"Seems he was available to everyone in the congregation but never there for his own wife and kids. That's the sad fact of the chosen way of life."
That was my experience growing up in a parsonage as a preacher's kid. Everyone else got the good parts of Dad, and I got the emotionally and physically exhausted man that was left (and that wasn't at all fun).
The divorce rate among clergy is shocking. It would seem that clergy are on a mission from God (or so they think), and one of the sacrifices that they think they must make is the sacrifice of their family.
Alice Cooper... Preacher's Kid. Suprised?
he did stray, but has come back to The Lord as of the mid 90s
It's a two way street.
I guess all of us could ask ourselves if there isn't something we could do FOR the family, for the pastor, for his/her children.
He's a great golfer, though.
Actually Alice hasn't turned out too bad now that he's ...pushing 60. But he certainly has taken a few side roads on the way there.
From a preacher's kid: I understand and your are correct.
I am not a preacher's kid, but definately can see how it would be strained.. an minister/pastor/priest must be there for his congregation.. and that means he must be there virtually 24/7 if he has a reasonably sized congregation.. which means the wife and children are likely to get very little.. and what they do get are the scraps... and probably not usually situations where dad's in the best of moods...
I mean who can be when they live their life trying to help others with troubles 24/7??