open to everyone or just to those you invite. So jump in and have fun!
Musings
Letting Go and Moving On
Well, I think it's about time to get rid of that Christmas message. Time to take a deep breath, shake the dust off the sandals and move on.
We got spammed today by someone trying to sell stuff out of her home. Truly, she did us a favor, because once I was alerted, I not only suspended her but about two dozen other "Canadian Pharmacy" spammers. (Such a shame, as I'm sure most Canadian pharmacies are perfectly ethical and legitimate.) I've sent out several more email warnings to (ahem)… Continue
Created by Starr Luteri-Hicks Jan 29, 2010 at 10:04pm. Last updated by Starr Luteri-Hicks Jan 30.
Forum
No One Ever Says, "Good Job"
Kids get report cards. Other professionals get raises. Pastors? Who ever says to the pastor, "Hey, we really appreciate all the work you put into the Annual Report." And when tithing is down (way, way down) because of the sour economy, and no body on the staff has gotten a raise in 3 or 4 years, how does the pastor keep plugging on with enthusiasm and energy?
0 discussions
Dear Nonni Know-It-All
Dear Nonni Know-It-All,
At our recent congregational meeting,a number of the "snowbirds" in our congregation pushed through a decision to establish a church website and to produce an email newsletter in addition to the perfectly adequate monthly newsletter we have always had. They claim that the Internet site is free, which I strongly doubt, and that the email newsletter will save money now spent mailing the newsletter to them. Indeed, they want to minimize the regular newsletter and have all our members read the congregational news on computers. Dearest Nonni, don't you agree that this is terribly inconsiderate to those of us who live year-round near the church and prefer NOT to spend all our time at new-fangled computers?
Miffed in Mesa
My Dear Mesa,
Nonni certainly sympathizes with your feelings about snowbirds. They come flocking in with their retirement money and vacation attitudes, oblivious to the real concerns and issues of legitimate, that is, year-round church members. You are perfectly justified in resenting part-timers having full-time influence just because your congregational meeting falls during their vacation months. If Nonni may venture an suggestion, she would urge you to get your most important meeting changed to a date when snowbirds are back north where they belong.
But Nonni has a question for you: if you dislike interactions on the Internet, how are you communicating with Nonni Know-It-All?
Email your heartaches and deep spiritual questions to Nonni Dearest: NonniDeare811@sidekicks.ning.com
Click here for more pearls of wisdom from Nonni Know-It-All.
copyright Starr Luteri-Hicks 2009
Legal and Theological Disclaimer: Anybody tempted to take "Dear Nonni" too seriously should immediately increase their dose of humor medication.
Members
Fix that Default Photo!
To change your profile photo on Sidekicks, especially to get rid of that silly default photo, sign into the network and click the “My Settings” link on the upper right side of the page. Click on the blue/green photo icon next to “Your Photo.” A small window will pop open. Click the “Browse” button under “Upload a file from your computer.” Locate an image on your computer, double click on it, and then click “Done.” When you upload a new photo, the old one will be deleted.
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About
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Web Words
FWIW: For What It's Worth
GMOG: Great Minister of God / Great Man of God
LOBHL: Little Old Blue-Haired Ladies
LOL: Laughing Out Loud
MDH / MDW: My Dear Husband/ My Dear Wife
PK: Preacher's Kid; a.k.a. DO: Divine Off-spring
BOOKSHELF
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, recommended by Amy Spencer. Starr's comment: don't read this book if you don't want your lifestyle changed.
My Life in France, by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme. It's the part of "Julie and Julia" movie with Julia Child in Paris with her beloved husband Paul. It lets you know Julia even better.
Liturgical Mysteries by Mark Schweizer, St. James Music Press. This absurd series starts with "The Alto Wore Tweed" and includes "The Soprano Wore Falsettos" and four more just as bad. But never mind the literary quality, the liturgical / musical humor is great for those of us who get it. I get my copies from our church organist, and she gets them at church music conventions. But not to worry, you can find the Liturgical Mysteries at Amazon. Just don't read these during boring sermons, because you're apt to laugh out loud.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin. Why and how one American decided he had to build schools for children in Afghanistan. You'll discover the story behind stories in the news, and see how a determined individual established a charitable institute that is changing the world, one child at a time.
article: "My Brief Life As A Woman" by Dana Jennings. How would a man cope with menopause? Guys treated with hormones for prostate cancer sometimes learn all about hot flashes, cravings, and, well, just read it here.
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler. Disturbing revelations about the food industry and biological roots of compulsive overeating. Thorough research. Unfortunately this reads more like a textbook than a thriller.
Time Magazine article about Pastors' Wives.
My Dearest Friend, Letters of Abigail and John Adams. Edited by Margaret A. Hogan and C. James Taylor. I love this book. It's especially nice if you've seen the HBO series on John Adams.
Recommend your favorite books here.
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