Over Already?

Why is it that the weekends always go so quickly? It seems like it just started! It was very busy! It started out with a soccer game on Friday night. It was wet and cold! by the time the game was over the team was wet and muddy! They had a good time. We lost 3-2. Even my little Morgan got in on the mud action. From her knees down was nothing but mud. It was really gross. We turned around and had an 8:30 game the next morning and tied with the other team. It was a good game. The kids had fun. Bryson scored two goals. The rest of the day turned out to be a good day. I cleaned and then we went to the park. We saw a wedding party there getting their picture taken. It reminded me of my wedding day. Chris and I will celebrate 9 years this Wednesday. I can't believe it! Time sure has flown by. I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday! It was so much fun! Trevor, our 16 year old, was my dance partner at our reception most of the night. He seemed so little then. I remember when Chris and I dropped him off at his mom's house that night after the reception he said, "Can't I stay with you guys tonight." It was so cute. I let his dad answer that one. ( : We walked him to his door and told him goodnight. Nine years and two more kids later, here we are. I love Chris very much and look forward to more gray hairs and laughs together!

God bless!
Julie

Blessed

Hello......yes it has been a month since I have been on here. So much has happened since I was last on. I am excited to say that my blog is in the middle of a makeover that I won.(Thank you Amy and CJ!!!!) I about fell off of my chair when I found out that I actually won! I appreciate Becky who is transforming my blog! I can't wait to see the finished product!

Okay, moving on to other things.............God is awesome! He continues to be faithful in spite of life's struggles! There have been so many things in my life that have been devastating whether it be relationships with family, work, life demands, and feeling stretched until you think you are completely transparent. That is how I have been feeling these days...................transparent. Now this might sound absolutely nuts to some people, but for me, this is a good way to be! I have talked before how I have felt a strong calling by God to do something that makes me question if God is sure he knows what he is doing. I know for sure what he wants me to do, and so I am finally surrendering my will to him. (This is a process mind you!) Here's the part that I am excited about. Being transparent means there is less of me......that makes room for more of HIM! Get it? Hold on, I can say it again.............being transparent is what I need to be so people see less of me and more of HIM!!!!!!!!! I have a mix of emotions with this. My human nature sees this as loss of control, which means I have to depend on someone else. My spirit nature knows that this is exactly where I need to be. I want to be transparent so people can see Jesus in me. Now, I am not perfect and I screw up. That is okay. I know I am on track for what God has called me to do. I couldn't be more excited about that! God knows what he is doing. I know that my struggles are not going to be in vain. I will run this race with my eyes on the prize, no matter how hard it gets. I keep thinking about that saying, God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Eph. 3:20-21

God Bless!
Julie

Just In Time!

Have you ever heard the saying, "God is seldom early, never late, and always on time."? I can't tell you who the author of this is, but they knew what they were talking about. I have been struggling lately with Life and questioning God on why things in my life are and have been the way they have been. I was at the brink of just being numb. I was talking to my sister on the phone last week, and she told me that I need to ask God to show me He loves me daily. She said He loves to prove who He is to us. So, taking her advice, I did it and have been since our last conversation. It has been a whirlwind of Him being so mighty in my life! I can't even express to you how in awe of Him I am right now. Before asking Him to do this, things just seemed so bleak. I was down and wondered if He really did have my best interest at heart. I thought maybe He had just given up an washed His hands of me and my "junk"! I have to tell you that I am thrilled to say that I was so wrong! God has moved every day since that day and I am telling you, it has been so cool to just sit back and watch Him have control of my life. We all tend to want to have control. We want to fix things that are broken, and change things we have no control over in the first place. It has been a great ride watching things unfold right in front of my eyes, knowing my Father, the one who does love me and promised Jeremiah 29:11, (my life verse!), to me, use people and situations that I would never have even fathomed to prove Himself to me! I love it! It is like watching miracles on a daily basis. Sure, it's not the burning bush or anything, but I tell you what.........it is good stuff!!!!! I want everyone out there who may come across this blog to know that God loves you so much. He will move to whatever lengths necessary to prove that to you. Your past doesn't matter to God. He sees the you he created and wants to give you a hope and future. He has plans for good and not disaster in your life. Do you want to know what the key is to that? Are you ready? GIVE UP! Stop trying to change people, things, and situations that you have no control over.....including your life. You have no control over your destiny, but God does. He is the only one who can change you. Just ask Him to. He will. Trust me! I am living proof of that! I want to thanks people who have prayed for me! I still covet your prayers.

God Bless!
Julie

Catching Up.....

Well, it has been almost a month since I posted. Not much has really gone on. Work is work and I still feel like everything in life is just a hum drum kind of thing. (I don't even know if that makes sense or not) / : I don't want to sound like a downer, but I don't feel like I am in a summer season in my life. I feel like I am smack dab in the "black and white" or "gray" of winter, you know when the trees have no leaves and it's a cloudy overcast day, and you just feel like hibernating. This is not a fun place to be. I read my Bible in the mornings, because I feel like it gives me a boost. I know I am not the only one who has been where I am at. It seems like this is dragging on for way too long, but I don't know how to snap out of it. Anyway, I celebrated my birthday last week with the family. It was a rainy, dreary day on my birthday, so instead of spending the day outdoors, we went to lunch. It was nice. I have been trying to get ready for Vacation Bible School which is coming up next week. I am on my own with the music this year. The person that I usually do it with will be at camp next week with some of the church kids. I have to prepare a little more than usual since it is all up to me. I love VBS! It is so awesome to watch the kids sing and praise God inhibited. I know that will lift my spirits. I get emotional when I see the kids lifting their hands and praising God so sweetly!
I am in the process of checking out other employment options. I need to work full time. The 20 hours a week just doesn't cut it anymore. I feel like I was all over the place with this blog. I guess it kind of matches the way I feel with life right now. I am glad God is in control, I just wish He would give me more insight. It's hard to have faith like a child when I want to know more than what He is showing me! I know we all go through these seasons in our lives, I just feel like this one has gone on for way too long! I just have to keep on praying I guess. Well, take care and God bless!

Life...........

I am so tired! Life is wearing me out and I feel like I can't keep up! Something always seem to get me down and I feel like the trials never end. But...............I am going to grow in the Lord. I want to leave you with scripture for those out there that might be struggling just like me!

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
James 1:2-4

Thank you Lord that you deem me worthy for trials! Bring me to the place you want me to be!

God Bless!

Another School Year Done!

I can't believe it this school year is already over. Trevor still has some school to finish up at home, but he will be a junior in high school, Bryson is a third grader, and Morgan is a first grader. Where does the time go? It seems like not so long ago I met Chris and became an instant family with our oldest Trevor who was only 7 at the time. Now Trevor is like a grown man. It is the strangest thing to watch your kid drive away in his car all by himself! I had a hard time with him driving. Chris and his mom Amy seemed to take to it better that I did. He would ask me to go driving with him, but I was too chicken! He is a very responsible driver, but I guess I just wasn't ready for him to be so grown up! He has grown up so fast. He is a great big brother. Bryson is 8 and to think about how fast Trevor has grown up just makes my head spin! I know other mom's out there can relate to what I am feeling. Bryson is trying to push his limits. He wants more freedom, and we do give him more, but it is so hard to let go! He wants to stay up later and do more things. I tend to be a little overprotective with all the kids. Bryson is in baseball right now and will play soccer in the fall. Morgan is our little princess. She has all the boys wrapped around her finger. Her and Bryson fight quite often. They have gotten into some knock down drag out fights. But they do love each other. Morgan loves when Trevor comes over. She always runs to him and gives him a big hug. She loves to sing and dance, but only at home. She wants to do a tennis camp this year! Thank God! I didn't think she would ever break out of her shell. Chris and I told the kids that this summer they could have all of June off, but come July they would have to do some kind of refresher work so they don't lose what they learned over the school year. I am still working, much to my dismay! That's okay. I just keep praying that some day I can be a stay at home mom again and get involved in the kids schools and also maybe some much needed girlfriend time while they are at school during the school year. It would be nice to get involved in a couple of Bible studies. I hope to start blogging more often than I was and visiting more people on their blogs! God bless!

Fundraiser!!!

Hey there everyone! I just wanted to let you know that Trevor's mom and step dad are in the process of adopting there second child from China. They have set up a fundraiser for the orphanage in hope that they can raise money for supplies such as diapers, medicine, etc. for the orphanage that their soon to be adopted daughter Madelyn is coming from. Please visit www.bringingmadelynhome.blogspot .com to help them reach there goal and bring some children much needed supplies. This could be a great way to show God's love to orphaned children. Thank you so much for checking this out! I will try to blog updates on this as I get them!

Quick Catch Up!

I guess it's time to update on this. I have gotten out of the blogging mode and have struggled to get back to it. I am behind on photos and all kinds of things. Well, work cut my hours in half. Apparently they are felling the crunch of the economy and they are cutting peoples hours. I can't say that I hate that! I am only working from 7:30 am until 11:30 am. I get home in time to get Morgan off of the bus and I LOVE IT! No more babysitters. I get to be home to see them both off the bus and this summer will be GREAT! It turns out to be a blessing. I am not happy at my job though. I am glad I have one, but since I am part time now, they took the liberty of changing everything on me. I am tired of doing customer service and was happy going to work when I worked full time. I enjoyed going there. Now they have changed everything I do and have put me back at customer service. I have to be honest when I say that I HATE IT!!! I have done customer service for many years, and one tends to get burned out dealing with the public..especially when it comes to people calling in about a bill they got that they are less than thrilled about, especially since they are feeling the economy too! UGH! Anyway, I really shouldn't complain, but it's hard to go to a job that you used to like, and now dislike with a great passion!!!! I guess I better go! I will try to post more soon and update the photos!

It has been a very long time since I have blogged! The holidays were busy as usual. Work has been crazy! I am going to try to devote more time to blogging again. This blog will be short and sweet, but stay tuned...........I will return!