I am not a natural storyteller like my husband.. probably because I stick to the basic facts and don't embellish as well as he does ;) but I will try my best to paint a picture of yesterday. Morgan wanted to go and visit a lady and a couple of girls that she has met on our curriculum forum. The lady was visiting from Texas and up here visiting family. The girls were from Alaska and were visiting family also. So we coordinated getting together so we all could meet. We decided to meet at the lady's place on a small island up in the San Juan's. It is about 2 ½ hours north of Seattle but since we have to travel on a ferry to get to Seattle it took us about 4 hours to get up there. Morgan and I were going to go alone until Sunday morning when Jim decided he wanted to come and all the kids except for Jesse.
At this point I didn't have a clear thinking head and should have insisted that Morgan and I go alone due to the long drive. And Morgan didn't have a clear head due to the fact that I had given her 1/2 anti-depressant instead of a pain pill the night before for an abscessed tooth. (I knew it was one or the other and figured she would either be out of pain or relaxed enough she wouldn't care!) So we figured out that morning that it wasn't the pain pill that I had given her. She was very relaxed and laughing at everything. (Jim called her a cheap drunk) So at that point she didn't care that everyone came along.
The trip up there was an uneventful, long trip. The kids slept most of the time, Morgan was happily 'drugged' in the back seat and it was a nice, sunny day. We crossed to the island on a tiny ferry that holds about 50 cars. We drove right up and onto the ferry. The day was going so smoothly so far. We met Mrs. Avalone and spent the day with her family. They weren't really expecting '400' little munchkins and so I think our family kind of overwhelmed them. We finally took them down to the beach so that they could get some energy out. We were staying as long as we could because the two girls still weren't there. Morgan really wanted to meet them.
At 5 we decided we had stayed long enough and started to leave. We packed up the kids from the beach and Jim noticed the battery wasn't charging right. He said that we needed to get going right away or we wouldn't get home. I silently thought, 'yeah yeah.. Jim you are always exaggerating!!'
We went back to Mrs. A's house and said our good-byes. She then got a call from the girls and found out they were on the next ferry over. So we all went to the ferry and as it turned out they were getting off as we were getting on. Mrs. A pulled them back onto the ferry and we all sat there chatting for the 10 min ferry ride. We got off and they stayed on to go back with Mrs. A.
We hadn't been back on the freeway for more than 20 minutes when the car started sputtering and choking. Jim pulled up a ramp and stopped the van. I prayed with everyone for van and the situation. He looked under the hood and then came back in and sat down to figure out what to do because the van refused to start again and there was no one near-by. We were miles away from any civilization. As he sat there he looked behind us and there was a tow-truck! (he told Jim that when he saw our Ford sitting there he thought,"That one is mine!" He drives a Chevy and loves to tow Fords into the Ford dealer.)He towed us to a near-by town and there we sat like homeless vagabonds sitting in the lawn of a Biff's Steak House. We couldn't take everything with us but we did have to bring the laptop back and a cooler that we had had in the van. So we looked quite the sight when my sister, who lives about 20 miles south of there, came to get us. She took us 2 hours south to the Seattle ferry and we walked on with all our gear in our arms and the kids running around our feet. We were able to get ahold of a near-by friend who picked us up at the ferry on the other side and drove us home. We got home about 11:30 that night and were dead tired.
I think we learned something from this... but I'm not for sure what. Jim felt vindicated from being right about the van!!

Me *julie* at  # 10:36 AM

A letter that I wrote to a friend this last week...maybe it will help someone else too.

After talking with you the other day a picture came into my head...I will
just write down what I came up with and you can adjust it to fit you....

You're out in the ocean and the wind has died. Your sails have gone slack and you are at the mercy of the tides and waves. You have two options: to keep drifting but not knowing where you'll end up~ or to start rowing towards the last place you saw land and hope you are going in the right direction. So you decide to row but just as you decide this a thick fog rolls in, blocking all sight of land and confusing your sense of direction. So what do you do now? Continue drifting or risk rowing in the wrong direction or worse... rowing into a sand bar or the rocks?
You continue to sit floating with no direction to go, wondering what to do or if you should do anything. A slight panic might be there and loneliness brought on by the closed in fog. As you look up through the fog you see a distant weep of light and hear a strong, low tone cutting through the mist. A lighthouse at the edge of a harbor! It's just a short glimpse of light and still very far away but it gives you something you didn't have a few minutes ago; a point to focus on. You pull out your oars and start moving slowly towards where you last saw the light. The light quickly sweeps through the fog again and the foghorn blares its tone. You adjust your rowing because as the light sweeps by you see you are slightly off course. You don't see the waves or the endless ocean as much because you are focused on where you last saw the light. The rowing is still hard and the fog is still thick but you have a hope tied to your focus.
So Life has clouded you with its thick fog so that you can't see which way to go. You have tried to keep on course for so long but now are so confused you have no idea which way to go even if you could. All directions seem equally hard and equally alone. You feel like you should move in some direction but not knowing where to go and not wanting to get further lost you stop moving completely. but now you feel you are totally at the mercy of life-
There is a light to focus on~ even if it seems distant and you only get a glimpse now and then. But that light is the Character of God; His attributes. What I mean by that is to focus on God and who He is, is so very satisfying that it will dominate your thoughts so that your focus turns from the problems around you to His nature. How many verses can you think of that talks about, or even commands us to renew our minds, to bring them captive, to think about these things, or have this mind among you... There are many. The only way through that fog sometimes is to focus.
I will not attempt to teach you step by step how to do this because it is such a personal thing between your God and yourself. But I will try and point you in the right direction. When I say 'your God' I do not mean He is different than mine... but that the items or ideas that make Him real to you will be different than the ones that affect me. I am going to add to the bottom of this letter a list of names of God. It isn't all of the names in the Bible but it is a good measure of them. But I will take one and show you what I mean.
Jehovah-roi
My Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
How many ways can you think of that this fits God? This is sort of a brainstorming session...but instead of just listing all the ideas in your head... make it personal to God. Tell HIM how it fits Him.. Do not think about yourself or others except to tell God that He has worked in you or others. Make yourself not let your mind wander from focusing on God... Tell Him and thank Him each time you think of a way that He fits this title. Just do this for a few minutes until you find that peace from Knowing that God is God. If you still are struggling with depression or confusion I encourage you to continue doing this until you get a breakthrough. Choose another title...like Creator...think of the biggest things that He has created and how He is still way over those things...then think about the smallest thing and think about how detailed He is and how He pays attention to detail...Then translate that to Him and how He works in your life..in the big things and the small. In all of this the important things is that this is not just listing of thoughts to the air... The important thing to remember is to express all these thoughts of praise to HIM directly...do not use this time to ask Him for anything, or to complain or tell Him any problems...
This is only for praise and worship. This is not directed by feelings...it is a choice you are making to tell Him to His face who He is.
If you practice this often, and really focus on Him while doing it... I promise you will see a difference. It may seem really far away like the lighthouse in the fog, but it will get stronger the more you focus and the more you move in that direction.
This is what we will be doing for eternity...I used to think that would be boring to always and forever sit there and just tell God how holy He is.... but when I learned this personally in my life I can testify that it is addicting...to have His Spirit flood you... You won't want eternity to end. Don't let Satan rob this from you by telling you that you are too far gone to have that kind of peace or flood. It isn't going to be surrounded with feelings to get you moving. It will be hard work to row against the tide..and it will still feel distant and lonely at first...but expect that and fight against Satan using that to defeat you. Worship and praise breaks the power of Satan...completely. he can not stand near by when God is being praised.
I will write more another time...
Your sister
Julie
Jehovah-Sabaoth
God of Hosts(Is. 1:9; Rom 9:29)
Jehovah-elyon
Most High God(Ps. 7:17) Jehovah-roi
My Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
Jehovah-jireh
Provider (Gen. 22:14)
Jehovah-nissi
My Banner (Ex. 17:15)
Jehovah-shalom
Peace (Judges 6:24)
Jehovah-shammah
Jehovah is there (Ezek. 48:35)
Jehovah-tsidkenui
Our Righteousness (Jer 23:6)
Jehovah-M’Kaddesh
Jehovah Who sanctifies (Lev. 20:8)
Jehovah-rapha
Healer (Ex. 15:26)
Elohim, El, Elah
God(Gen. 1:1)
El-elohe-Israel
God, The God of Israel (Gen. 33:20)
Adonai
Lord (Gen. 15:2)
El Shaddai
Almighty God “(Gen. 17:1)
El Elyon
Most high God (Gen. 14:18)
El Olam
Everlasting God (Gen.21:33)
El Gibbor
Mighty God (Is. 9:6,7)

Jesus is the:
All sufficient One*Alpha and Omega*Altogether Lovely*Ancient of Days*Angel of Jehovah*Anointed One*Atoning Sacrifice*Author of Life*Balm of Gilead*Beautiful Savior*Beloved*Beloved Redeemer*Beloved Son*Branch*Branch of His Roots*Bread of Life *Bridegroom*Brother*Brother*
Captain*Carpenter*Chief Among One Thousand*Child*Christ*Coming King*Commander*Comforter of Sorrows*Consolation of Israel*Counselor*Crown of Glory*Dayspring*Deliver*Desire of all nations*Emmanuel*Ensign of the People*Eternal I Am*Everlasting Father*Excellent*Father*First-Born*Fortress*Friend*Friend of Sinner*Glory of the People*Glorious Lord*Glorious Throne to His Father’s Place*God my Savior*God of the whole earth*God is with us*Good Master*Governor*Great Light*Head of the Church*Healer*Helper*Hiding Place*Him Whom my soul loves*Holy One of God*Holy one of Israel*Hope of his People*Hope of Israel*Horn of Salvation*I AM*Jehovah*Jehovah of Hosts*King*King of Glory*King of Israel*King of Kings*King of the Jews*King over all the earth*King’s son*Lamb of God*Leader*Life of Men*Life Blood*Lifter of my head*Light*Light of Israel*Light of the Gentiles*Light of the morning*Light of the world*Light to lighten the Gentiles*Lily of the Valley*Lion of Judah*Living Water*Living God*Living Word*Lord*Lord of All*Lord of Hosts*Lord of Life*Lord of Lord*Lord your God*Master*Meal offering*Messenger of the Covenant*Messiah*Mighty God*Mighty in Battle*Mighty to Save*Morning Star*My Glory*My Maker*My Physician*My Portion*My rock*My Strength and My Song*Nail Fastened in a sure Place*Nazarene*Of the Universe*Ointment Poured Forth*Our Lawgiver*Our Potter*Peace Offering*Peacemaker*Polished Shaft*Portion of Jacob*Prince of Peace*Prince of Life*Prince of Princes*Prophet of Nazareth*Protector*Ransom*
Redeemer*Refiner*Refuge*Resting Place*Restorer*Righteous Branch*Righteous One*Righteous Servant*Risen One*Rock of Ages*Rock of My Salvation*Rock That Is Higher Than I*Root of Jesse*root out of Dry Ground*Rose of Sharon*Ruler*Salvation of God*Sanctifier*Sanctuary*
Savior*Scepter*Seed of a Woman*Shadow from the Heat*Shadow of a Great Rock in a Weary Land*Shepherd*Shepherd of Israel*Shepherd of the Sheep*Shield*Shower Upon the Earth*Sign*Son of Abraham*Son of David*Son Of God*Son of Man*Son of Mary*Son of the Most High*Sovereign Ruler*Spring of Living Water*Star*Stone of Israel*Strong Tower*Stronghold*Sure Foundation*Gift*the Goal*The God Who Sees*The God-Man*The Word*True God*Truth*Understanding*Wall of Fire*Wisdom*Witness to the People*Wonderful*Word of God*Worthy One*

(and many more)

His name is Jesus~ the name above all names!

Me *julie* at  # 12:57 PM

Here's a controversial topic in some circles...do we really 'sleep' when we die and not rise until the last day or do we go to be with the Lord or judgment the moment that we die so that there are those who are up in heaven, so to speak, hanging out, waiting for us to die to get on with eternity? There are those that believe that everyone just spiritually sleeps until the Last Day. I guess they believe that the souls are still in the grave and are waiting without a conscience thought that they are waiting.
On the other hand, many protestants believe that people can watch from heaven and can actually help those on earth while they are waiting for them to catch up and get up to heaven too. My take on this is a combination of the two. I have to take two opposing verses and put them together to make my theory work but that seems better than just taking one verse or the other and making theories on them.
So the first set of verses are: 1 Cor 15:52
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.(NIV)
& 1 Thess 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.(NIV)
These verses imply that we all will be in the grave until the final trumpet sound and then those who are still alive will be ‘raptured’.
The second and seemingly opposing verse is:
2 Cor 5:8
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(NIV)

This verse implies that that if we are not in our bodies alive then we are with the Lord. This is the verse that many have used to show that there has to be many in Heaven right now looking down on all of us…
So my combination of the two has to use logic that is above human reasoning. It has to assume a few things and think ‘out of the box’ about God and life…
I do not believe that anyone is looking down on me right now.. but I do not believe that everyone is just ‘sleeping’ the eons away in their graves…What I believe is that God is eternal and therefore above our ‘time frame’. When we die we enter His time zone, so to speak. He is like outside of the matrix altogether *smile*. So when we die… it is the last day! Everyone is there…and judgments and eternity starts. But it is instantaneous. There isn’t any ‘sleeping’ or ‘watching’…We are just there, with everyone else, at the same time. Now, because this isn’t ‘human’ reasoning people have to come up with the sleeping idea to explain a God-thing in human terms. But it says that we are out of our bodies and home with the Lord…so this is just how I figure it is. Not a salvation issue or a life shaking thought…just a different take on it.

Me *julie* at  # 2:33 PM

“A man’s character is made known by what he does when no one is looking” Author unknown
In line with this thought I want to share what happened to Jim the other day. He was in near-by Seattle at a coffee store waiting in line for his morning Mocha. He happened to look out the window and saw a blind man walking across the road with a white cane. The man was obviously disoriented and was walking toward center of the road rather than the crosswalk. He immediately left the store and went out to the man and asked him if he could help him. He guided him off the road to a safer place and then asked where the man was trying to get to. The man said he was new in the area and got disoriented when he took a different turn out of a store. Jim walked him across the street and talked to him about the layout of the area so the man could ‘see’ it better the next time. Jim then asked the man if he could make it to the bus stop if Jim pointed him in the right direction and the man said sure, thanks! But Jim changed his mind and walked the man to the stop and chatted to him while walking. Afterwards, Jim went back into the store to get his Mocha. When he ordered it the lady said that his was free. Jim asked why and she said that the owner had seen what he had done and wanted to give him a free Mocha. Jim said that they didn’t need to do that because he was only doing what anyone else would do. And she said that he helped keep a man from getting hit by a car and that he didn’t need to do that and that indeed his coffee was free!

Me *julie* at  # 3:43 PM

I worked in VBS this last week. I didn't get in on any of the planning meetings so I wasn't assigned to a 'station'. They relagated me to being a 'guide' to the third grade. That means I didn't teach anything and just walked the kids from room to room. The first day they switched me to 4th grade because there was too many in that group. So I moved from group of 9 to a group of 19! And even though this wasn't the bigger job... I loved it! I was the one who got to connect with the kids. I worked with them on their verses, and we had fun! It wasn't a big deal.. just a couple of hours a day for a week. Not much. But it hit me so much that this is what I do well. I work well with kids and totally love doing it. That's probably why I have 7 kids!! I decided I need to start praying with Jim about what God wants me to do in that area. I think that I am going to look into at least doing Sunday School for 4th-6th. What a total kick to watch and be part of seeing kids connect with God. It was really fun!


Me *julie* at  # 7:45 PM

My kids are sooo awesome...They constantly amaze me with their talents and walk with God! Some...no. a lot of parents...have a hard time enjoying their kids when they hit their teens... but I am totally enjoying mine! I can't say why some kids turn out good and other's have a harder time. I don't think it's fair to give 'the 5 steps to success with teens" kind of talk because some seem to 'do' it all right and yet their kids chose to not walk right. So in the end I have to believe it is more a "God-thing" than something Jim or I did or didn't do. Jim and I purposely prayed and gave our kids totally to God when they were little. I think that is a very important step for parents. To tell God that He can do whatever He wants with our kids takes 'us' out of the equation. That was a super hard thing to do. The first thing that came to my mind was 'If I give my kids to You I am afraid of what You will do to them..." And God said (this was one of those times I 'heard' His voice very clearly) in a very patient voice, "But just think of what I can't do with them if you don't give them to me." That hit me sooo hard... I immediately repented and quickly said,"God take them and do whatever you want in their lives because I know you want them to be like You."
So, that was about 10 years ago, and here is the results of that prayer: All of my kids except for the 4 year old and 2 year old have accepted Jesus. The older three(these are the ones that I am seeing the most from right now) are personally seeking to walk with God. All three are develeping a great relationship with Jim and I. They are very respectful, and have grown past, obedience from 'have-to' attitude, to doing what is right out of a desire to walk with God. They all have a strong moral code and a healthy and respectlful attitude toward the opposite sex. They all want to keep their language {for the most part :)} clean! The boys have develped strong leadership roles in their scout troop. Morgan is learning left and right how to trust God with everything in her life. She is having so much fun right now seeing God purposely move her in different directions. She has such strong heart to reach out to other girls her age to help them walk straight with God.
And most of this is happening with Jim and I 'sitting' back and watching God lead them without our help {amazing but true!} Apart from spiritual stuff... Morgan is finding her nitch in theatre stage managering and calling(whatever that is). Jesse is develping his musical talent to the point that he can hear a song a couple of times and go down and pick it out with cords and all on his 'brand new roland RX700 that he just bought himself) And Cory is not only amazing on the computer and guitar but I can see him becoming something in a leadership position with youth; a youth pastor or something.. he is amazing with young kids... So that is my boasting of my kids!!

Me *julie* at  # 4:36 PM

Usually when I 'hear' from God is is usually just a feeling or something that hits me from the Bible or whatever... But sometimes He speaks so clear.ly that it seems like He just spoke in my ear. This has happened 3-4 specific times in my life. Sometime I will get into what those were. Very specific messages specifically for me. But other times the Holy Spirit hits me so hard that I just cry. Sometimes that has been for my healing but other times it has been when I am praying for someone.
It happened again last night. I was praying for my kids and their friends while watching the fireworks display. One friend of Morgan's in particular was on my mind and as I started to pray for this friend I started crying. It wasn't a head thing...just a spirit thing. So I figure at those times the 'Holy Spirit is interceding with goans to deep for words'. So I mentally thought "I don't know what all I'm suppose to pray for this person about; whether something is happening right now that prayer is needed for or just in general. But God take care of whatever it is." I prayed like this for about 5 min. or so and then it went away and I was fine. Strange ways God works through me. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever see the results of my prayers like this. It was on July 4th at about 10-10:30 PM..didn't check the time exactly.
Me *julie* at  # 6:44 PM