So... what does your fiance DO?
Brian has blogged a few times about various reactions from people that he gets when they find out what he does for a living. I never really thought about why it might be awkward because it didn't affect me.
Until two weeks ago, while during a toast to our new engagement a close friend and "pastor's wife" toasted to the idea that we'd get to be side by side in ministry as "pastor's wives" together, and as much as I was touched by her well wishes, I wanted to faint.
Wait a minuet... I'm going to be a what?? Okay so I should have thought it through so I had a better game face, but I figure I have my whole life to practice that one. And I really am just excited to become a WIFE. The pastor part will just be whatever it will be so I am trying not to over think it too much.
Although...
This week as I found myself answering that huge question "so what does he DO?" I believe I finally came to understand the awkwardness first hand. It started with my friend for NZ... we were in the car after spending time at church together and she let a few f-bombs drop but apologized over and over as if she'd damaged my delicate eardrums. I recalled being in NZ 2 years ago and we were in the car she did the same thing - without any apologies.
I informed my landlord about my engagement and she remembered he was a pastor from a previous conversation. "Well honey, good thing you have your own business so you two can stay afloat!"
Yesterday I ran into a couple from my old church and we got caught up briefly. I told them of my engagement to "a pastor" and the woman says "A pastor's wife huh? Well you gotta just take that freak flag and WAVE that sucker. Wave it HIGH!" And then tells a story about how she was so surprised that she actually met a "normal" woman the other day who turned out to be a pastor's wife (of all things!).
My Esthetician today also found herself perplexed when I told her what he did for a living
"well does he like, have a regular job to make money though?" and was silent when I tried to explain to her that it WAS his real job... then apologized for a slightly inappropriate joke she'd made about boyfriends earlier (that I had not been offended by nor remembered until she brought it up) because, you know, since he's a pastor... he isn't like that.
So when I saw this post from a young bride I'd done a wedding for last summer (new pastor's wife), It dawned on me that something deep inside has already started to take root that is out of my control.
Because I thought the video was freakin' hilarious, and know I would have rolled my eyes at the dorky-ness just a fortnight ago...
