Archives for January 2006

I'm always amazed at the kindness of others.  Being kind myself isn't always that difficult.  Well, sometimes it is.  But other times it just comes naturally out of the JESUS that lives within me. 

It's when others go out of their way to help me that I get to experience Christ.  These are the times I'm not in control, when I'm receiving, when I get blessed.

Michelle has been “Jesus with feet” to me as she has helped me tweek my webblog (yes, Nancy) and get some of the glitches out.  Thanks, Michelle for taking the time to be a blessing to me.

IN HIM,
Julie

I hate it when I finish an entire blog and then hit a button that erases it.  UGH.

Well, we're on Day 5 of The Funk.  May I just go on record as saying I'm tired of feeling sick?

And in an attempt to make myself feel like a human again I submitted to my Taco Bell craving and took “babygirl” with me to eat tonight.  And, no, I didn't feed her that junk.  We then went by my massage therapist office for a spin on the Chi Machine and a sit in the Infra Red Sauna in the attempt to rid my body of the toxins that are making me sick as well as get rid of that Taco Bell I just ate.  Then we came home to an empty home since the boys are all at Narnia again with their dad.  So I took a couple snapshots of today's hairdo called Crooked Ponytails.  They were just too cute to fix.

And I wanted to show you my favorite part of Danielle's room right now…..the top shelf of the book case.  I'm not sure why I like it as much as I do but it makes me feel happy inside.

Have a good weekend.
IN HIM
Julie
Isaiah 30:15….”in repentance and rest is your salvation.  is quietness and trust is your strength…”

Many of you know I have John Piper's website listed on my sidebar.  It's SO wonderful.  I just read this today: 
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/2006/01/please_pray_for.html

First….this thing I thought was a virus is still here.  Queezy, wanna throw up, but don't…..food cravings…..and smells drive me nuts!  Does this sound familiar?  Did I mention my husband's had a vasectomy.  We're in the Waiting Place.  Too early to tell.

Now, for my TAG answers…..

1.  What's the one question you want to ask God when you get to heaven?  If he hasn't already said….”Did I do good daddy?”
2.  What the one question you think Jesus would ask you were He still here in bodily form?  Julie, do you Love me?
3.  What do you think heaven will be like?  Lots of awesome singing, lots of time with my Jesus, getting to say I love you to my two children that are already there, lots of wonderful, precious, joyful tears.
4.  Do you have a desire to be there now or a desire to stay here until the work if finished?  Call me nuts but I'm ready whenever He calls.  Heaven sounds a lot better than this place.  I hate the pain we cause one another.  I don't want children to suffer at the hands of adults.  I hate child abuse.  I think He's made a color just for me……I wonder what it is.

4 People I want to JOIN ME (in the tag and in heaven)
1.Nancy
2.Tony
3.Michele
4.Gayle

So I'll let you know if anything develops from the nausea.  Until then…..
Julie who wants to puke all the time now

Today at church a friend told me that my neighbor had been to the earlier service.
“My neighbor?  Which one?”
“Oh, that one across the street I don't particularly like.  That neighbor? “
“Oh, you mean the one I'VE lived across the street from for 5 years and never invited to church?”

Yes, it was that neighbor.

So here's my conversation with God after church today as I'm cleaning up the van.
Julie:  “Loving the unlovely…..hmm.
            God, why do you call us to love the unlovely? “
God:  “Well, Julie, you were once unlovely.”
Julie:  “I was?”  (I kinda think a little highly of myself, don't             you think?)
God:  “Yes, before I sent Jesus.  And…I loved you anyway.                  That's why I sent him.”
Julie:  “So, you call me to love the unlovely because it makes                 me more like Him?”
God:  “Yes.  And because you were once that way too.
Julie:  “Oh….I get it.  You're not asking me to do anything you                 haven't already done.”
God:  “Yes.”

I know I sometimes think of myself as unloveable but unlovely?  I also know I sometimes think too highly of myself.  But now the playing field has been leveled.  I too have been shown I was once unlovely.  We all were.

“Thank you God.
Julie”

   
I'm so glad I'm a part of a community (www.homeschoolblogger.com) that dares to be different.  It's wonderful to read other homeschool mom's blogs and hear their struggles with following God's call for their lives, their children and their marriages when the world shouts at us to be just like everyone else.

I was inspired by Janne's post and Amber's post
when I read them today, identifying with Janne's decisions and struggles and knowing I've been in Amber's place defending homeschooling.

So here is my version of I'm different!!!
(and proud of it, at least most times)

“Yes, I homeschool, thank you very much.
(and I'll only tell you guys…yes I struggle sometimes too)
No, I didn't immunize my kids, didn't you?  Why are you worried about your kids, then?
Yes, I try vitamins and chiropractic before running to the pediatrician.  And all those pills I'm swallowing are helping…they are not medication, they are vitamins.
Yes, I love naps (taking them as often as possible to build my adrenals back up) and am learning I don't have to be supermom even if you think I do.
Yes, my husband works from our home and we're changing our children's lives by the blessing of two parents at home.
Yes, I'd like to get rid of all the televisions in our house.
Yes, I love chocolate and don't feel bad about eating it.
And if I weigh a little more than I did 15 years ago, who cares!  As long as I'm healthy and my husband wants to crawl in bed with me at night, I'M GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!”

(How about you?)

I do, I love my kids……
BUT….
Sometimes, agh!!!
I was at Stuffmart at 6pm on Christmas Eve shutting the place down because my oldest son was desperate for a pet.  He'd decided on a fish (because his mom wouldn't allow anything else).  The poor staff at Stuffmart are shuffling people out of the store as fast as they can to get home for Christmas Eve and I'm literally fishing in the pet section trying to find the perfect pet for my son.  I figured I'd just write the price down and tell the person up front.  I hated to bother anyone and I couldn't find a sole to help with the fish.  The assistant manager walked by and was about as clueless as I was.  But together we fish out “Goldie” to bring home and proudly display in a fish bowl.
So what do I find my son doing today?  He's up on the counter scooping out the fish and putting it back into the bowl.  So like any level headed mom I promptly lose my mind.  “What are you doing?” 
Kerplunk!!
Innocent eyes look up.  “What?”
Come to find out he's been taking the fish for a “walk” several times a day.  And I wonder why the things go belly up just a few days after we bring them home. 
I thought I was the worse fish keeper in the world!
Seems I've had a little help!
AGH!!!