Archives for July 2006

Things I will NOT go cheap on!!!

After reading Life with the Crew's blog about “Things I Will Not Go Cheap On” I decided to join in the fun too. So here's my list (also in no particular order)

1. Toilet paper…..enough said
2. Baby wipes…..I've definitely bought the cheap ones, you know the ones that you need 3 of so you don't get poop on your hands when 1 Huggies wipe would have done the whole job. My favorite of favorites? Walmart's wipes for sensitive skin. Love 'em!!
3. Paint…..good paint is worth it's weight in gold.
4. Cheese…..someone ONE time bought me processed cheese food slices instead of the real thing. That stuff doesn't even melt. Yuck and double yuck.
5. Cat litter…..much to my hubbie's shagrin we still have a litter box. I've tried every kind of cat litter known to mankind. The crystal kind that you throw completely away and then refill the box with a new bag works marvelously. It really is the very best in odor elimination/control. But it ain't cheap!
6. Chicken Nuggets. I have found no other nuggets better than Schwan's Chicken Bites. Everything I see in the grocery store is pressed, processed, glued together chicken parts. Schwan's actually sells a real piece of chicken in a nugget form. Yum. (It's not a daily meal but one I'll feed the whole family once a week or so.)
6. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Gatorade. There just is NO substitute. I've tried the off brand. Again, yuck. My husband and kids love it and I prefer it over tons of fruit juice. We still drink apple and orange juice but after football practice it's Gatorade all the way!!!

How about you? What are your favorite “I could never go cheap” things??

Gayle, I hate cheap tin foil too!

And just because I can't bear to post another blog entry without photos here are some from the park today while son #1 and #2 were playing football. And yes, it's hot here! 100 or so today!!!

7 Comments

Posted: July 31, 2006 by Julie |Category: Other Happenings | Tags:

This morning

This morning I sat and checked email as my 2 year old daughter sat behind me in the office chair. I listened to the gentle sucking of her thumb as she lifted my shirt to place her cheek on my back. She just sat like that for several minutes. Ahh….heaven. Is there anything better?
Enjoy your kids today,
Julie

3 Comments

Posted: July 28, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

WE GOT IT

Yesterday I went with a friend to pick out our curriculum for this coming year. I'm so excited.
We're using My Father's World and Singapore Math. We're already having fun with some of the manipulatives I purchased. Yippee!!!
What are you using?
julie

4 Comments

Posted: July 27, 2006 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags:

Let's do it your way….

“Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way.”

This is how I came to know the Lord…..again.
How about you?
It was two days before Thanksgiving 1994 and a series of events had pushed me to the point of finally crying out to the Lord for the second time. These words above, which I read in my Purpose Driven Life Devotional today were almost the exact words I cried out 12 years ago.

I had all the world told me I needed to be happy. A boyfriend, a house, a nice job that paid very well, a new car, etc., etc. But I still found myself thinking, “Is this all there is?” Life seemed awfully empty.

I had accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior in 1983 as a senior in high school but soon after entering college the pull of the world and Satan became stronger than I was able to resist. Slowly I began to forget that salvation experience and reenter my worldly environment.
I'm so glad HE never gave up on me and that 10 years later He had allowed me to see how empty life was without Him. There are days I still am reminded how ineffective my ways are and I say again, “My way's not working Lord. Can we try yours?”

IN HIM,
Julie
(Devotional included below)

'Let's do it your way'
by John Fischer

“Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way.”

Someone sent me this quote as part of a pretty spectacular
near-death, out-of-body experience that involved a heart attack and
quadruple bypass surgery, but I don't believe you have to be facing all
that to understand such a statement. In fact, I think this is a pretty
good way to think about going through every day of our lives: “Lord,
there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working.
Let's do it your way.”

That is one of the notable things about Jesus, especially as
recorded in the Gospel of John, that he always loved doing the will of
his Father. He said that he and his Father were one, and he never did
anything that his Father didn't initiate. God and he worked together
like hand in glove.

It's not quite so with us. In our finest moments, maybe, when we are
relying totally on the Spirit of God, but we have a sin nature to deal
with that Jesus didn't have. We're going to pretty much have to be
saying this every moment of our lives: “Lord, there are two ways we can
do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way.”

It is comforting to know that Jesus, in spite of his love for doing
his Father's will, struggled with it when facing his own bitter end. He
struggled so hard that blood was forced out of his body as
perspiration. The Bible teaches that the sin of the world was laid on
him on the cross, but there is reason to believe some portion of that
identity with sin began in the garden the night before his trial when
he prayed a prayer that could have just as easily been translated,
“Lord, there are two ways we can do this, yours and mine. Mine is not
going to work. Let's do it your way.”

It's the way we first come to Christ, it's the way we learn to walk
in his purposes for our lives, and it's the way Christ purchased our
salvation through his death on the cross. In fact, it pretty much sums
up the Christian life in a nutshell: “Lord, there are two ways we can
do this, yours and mine. Mine is not working. Let's do it your way.”

When you do it his way, even the end is doable.

5 Comments

Posted: July 24, 2006 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags:

They grow up so fast….

My babies (at least the two oldest) got their football gear to begin playing football with the rec. league this year. When did I blink and them grow up???

2 Comments

Posted: July 22, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

A big thanks

A big thanks to all who have prayed for me. Although not completely better I continue to heal from surgery and look forward to the day I have no incision pain.

This time has been a great testimony to God's redemptive work in my life. I've seen this through the countless number of friends who have brought dinner, taken my kids, came to visit, helped me dress when that was hard, etc. I know God has grown me because one does not have such good friends without also being one. I see my growth reflected in the actions of my friends.

Lord, may I always be “Jesus with feet” to those around me.

Thank you publicly to my sweet and precious (and very good looking) hunk, oh, I mean hubbie.
And thanks to my MIL, SIL, Adonnya, Melinda, Jennifer, Laura, Amy, (the best friends a girl could have in a time of need) and many others who have ministered to me. You are the best!! And I thank my God for you!

In the next few days I hope to post about mothering techniques learned from my cat. I'm actually learning alot!!! I just gotta share it with you.

Until then,
Be blessed with friends and by being one.
IN HIM
julie

1 Comment

Posted: July 20, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

Day 6…..yuck.

okay, no one told me i'd feel like a mack truck ran over me just when i thought this surgery thing was a snap. the last two days have been like getting over the flu. Please…..pray for me.

i took a couple pics of the baby kittens today. they are one week old and beginning to open their little eyes. they are so cute.
here they are all cuddled up together, still in my tub on a blanket

and here's one of them sleeping so soundly. i wonder, do they worry about things? no, of course not. why don't we sleep so soundly trusting Jesus?

nothing's better than a foot to cover the mouth while snoozing…

check out the one on the right ajust laying on top of his brother or sister. they are like little snuggle bugs.

and another close up of one of them sleeping so soundly.

“Lord, help me to trust like them”

Goodnight,
Julie

7 Comments

Posted: July 18, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

Who is it About?

Who is it about?
by John Fischer

It finally dawned on me. “It's not about you” is about me.

Ever since I first picked up The Purpose Driven Life and read its first sentence, “It's not about you,” I have been impressed with the impact of that simple statement. First, I saw it from a cultural standpoint, equating much of the book's relevance to the way that first sentence skewered what the “me” generation has needed to hear for about 20 years. After a constant mantra in psychology, education, social therapy, advertising, and in church about self-awareness, self-image, and self-esteem, to have someone say it right out loud – “It's not about you” – was a cold splash in the face of a generation lulled into a self-absorbed catatonic state. The truth was so evident – in a subconscious, if not conscious way – no one could disagree.

So after I applied it generally, I applied it to everyone I knew, personally, and found out again how true it is. To my friends and members of my family, I would say, “Remember, it's not about you,” if not out loud, then quietly in my head. (I give people a lot of suggestions like this in my head that they never heed because, for some reason, they never hear me.) I even applied it to Rick Warren, as I watched him rise to prominence in the public eye. “Don't forget, Rick,” I said in my mind, “It's not about you!” I'm sure he benefited greatly from my silent admonishment.

Finally, I realized that maybe that first sentence was designed to be about me. “It's not about you” just might mean it's not about me. It all hinges on which side of “you” you are on. For some time now, I have been on the wrong side of “you.” “You” was always someone else. As a writer, I have a tendency to identify with writers instead of readers. But I didn't write the book. The book was written to me. “It's not about you,” means it's not about me. And you know what? I don't know very much about this, because as far back as I can remember, it's always been about me.

Now I realize it has nothing to do with society. It has nothing to do with Rick Warren. This statement has nothing to do with anyone but me, because from my perspective, I am the only selfish and self-centered person it has any business being applied to. It's shocking when I start to think how much of my life is all about me. What I want to do, what I don't want to do, what you think of me, what someone else thinks of me, what I have to say, what you have to listen to, whose fault it is, what a victim I am … ad nauseam. (You may be familiar with some of this thinking.)

So there you have it. “It's not about you” has only one application. It’s not about anyone but me.

John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotionals. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti and son, Chandler. They also have two adult children, Christopher and Anne. John is a published author and popular speaker.

1 Comment

Posted: July 18, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

Day Four After Surgery

Today I had my checkup. It went well. All drains have been removed and I'm to wear my ace bandage for 24 more hours. I'm pleased. It was a little strange though. I'm looking forward to a full recovery. Please pray for wisdom in resting and also for “pretty scars”.

IN HIM,

julie

3 Comments

Posted: July 17, 2006 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

Day Three after Surgery

Today's been a much better day. I haven't been as tired as I was yesterday. A precious dear friend called today wondering what in the world was wrong with me. So for all you out there who are wondering I'll say it without saying it, okay? I had something reduced. There, you figure the rest out. And I'm okay. I go back to the doctor on Monday where I guess I'll get a view for the first time. I'm probably at least half the size I used to be….yippee.

My mother in law and sister in law leave tomorrow (boo hoo hoo). They've been a big help. My mother in law is a very good cook and so we have eaten well and my sister in law is the queen of laundry so all my clothes are nice and clean. They've been a big help and my children have enjoyed seeing their cousins, Brock and Ellie.

Tomorrow will be our first day alone. I'm hoping all the kids are worn out enough to watch a little TV and take a nap after church. No, I won't be going. Just going on the back porch in this heat kills me.

Have a great Sunday.
It's that time.
julie