Here’s another story that shows things aren’t always so rosy in religious families. We’ve written a couple of times about the mis-matched ministers, Juanita Bynum and Thomas Weeks.

Well, here’s a story out of Alabama about a pastor whose wife walked out on him and their two kids six months ago. Actually, according to a report in the Mobile Press-Register, Beth Smith is still seeing her children on a regular basis, and sources say she is a good mother.

But in March, she hocked her wedding ring while attending a religious convention in Louisiana and bought a bus ticket to New York without telling her family anything. To say the least, details like that make her sound unstable. She was living in a women’s shelter in New York when authorities finally located her in July and brought her back to Alabama.

Her husband, Rev. Jason Lee Smith, has filed for divorce and it seeking custody of the kids, who are 10 and 7. Beth Smith’s attorney said there was conflict in the marriage and that the couple had grown apart. And he talked about the toll that keeping up appearances can take when you’re married to a religious leader. Indeed, if you start to question the life you’re living, that’s a difficult place to be. But walking out on your family? She’s going to have a tough time explaining that away.

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Yep, Britney Spears — America's candy-coated sweetheart — has hit an (old) Elvis low at the tender age of 26. And to that we say? Super!

The girl was clearly engaged in a dogged day-to-day media campaign to ruin any credibility she had left with fans, family, friends, and, most important of all, her destiny-deciding judge. Her part conscious/part unconscious young woman on-the-verge display was a painfully off-key, glaringly obvious cry for help.

Any why not? The marriage is toast, the career is in the later stages of decomposition, Britney's brain — judging by all outward appearances — is cooked. And now, Commissioner Scott Gordon has ordered Britney to surrender her two sons, ages one and two, to ex-husband and consummate father-figure, Kevin "Pass that Shit" Federline.

With this latest development, we are now firmly encamped with that kid under the yellow bed sheets on YouTube. Enough! Leave Britney alone!

Get the girl some help and let this be the end of her nightmare, because the next stage in this highly-illogical man-made disaster follows far too closely on the red stiletto heels of Marilyn Monroe.

Last week, we reported that everyone from her mother to her manager are running for the hills. Now, Britney Spears has fired her old new-lawyers and gotten a new new-lawyer. Marci Levine didn't even last a week.

According to Access Hollywood, Britney will now be represented by Sorrell Trope, well known for representing Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman. That is, until next week, when he'll likely be jumping for cover as well.

As if the lawyerpalooza wasn't enough, it's also been reported that Spears is ignoring the court orders handed down last week. Commissioner Scott Gordon ordered that nether Spears or ex-husband Kevin Federline is permitted to consume alcohol or drugs around the children, or for twelve hours before picking them up. Spears was seen out partying the same night — presumably, a slap in the face to the already agitated judge.

Additionally, Spears must submit to twice-weekly random drug and alcohol screenings, due to what the Court called "habitual, frequent and continuous" drug and alcohol abuse.

Apparently, the judge is very concerned someone will figure out that Spears is higher than the space shuttle. The court ordered all test results sealed, that they can't be faxed to the court, and that anyone distributing them without Court permission will be fined $2,500. Oh gee, now we'll never know.

Spears also has to undergo various types of counseling, including eight hours of parenting classes per week, and individual counseling to address "parenting issues." We think it'd be helpful if they also ordered her into fashion counseling, and perhaps some time with a personal trainer.

Charlie Sheen is seriously paying for his sins of the ‘80s at the hand of ex Denise Richards. Now the out-of-work actress is trying to take away Sheen's overnight privileges with the couple's two daughters, and airing some foul-smelling laundry to do it.

According to court papers filed by Richards this week and obtained by Access Hollywood, Sheen is still exhibiting "inappropriate behavior... and conduct," including "his attraction to underage women and his sexual explicitness on the Internet, including revealing his private parts."

Richards' criticism extends to Sheen's new fiancée, Brooke Mueller, who, according to Richards, drummed up press for her marriage with Sheen at the expense of the children. In the filing, Richards claims Sheen and Mueller told her they "did it for the press... he wanted to get the cover of People and Us magazine."

Richards even managed to bring her nanny into the action. In a declaration included in the court filing, the nanny, Diana Alvarez claims she witnessed Sheen hitting the family dogs, and threatening to hit the couple's daughter Sam. Alvarez also alleges Sheen "yells... and routinely curses" in front of the children, and "completely ignores" the youngest daughter Lola.

Just so we're on the same page, last month Richards was lambasting Sheen for his lack of discretion because of statements he made in the press. This is just more proof that basic principals of reason go entirely out the door during a nasty divorce. There is no way we've heard the last from Richards on this one, as the out-of-work actor has plenty of time on her hands to make life miserable for Sheen.

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Country singer Sara Evans was in court yesterday to defend against allegations by her soon-to-be ex-husband, Craig Schelske, that she's been sleeping her way up and down the A-list. Schelske made headlines last week when he filed a 118-page manifesto with the divorce court, demanding that Evans admit to affairs with eleven other celebrities, including Kenny Chesney and Will Smith.

Attorneys for Evans denied the charges, noting that Evans has only met Smith once, and it lasted a mere five minutes. Chancellor R. E. Lee Davies, the presiding judge in the case, ruled against Schelske as well, finding the couple had already reached an agreement and no further hearings are required. Read more on Evans here.

Meanwhile, embattled pop-star-cum-disaster Britney Spears was in court Monday, facing a mass exodus of advisors and turncoat employees.

Spears' divorce attorney, Laura Wasser, appeared at a hearing to formally withdraw as counsel for the singer. Meanwhile, Spears' managers at Hollywood-based the Firm have dropped her as well, citing "current circumstances" as "prevent[ing] us from doing our job."

Adding to the damage was the surprise appearance of Tony Barretto, a bodyguard fired by Spears several months ago. Though Barretto didn't testify, sources reveal he was prepared to allege "nudity by Ms. Spears, drug use and safety issues involving the children." The Spears camp characterized Barretto as disgruntled.

These are just a few things that — if we were advising Britney Spears — we might suggest to distract the world from her recent "comeback" at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Sadly, though, the queen of pop, as in the sound something makes when it explodes, collapses, or "snaps," has decided to refocus her attention — and the media circus that follows her every move — on K-Fed. Terrific.

Out of the blue, Spears has called for a meeting with her grub-like ex to bring some closure to their divorce and custody settlement.

She wants to "put an end to this public debacle," a source close to Spears is telling People magazine.

Good luck with that.

True to form, the Fed is reportedly holding out for more cash. "Kevin [has] refused," the source tells People. "He needs more money so he's determined to win this."

Spears already pays Federline $20,000 a month in spousal support, but the aspiring pimp is reportedly broke as a result of 'business expenses,' according to court documents filed in August.

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That's why it's so hard to now learn — after nearly a year of silence - how Witherspoon was so completely overwhelmed by her split from fellow actor Ryan Phillippe.

"Right around Christmastime I was sitting in a parking lot and I felt like I just couldn't get out of the car," she says in the October issue of Elle magazine. "And I thought, OK, half of the parking lot has dealt with [a breakup]."

"There's this moment in Walk the Line where June Carter says, 'I was never aware of how much I was seen.' I was very aware of how much I was seen. It was this moment of self-discovery and loss of identity and who was stepping out of the car — you know?"

It's easy to recommend wearing divorce like a loose garment, but the impracticality of that exercise only hits home when we hear of someone as strong as Witherspoon wilting under the pressure.

On top of all the lawyers, the fighting and the bitterness, there's that realization that divorce has become part of your identity — ingrained in your being. Sure, Witherspoon literally had the world watching on, but divorce, as her experience shows, can overwhelm even the best of us.

Resolution seems to have finally arrived for golfer Greg Norman and his wife of 25-years, Laura.

The two — who've been slogging through a nasty $500 million divorce — signed divorce papers this week in a Florida court, and agreed to divide their vast business empire.

While the terms of the deal remain sealed, Laura stands to receive the proceeds from the sale of their $21-million Jupiter Island mansion in Florida, along with a share of Norman's $500-million fortune.

Last we heard from these two, their camps were battling over arguably defamatory accusations that Norman had cut off Laura from her home and credit cards.

Some minor matters are yet to be resolved — like who's responsible for the tax liability on their private jet — but the ex-pair seem ready to put the whole mess behind them. Press reports noted both Norman and Laura appeared emotionally shaken in court. With the heat of the battle over, it looks like these two are beaten and bruised.

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It appears - at least during Shaq's engagement to his soon-to-be-ex-wife Shaunie - the NBA star was spending some serious quality time with Karinne Steffans, the infamous "Video Vixen" who's been indulged by a list of celebs, including Jay-Z and Usher.

"On the first date, he gave me $10,000," Steffans told The New York Daily News. "Over four months, [he spent] more than $40,000 on me, as far as I can remember."

Coming out swinging, Shaq is accusing Shaunie of being "secretive about her assets," according to a petition filed by his lawyer, Ira Elegant, in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Tuesday.

The petition also requests that the court require Shaunie to give a "correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities (including bearer securities)" obtained during their marriage. An existing pre-nuptial already "contains extensive provisions providing for confidentiality and non-disclosure," according to the petition.

We're dying to see what comes to light tomorrow. We're just hoping that Shaunie's lawyers are as well prepared to deal with whatever new revelations should service in the coming day and months. Particularly with Steffans now involved, we know which team we're rooting for. Go, Shaunie! Go!

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By the looks of it, Shaq, 35, was well prepared for his eventual spit from Shaunie, 32 who was his long-term girlfriend before the two made it official in late 2002. The couple's home, on Miami Beach's exclusive Star Island, was already up for sale for $32 million.

An existing pre-nuptial "contains extensive provisions providing for confidentiality and non-disclosure," according to a petition filed by O'Neal's lawyer, Ira Elegant, in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Ready to play hardball, Shaq — who makes a cool $20 million a year playing for the Miami Heat — said in the petition that Shaunie has been "secretive about her assets ... particularly with respect to certain properties owned or titled in either [her] name alone or in other entities." The petition requests that the court require Shaunie to give a "correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities (including bearer securities)" obtained during their marriage.

Personally, we wouldn't want to tangle with someone of Shaq's superhuman girth, but Shaunie is obviously a tough cookie. A lesser woman would never have made it this far with the O'Neal. Either way, Shaunie and the kids will be well cared for. The fight, if there is one, will likely be had over the terms of that care.

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