VBS At Madison!!!

I am blessed to be a part of a fantastic church. It is awesome to finally feel God, and SEE God working in a church. I've never felt the spirit so much as I do at Madison. This week is our VBS, and all I can is WOW!!! People go above and beyond to make this a great week for the kids, it makes me long to be a kid again so I can participate. The video below is a snippet of our VBS. I hope you'll take the time to check it out. :-) As they say, "This ain't your mama's Church of Christ!" And all I can say is, thank goodness!! It's nice to be able to SMILE when you worship. We are Christians, and we are going to Heaven, so smile, doggone it, and have a blessed day!! ;-)

What A Birthday Weekend!! :-)

Well, I must say, it has been a fabulous weekend!! Turning 37 wasn't as painful as I figured! ha! Oh, not that I really care about age anyway. My theory on age is based on two things, I'm getting closer to retirement, and the best part is, I'm getting closer to Heaven. I had a friend tell me once "You may be getting older physically, but spiritually, you're getting younger." Just think about that a minute, and let it sink in. Isn't it true?? We focus so much on "getting old" here, but what really matters is not the physical, but the spiritual, and that's the life that's important. Everyday that passes here on earth just means one day closer to meeting my Lord, and seeing my loved ones again, and being with them all for eternity!! Oh how I can't wait! I make jokes about getting old, but honestly?? It doesn't bother me. Age is just a number to me, and I'm enjoying every day of my life here on earth. I'm having a ball here, so I can only imagine how much MORE fun I will have up there...FOREVER!! :-) It was a wonderful weekend with a great friend and her daughters coming down from my hometown in Illinois to spoil me rotten. I can't speak for them, but I had a fabulous weekend. I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends in my life. I have been blown away by all the well wishes by text, email, and Facebook. If you are reading this, you are one of my dear friends, and I thank God for you. Everyone in my life has touched me in some way, and blessed me more than you probably know. So thank you for that, and thank you to all who made my birthday so much happier!! :-) This comment I received from a dear friend from college made me tear up. I have to share: "Thank you for making the world a better place for the last 37 years, Julie!! Happy Birthday!" I'm not sure if she's speaking truth, but it sure made me smile!! ;-) Thanks to you all! God Bless!

"Homesick"

This is one of my favorite songs, and lifts me up on the days I'm feeling down! I don't know about you, but there are loved ones in my life that I miss terribly, and I'm sure you have them in your life, too. How wonderful it is to know that THIS world is not the end. Tomorrow is my birthday, but I'm here to say, my birthday has not been the same since 2004. That is because I shared it with my grandmother. She passed away in May of 2005, just a month and a half before our birthdays. I miss her terribly, and for me?? My birthday just hasn't been the same without her, but even though she is not here, I know she is celebrating in a much better place. So, I dedicate this song to my grandmother, and wish her Happy Birthday!! If she was alive, she would be celebrating 92 years tomorrow. I can't wait to see her , and all of my loves ones again. So save me a place because my "homesickness" is coming closer to an end with each passing day!!! Please take a listen to this song if you have the time, and listen carefully to the words. I hope it touches you, and I hope you're "homesick" for a place FAR GREATER than where we are right now!!! God Bless!!!

Random Thoughts Poolside!

Well, as you all know, I'm housesitting this week on the lake, with a pool. Yeah, yeah, it's a rough life, and I know I've not been talking much about it, so you may not know. haha! ;-) Well, as I'm sitting here by the pool writing this blog, it gives me time to think. It's so peaceful out here with nothing but the sounds of locusts, and birds. There are no people around, and this is when I love to have quiet, one on one time with God. No interruptions, no tv to distract, just God and me. Pretty awesome! To me, sitting poolside is pretty much my "heaven on earth." It's my "get away", or my "Calgon" (I finally found it!!!)! I have ALWAYS loved swimming pools ever since I can remember, and have always loved the water. My dream ever since I was little has been to have my own pool one day. Well, I'm about to turn 37, and I'm STILL waiting. It got me to thinking though, as much as I LOVE "stuff" here on earth, if I had a swimming pool here, it's going to just fade away with the earth at the end of time, so why don't I just wait some more?? I think I would rather have my pool in Heaven where I won't have to clean it, add chemicals, or any of the other "work" that comes with it. And everyone is invited! So just remember that!! :-) I certainly hope to see you there! So what about you?? What is something you want to have in Heaven that might not be obtainable here? I realize I'm speaking about earthly "things", but just throw it out there, something you might not ever have here, but would like to have in Heaven. :-) And I bet it's safe to say, there's something waiting for me there that tops a swimming pool!! Something far greater than I can even fathom!!!!!! Can't wait to see!! :-) God Bless!

"Forever, Rejoice"

1WORD is nearing completion of our first CD entitled “Forever Rejoice”. We have listened to the mixes, and we are excited for our friends and family to hear it. We are hoping to get some audio clips posted soon, so you can have a “sneak peak” of what we do if you haven’t seen us “live”. I know some people are “curious” about acappella music, and how we do it. Don’t get me wrong, I love instrumental music as much as the next guy, but I LOVE to hear the harmonies in acappella music that you just can’t hear as clearly with instruments. If you are not familiar with acappella music, well…here’s your chance!! :-) As I’ve heard it said before, the best “instrument” in music is the human voice. Noone can top God’s “instrument”. :-) If you’re interested in reserving a copy of “Forever Rejoice”, I’m posting a link to our Facebook fan page, and you can let us know there (if you are on Facebook), leave me a comment on here (just hit the comment button located under my picture on the right hand side), or you can email me personally, and I will make sure your order is placed!! We are excited about the release of the cd, and we hope you enjoy it, too, but most of all, I hope it touches you, and helps you Praise God like never before!! My wish is for this above ANYTHING else. It is only by God’s grace that we are able to make this kind of music. HE is the one who gave us the voices, and HE is the one who receives the glory! :-) I hope you’ve had a fantastic day!!

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=151185322771&topic=14437

Check Out Kenosis Worship!!!

1WORD had the pleasure of being guest vocalists on Durant’s latest worship cd, entitled Kenosis Worship. Release date is July 1!! I’ve included a link here where you can hear some audio clips of the cd. We hope you enjoy it! We had alot of fun working on this project, and are excited for the release!! Let me know if you’re interested in purchasing a copy, and I will be sure to get one to you. I don’t think you will be disappointed, there are alot of great vocalists on this album. :-) Have a great day, and enjoy the sunshine that God has given us!!

http://www.kenosisworship.com/kenosis_worship/Audio_Clips.html

House Sitting! It's A Rough Job, But Somebody's Gotta Do It!!

Ok...so this picture is probably what you all envision me doing when I "house sit". Well, I'll never tell!! HAHA! Ok, ok, all joking aside, I have really been contemplating trying to start my own business of house sitting. I know there are people out there who make a living doing this sort of thing. I'm blessed beyond words with how many clients I'm building up. Mostly through word of mouth. It's always been a dream of mine to own my own business so I can have some flexibility in my life. We'll see. God knows the plans he has for me, and I'm willing to wait, and see what those are. :-) All of this to say, that beginning tomorrow I'm house sitting for a friend's daughter that I go to church with. They are all going on a family cruise, so I have the pleasure of babysitting their little yorkie dog, Charlie while they're gone. Yorkies are my favorite dogs on all the earth. :-) So I've never been to this girl's house before, and even though I have directions, I ended up at the wrong house. Thankfully it was the house next door, but I think I terrified the little lady who answered. I don't think I've ever terrified a soul in my entire life, so I was trying not to laugh, and kept wanting to say "I'm really a nice person" haha!. But I understand, especially in a city, you don't know what people may do. After we talked a few minutes, she did emerge from behind her door, and came out on the porch to talk to me for a minute. I guess she could tell I was lost, and not some mass murderer. WHEW!!!:-) I did get to the right house, met little Charlie, and will be "roughing it" for 9 1/2 days on a lake and a pool in the back yard, and then I am on vacation for a week to Illinois where I landed yet another house sitting gig, and then after that, I have yet ANOTHER house sitting gig back in Tennessee. So life is good, what else can I say?? I am blessed far more than I deserve! God is good! Hope you all have had a fantastic day!

30 Minutes Of Silence!! Can You Do It??

I attended a Bible Class a few years ago that was led by a lady known as "Mama Sue". There is a Christian group called "Everlife", that is made up of 3 singing sisters. Mama Sue is their mother, and I had the privilege of meeting her, and getting to know her a few years ago. Unfortunately, as life goes, I have since lost touch with her, but I will never forget this one thing she taught me from her class. She was challenging us to get closer to God, and she told us about "30 Minutes Of Silence". I have blogged about this before, but it never gets old, and always worth repeating. The idea behind "30 Minutes Of Silence" is to go into a dark room (make sure no lights are on or any sounds to distract you. The BIG distraction being cell phones!! At least that is for me! So TURN IT OFF!!), or closet, shut the door, and sit and pray for 30 minutes in complete silence!! 30 minutes!! Do you think you can do it?? We sit and watch TV or movies for hours, and think nothing of that, but can we talk to the Lord our God for a mere 30 minutes? I challenge you to try it! You talk about a "jolt" from God, and bringing you right to his feet. I have done this, and I can't even explain to you the "high" you'll get. It's like nothing you've ever experienced before. Sometimes we say we pray, but do we really?? For me, something always distracts me, and I don't feel like I REALLY talk to God. I know you all know what I'm talking about, we've all been there. So I place before you this challenge. Give it a try this week. An even bigger challenge?? Start making it a part of your daily routine! Think you can do it? Oh if we could ONLY give the time to God that we do the pleasures of this world!! Place all your cares and problems on God! He WANTS us to give it all to him!! Psalm 46:10 "Be STILL, and know that I am God!!" If you try this, I would LOVE to hear your experience! Have a blessed day!

Happy Father's Day!!!!

Today is a special day for fathers. So, I have to write this one for my dad. This blog could be never ending because there are just so many wonderful things I could say about my dad. My dad is one of the best guys you could ever know. I can't tell you how great of a father he has been to me, he always took time out for my brother and I for everything when were growing up. I know alot of fathers now days are "too busy" to take the time out for their kids. I can't say that about my dad. He was at EVERY school band and chorus concert, sporting event, play, church event, you name it, my dad was there if his kids were involved. Although those things are wonderful, the best and most important memory I have of my dad is him taking the time to teach my brother and I about the Lord. I know many of you have seen my blogs on my dad before, but you're just gonna have to bear with me as I write about him again. :-) My dad took the time on a regular basis to sit down and have nightly Bible Studies with us. He did not "cram" it down our throats, but he did it in a way that made us want to know more. Even when we were really young, my dad, brother and I would have discussions about God and Heaven, when we should have been sleeping, we were talking about spiritual things late into the night. I think the Bible instructs parents to do this. Prov. 22:6 (NIV) "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." My dad lived by this verse, and if it was not for him (and my mom), I probably wouldn't be in church today or even care about it with all the temptations of the world. I don't know why I was blessed to have such a good upbringing when I see so many others hurting or in horrible homes. It doesn't seem fair, but I thank God every day for the loving parents I have. God has blessed me more than I could ever ask for with a wonderful family and great friends. Even to this day, I will still ask my dad when I have a spiritual question. We have the best spiritual conversations, and it means so much to me. Plus, we probably get along so well because my dad is just as CRAZY as me! There's no doubt that I am his daughter! I look like my mom, but my personality is my dad MADE OVER!! :-) So to my dad, I wish you a VERY Happy Father's Day, and know that I love you very much! I think I'll keep him! I hope all of you are having a joyous day with your fathers. I know this day is not "happy" for some of you as your father's have passed on, but I know they are forever in your hearts! God Bless!

Think On This!!!

"If God does not exist, then nothing matters. If God exists, then nothing else matters." ~Patrick Mead

How's Your Marriage??

Marriages that work take work. The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. It’s greener wherever you water it! ~Rick Warren


The longer I’m single, and sit back and “view” marriages of people I know, the more thankful I am to not have any problems that some of them have. When my grandparents were married back in 1936, it was for life. I realize it was a MUCH simpler time then, but it still took WORK. Fast forward to today, seems alot of people just don’t want to “work” at marriage, so they just throw in the towel, and walk away. Or the mentality seems to be with my generation “Well, if it doesn’t work, we’ll just get divorced.” I think it even goes further that people don’t even think you have to stay faithful to your spouse. I’m not sure where this transition in marriage has occurred that the vows you share with someone don’t mean anything. Isn’t it ironic how our society keeps changing to fit “us” so we can be happy, but yet God’s law is STILL the same?? Marriage is a serious act, and I’m afraid some of us do not take it seriously anymore. I’m not judging, I’m just stating some facts that I see. What about this bumper sticker, “Yes, I’m married, but it’s not serious.” I know alot of folks probably laugh at that, or probably wish they even had it on their car. Marriage is serious business folks, and if you’re not happy in yours, than maybe it’s because God is not at the center. It’s the same with life, nothing “works” without him, and we just can’t seem to figure that out. Your marriage is NOT going to work without God at the center, plain and simple. I have a quote by Rick Warren at the top of this blog that just struck me. I think he hit the nail on the head. I know I’m not married, and you’re probably wondering why I’m writing a blog on marriage. I think it’s just because I’m tired of couples not taking marriage seriously. I can tell you from experience that my parents have a good marriage because they study the Bible together, and live by it. If you’re not doing this with your spouse, I ask you to please start trying. We need to get “un-busy”, and start getting busy in God’s word. If you sit down and study with your spouse, you will not only be strengthening your marriage, but also your relationship with the Father! And that’s what we ALL need. Just from the scripture that I read, God takes marriage seriously, so why don’t we?? To those of you reading this who have fantastic marriages, I commend you. To those of you who are not happy?? Maybe it’s time to slow down, and do some talkin’ with God. I’m tellin’ ya, God is the ONLY answer to anything! Have a blessed day!!