The Dinner Bells Sing At The Bluegrass Barn!!

The Dinner Bells were asked to come sing at a "gig" Tuesday night, Dec. 23rd! We sang at "The Bluegrass Barn" which was a pretty "swingin'" little joint, where many people come and play Bluegrass Music every week. We enjoyed singing for this "fun crowd", they liked us so much they want us to come back for Gospel Night some time. We are talking about doing it. :-) I hear they broadcast those on podcast, I'm about to become famous!! Yeah, I know, you all want my autograph. :P I've really enjoyed singing with these guys, they have become some of my best friends! We have a great time, and tons of fun!! I am so blessed to know them all! And who knows, maybe one day, we'll be "touring" in a town near you!! :-)

Happy New Year!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family! It's hard to believe that it has come and gone for yet another year! And now we are embracing a new year that is headed our way tomorrow night!! Things have been pretty hectic for me, but I hope after the New Year, things will slow down, and I can get back to blogging on a regular basis. Sorry for slacking! :-) Whatever your plans are for the New Year's, I hope you have a blast, but I also hope you stay safe! I plan to spend my New Year's with some dear friends! I'm looking forward to being with them, and having the day off on Thursday! I'm kinda getting used to these short work weeks! It will be hard to get back in the swing of things next week!! Happy New Year, and I pray that 2009 is full of blessings for you all!

Merry Christmas!!

My apologies for not blogging recently. I was "plagued" by a really nasty stomach bug, and as you may know, blogging was the LAST thing on my mind. I am FINALLY on the mend after about 4 days. I pray that NONE of you get this "bug" because it was NOT FUN!! Anyway, I'm better just in time to wish you all a Merry Christmas!! I have a hectic day in store tomorrow, and then I will be heading up north, where I HOPE to see some snow (I'm not holding my breath), on Christmas Eve. It's going to be a nice get away/vacation for me, and I'm MORE than ready to go! I'm not sure how much blogging I'll do while at home, but I wanted to wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season with your friends and loved ones before I leave! Thank you to all of you who have sent me Christmas Cards/Letters. I was not very "festive" this year, I didn't mail any cards. There just wasn't enough time, so please don't be offended if you didn't get anything from me. :-) Anyway, if you're traveling for the holidays, please be safe, and have a wonderful time! Take care, and remember the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas!

The Dinner Bells...Again!! :-)

So, at the Praise Team Christmas Party last night, it was requested that we sing a few songs. So we did! We've even been booked for a paying "gig" Tuesday night. Should be a lot of fun! Thursday night is dress rehearsal for me, and the other "Dinner Bells" for Uncle Phil's Diner which is Friday and Saturday nights. I'm sure more pictures will follow from that too. Sorry if you all are getting bored with this, but I'm doing a lot of this for my parents who aren't here to see the show, so you'll just have to bear with my ugly mug for awhile. :-) Have a blessed day!

Praise Team Christmas Party!!

Here are a few photos from tonight's festivities! I'll try to get the rest of the pics up in a slide show one of these days!! We had a GREAT time!!

Watch Those Snow Flakes!!

Thanks Patricia! I just had to share!!

Fun Filled Weekend!

The Dinner Bells!!




Our Gum Drop Tree!! Yes, We Made This! :-)

Gum Drop Tree Judging! We Lost! :(


"Scoop!!"



Fun In Franklin, TN "My Arm! My Arm!!"




Well, since this is my LAST free night for about a week, I figured I better get a blog on here since it will probably be a few days before I get another one up. This weekend was a blast! Saturday, we spent the day in Franklin, TN at a Christmas Craft Fair, where we took a carriage ride, and saw all the characters from "A Chistmas Carol". I have to admit, Mr. Grim Reaper kinda creeped me out. Saturday night, we attended Uncle Phil's Diner. It was a lot of fun! I have posted pics from all the days festivities. I'm sure I will have more pictures to post from Uncle Phil's after this coming weekend when I will be in the group "The Dinner Bells". And yes, yours truly is wearing a Poodle Skirt! Oh, how I'm thrilled to death!! :-) Tomorrow night is a Praise Team Christmas Party which is sure to be loads of fun! I hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday Season so far! Have a blessed day!

TOTALLY!!

Life is funny, sometimes you just never know what kind of people you're going to meet, just once in your life. Take a restaurant for example, you just never know what kind of waiter/waitress you are gong to get. Some are upbeat, and wait on your every need with precision, others act like they couldn't care less about you, they bring you your food, and you never see them again. Sometimes you even have to hunt them down to bring you your check! Some talk your ear off when you just want to order because you are starving. Or my favorite are always the ones who say "Do you need a few more minutes?" You say "yes"...and they completely disappear. I've learned to never say YES when they ask me that because I would like to eat sometime this century. :-) Last night was an experience, my friend, Patricia, and her husband, Bradley, have traveled down from Ohio for the weekend to visit friends, and go with some of us tonight to see our Christmas Dinner Theater at church, Uncle Phil's. So we ventured out to the Red Robin Restaurant last night for supper. Patricia and Bradley are tired from driving most of the day, I'm tired because I'd been up since 5:30 a.m., and worked all day, all of a sudden from out of nowhere, our blonde, BUBBLY waitress, Angela, starts smiling and bouncing around welcoming us to Red Robin. I think all 3 of us were looking at her like "huh?" When she walked off, I told Patricia, "I want what she's on!" HA! It was like this the entire night, and we couldn't help but laugh. Obviously, this girl's word was "Totally!" I mean, if she said it once, she said it 500 times to everything we would say! She was telling us about their hamburgers "They are TOTALLY wonderful!!" She told us about their homemade Ranch Dressing "It's TOTALLY the best!!" She told us about their dessert specialty "It's TOTALLY to die for!!" I ask for a to go box, "I can TOTALLY get you one of those!!" She didn't split the check, I asked if she could do that...she replies "Totally!!" Yes, you're seeing the pattern! ALL NIGHT LONG! I don't think I EVER want to hear the word TOTALLY again in my entire life!! :-) Of course what topped it all off was a different girl who took our plates away. She was asking how we liked our food, etc. Patricia says "I just had the Chicken Fingers Salad, it was was great!" This girl, kid you not, replies with "Totally!!", and walks away! We were rolling! If you ever want to work at Red Robin, just say "totally" to everything, and you've totally got the job!! So now, I ask you?? What have been some of the BEST or WORST experiences you've ever had while dining out?? I would TOTALLY love to hear it! Have a blessed day!

The Illinois Christmas Carol!!

Ok, so this is compliments of my friend, Cheryl. I thought all my Illinois buddies could appreciate it.

To the tune of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentelmen".

Get packin... Read More’, Rod Blagojevich
The state’s in disarray
The Tribune wants you unemployed
At least by Christmas Day.
The TV pundits want your head
Could there be pay to play?
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Save Illinois!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Good riddance Rod Blagojevich
Your Elvis look’s inane,
The Senate’s mad, so’s Lisa’s dad.
You drive us all insane.
Our transit’s broke, the state’s a joke,
The Tollway’s one big pain.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Save Illinois!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Good luck old Rod Blagojevich
The feds have quite a place.
Fitzgerald’s poked his nose around
And if he has a case,
George Ryan’s moving stuff around
Creating extra space.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Save Illinois!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Running Myself Ragged!!

When I was home at Thanksgiving, my nieces played one of my childhood games that I got for Christmas one year. It was called "Run Yourself Ragged", as you can see in the photo above. It was a popular game around 1983 or 1984. I had completely forgotten about that game, so when my dad brought it out, it brought back alot of memories. Even down to the commercial, I still remember the theme song saying "Well you can run, run, run, run, run yourself ragged!" Yes, I remember strange things. :-) If you can tell by the picture, it's an obstacle course game. You use levers and knobs to maneuver a marble type ball to "run" this "ragged" course, and there is a timer, the object is to beat your opponent by getting through the course in a faster time. It could be really nerve wracking. :-) Anyway, this time of year makes me feel like this game because I RUN MYSELF RAGGED! I feel like I'm running an obstacle course trying to "beat the clock". I told my mom the other day I would just talk to her at Christmas when I go home! ha! I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way around the holidays. I work all day, come home for a hour or so, and back out the door again, it seems. It is something almost every night. Thankfully, I am free tonight, and I'm free Monday night, but after that, it will be awhile. I really don't like being SO busy, because when I am, my focus starts slipping. I'm too busy thinking about "What time is rehearsal?" or "What am I going to take to that Christmas Party?" or "When am I going to get to bed?" I'm thinking of all these things, but not thinking "When am I going to have time for God?" In Psalm 46:10, we are told "Be still, and know that I am God." How can I "be still" when all of this "stuff" is going at this time of year, and taking over my life? I wish so many times I could go back to a time when things were simpler, and we didn't have all this "stuff" to distract us. Am I the only one that feels this way?? We need to stop "running ourselves ragged", and take the time to "be still, and know that HE is God!" Have a blessed day, and on that note, I will "talk" to you all after New Years!! ;-)

Super Julie!!

My friend, Patricia sent this video to me. There's no words to explain it, just click the link to get a good laugh!! Thanks Patricia, for making my day!! The funniest part?? My parents used to have a Dodge Dart (the car in the video), but it was blue! Love those 70's!! I'm also amazed at my "skillz" of turning my whole body around with my head staying forward, and wow...who knew I had those dance moves? Now you all know about my secret life!! :-)


http://www.makemesuper.com/index.html?videoid=9_ac45b&imgid=105023&gender=female&name=Julie

Stethoscope!!

My friend, Lee Hodges, shared this video with me on an email the the other day. I loved it so much, I wanted to share it with you guys! Enjoy!!

The Shack

I'm curious to know how many people have read this book?? I am a HORRIBLE reader, by that I mean, I'll start a book (most generally), get half way though, and most times, never pick it up again. I'm TERRIBLE when it comes to finishing books. That's kinda what is happening with this one. I just have a hard time reading because my mind wanders...A LOT!! I can sit and read a whole page sometimes, and not be able to tell you what I just read. It drives me nuts, but that's just one of my "flaws", I suppose. :-) I did start reading this book because I've heard SO many great things about it. It intrigued me, so I wanted to check it out. I have made it to Chapter 8. We'll see if I get through the rest. :-) Several people have told me they can't put it down, but for me? I haven't really had that problem, so far. I was told to keep an open mind while reading it, and I am, but it's certainly "different". I'm not saying I don't like it, but it's not what I was expecting, for sure. :-) It definitely has some things in it that make you think. I'm pretty sure I will finish this one because I'm intrigued to see what happens, but it may just take me 2 years! ha! Just kidding! Anyway, have any of you read it? Let me know what you think!! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Are We Different?

Recently, I've been becoming a little upset by some things...these "things" would be Christians. We all know people like this, you know, the ones who "come to church" putting on a "holier than thou" attitude, but there is another side to them. I'm blown away by Christians, as a whole, now days. I was always taught that Christians are to be "different", we are to be a "light"...we are to be like CHRIST, yet some Christians I know seem to not be any "different" than the world. I'm always saying how people don't "get it". I'm not saying I've got it all going on either, heaven knows, I have my struggles just like any other person, and trust me, I've fallen more times than I can count, but I am TRYING...I'm TRYING to be "different", and that's the key. I want people to say "hey, there's something that's different about Julie." I'll use my work place as an example, I don't fit in there. Why?? Because I'm "different", my coworkers can't for the life of them understand why I don't do the things they do, like party, get drunk on the weekends, sleep around, etc. They can't understand when I tell them I'm going to church to sing on a praise team. To them, how boring is that?? I'm "different", and they can't grasp why, but recently, I've been in contact with some Christians who are not "different" either. Why is it that we "go to church" on Sunday morning, but yet on Friday and Saturday night, we've been at the bar getting plastered? Would Jesus be drinking at a bar?? I don't see that one happening. If Jesus was at a bar, I'm pretty sure he would be trying to teach people the Gospel, not doing shots with the boys. Here's another prime example, take TV, movies, internet...how many of us watch junk that is not pleasing to God, and laugh at it, and then come to church and sing "Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul...I live for YOU ALONE!!" I am guilty as charged, as I'm sure most everyone reading this is. Does anyone else sense a problem here? Is it just me? Am I just out on a limb?? Too harsh? I could preach on this til' I'm blue in the face, and it will never sink in with some people, and nothing frustrates me more than people just not getting it, it's such a simple concept, but yet we choose to ignore it. As time passes, I see more and more Christians who are not "different", it's getting hard to tell a difference between "us" and "the world". Why can we not get it? Being a Christian is 24/7, I've said it before, and I'll continue saying it until we GET IT! It's not just 2 hours on Sunday morning, and do what you want to do the rest of the week. IT'S OUR LIFE!! I'm just as guilty as the next person, but I try to make time for my God other than just Sunday morning! If you don't make time for God,and only worship on Sunday and Wednesday nights, that's just not enough, and it will never mean anything to you, it's a relationship. God wants ALL of us, he longs for that relationship, as we should long to have one with him. I just wish I knew how to make people understand how important it is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It breaks my heart to see Christians living as the world, but I know it breaks God's heart even more than mine! We've got to start living for Christ, or Judgement Day might not be a pleasant experience! Just because you've been baptized doesn't mean you're automatically "in", you've got to live your life for the Lord. I love this verse: James 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that, and shudder!!" You believe in God?? Great, but it's MORE than just believing, it's living your life for Him, and people being able to tell you're "different"!! Get on fire for the Lord! He loves you more than you know, and he deserves our continuous praise! Have a blessed day!

Are You "Homesick"?

I don't know how many of you have heard of the group "Mercy Me", but they have some fabulous songs. I saw them in concert a couple of years ago, and they were really good. One song they sing that I'm sure you've all heard is "I Can Only Imagine". What a powerful song. Another song that speaks to me when I'm having a rough time is "Homesick". I've posted the video below. We've all lost loved ones, and for me, this song makes me think of my grandparents everytime I hear it, but it also just reminds me of how "homesick" I really am for Heaven, and no more troubles of this world. If you have about 4 minutes, please listen to this song, and really pay attention to the words. I hope it speaks to you, like it does to me!