SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

"...this day is a day of good tidings..." (from 2 Kings 7:9)

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 is a very special day.  It is my wife Mary Ann (Gardiner) Baril's 50th birthday.  I know you're not supposed to tell a woman's age, but there's something about the very special 50th birthday that (sort of) makes it O.K.!  Actually, Mary Ann is one of those who DOESN'T mind people knowing her age, so that makes things a lot easier!

I turned 50 on a Sunday in 2004.  That was kind of cool since I was actually born on a Sunday.  It was a BIG occasion for me!  My friend Ed from Texas came and spoke.  We had a special dinner at a local restaurant for around twenty family and friends.  It was just a big, impressive day!  I felt like the only thing missing was a visit from President and Mrs. Bush!

Pastors go through a lot of difficulties, but they also get a lot of public fanfare and praise which helps make up for the hard stuff.

Pastors are expected to be almost perfect, but Pastors' wives are expected to be PERFECT.  They have to be perfect wives, perfect mothers, perfect homemakers, perfect leaders, perfectly merciful and comforting people, perfect teachers, perfect counselors, and pretty much perfect everything else, too!  Pastors' wives often receive little or no fanfare or praise.  Those who have special ministries to pastors, their wives, and families, tend to report that many pastors' wives are sad and hurting and feeling unappreciated and neglected. In addition to all that perfect stuff I mentioned, today's typical pastors' wife works a full-time job and is the chief breadwinner in the family.

That's true in my family.

A recent prominent Christian magazine reported that in the past few years most all denominations and churches have eliminated health insurance from the salary and benefits package they offer pastors.  In almost every case, the pastors' wife has gone out and gotten a full-time job, largely for the health insurance package THEY can provide.  It's a national crisis, and it's hit the Baril home, as well.  The church provided health insurance until about three years ago, but as in thousands of other cases, it just became cost prohibitive.  So, Mary Ann works full-time as the Administrative Assistant at Marian High School...brings home a salary that enables us to "live" instead of "exist" and provides the health insurance, plus doing an unbelievable amount of stuff at the church including being the Treasurer.

SO, let's make sure Mary Ann has a happy birthday!

Send her an e-mail greeting...maybe even an e-card!  I think it would be cool if she got something like a hundred e-mail birthday greetings at
mabaril@aol.com