For my 40th birthday, my parents got me the books by the Duck Dynasty crew. They got me “The Duck Commander Family” and Phil Robertson’s book, “Happy, Happy, Happy”. I just recently started reading, “Happy, Happy, Happy” and am having a hard time putting it down. I think the thing that makes me love the Robertson family the most is their faith and that they are just “real” people. What you see is what you get. They don’t try to pretend to be something they’re not. And they really don’t care if you like them or not. They love everyone regardless how you feel about them. Phil’s faith blows me away. He is a very intelligent man and could be doing any high falootant job out there, but he chose to take a different path. Anyone that chooses a different path than the “American Dream” to do what they love is perfect in my book. I love people that do things that aren’t “of the norm”. People who don’t take paths because it’s “what you’re supposed to do.” People who take different paths that seem so foreign to the rest of the world, even to some Christians that I know. I love it when people live by faith and trust God that He will provide. What if more of us lived on faith instead of security? What if we trusted God to our very core that He is going to take care of us? Can you imagine the blessings that God would pour on each of us? Wow. Just look at Phil Robertson and his blessings. Phil’s passion and desire was to be outside in nature hunting and fishing. He didn’t want to be tied to a desk. He even went into teaching so he could have summers off and lots of holidays to hunt and fish. He planned his career around his passion of hunting. That was all he wanted to do. One day, he decided to start making his own duck calls. People laughed at him. Thinking he was making the biggest mistake of his life, especially having a wife and kids. Hmmm…but I have to wonder, who got the last laugh? Phil built his business on faith. I loved this quote from Phil in his book: “The Duck Commander has come a long way. But it hasn’t been easy. Somehow, we stayed the course and it turned out. There is a God, and He blessed us because we did what was right--we loved Him, we loved our neighbor, and we hunted ducks. He is real and what He said He would do has happened. He said, you love Me and do what’s right, and I’ll bless you--so much so that your barns will be full, packed full, tapped down, and running over. I only know that either our success came from Him or I was one of the luckiest souls that ever came along with a little idea. All I can say is it’s one or the other, but I’m leaning toward the Almighty doing exactly what He said He would do. My prayer was always: “Lord, if You bless me, I’ll thank You; but if You don’t, I’ll be thankful for what I have. I have plenty. I’m in good shape.” I love to read about Phil’s faith. I wonder how many of us would pray the prayer that Phil prays. Seems in my life, I always want what I want, and God, if you don’t give it to me, then forget it. Isn’t that the way most of us are?? We are a selfish people. Paul says to be content in every circumstance. Sometimes I don’t think I am, it’s hard. I am a restless person, so it’s very hard for me to be content sometimes. But I want to learn to be content in all of my circumstances, I want to learn to trust more and stop doubting. I want to be a person that people look to and say, “Man. I wish I had the faith she has.” I long for a deep faith like Phil Robertson has. He risked everything, had a wife and 3 kids at the time, and yet he TRUSTED the Almighty, had a wife who supported him 100%, and look how blessed he is today. Have you ever noticed that people who laugh at people for trying new things or shake their heads saying, “this will never work” comes back around to make them look like the idiots? Don’t you know all the people who laughed at Phil are kicking themselves today?? Take Noah for another example, how many people laughed at him for building the ark? As I recall, those people didn’t fare to well in the end. Many people don’t understand faith because how can you trust in something you can’t see? I will say that I have lived on faith for the past year and a half and I haven’t been happier in my entire life. It is a high that you won’t get from a 401K. Am I rich? Of course not, but do I care? Nope because I don’t put my trust in things here on this earth. I put my trust in the Almighty who knows my needs even more than I know. So hats off to Phil Robertson who took a leap and lived on faith. I want to live more like this every single day. Check out his book if you get a chance. God Bless!!
I love to spend time in nature. It’s always one of the places I feel closet to God. I have always loved the outdoors, and spending time alone in them is Heaven to me. Even when I was a kid, you would never find me sitting inside on a summer day. I was out the door from sun up until sun down. Even now, I can’t stand being cooped up inside all day when the weather is so perfect outside. I think that’s why I can’t stand sitting in an office. It is so hard for someone like me who wrestles with a wandering mind and can’t sit still to be sitting in a cubicle all day. I’ve got to find something outside to do, something that makes me feel free and close to my Maker. That’s why I LOVE traveling…I’m never “stuck” in one place all the time. I think I have ADD...but I digress. I’m pet sitting this week at a house that’s away from the city…it’s surrounded by trees and woods. All the things that an outdoorsy person loves. I decided to take a little walk today and just spend some time conversing with God in His creation. Sometimes, I’m so easily distracted by my “gadgets” that I forget to just slow down, turn them off, get outside, and be one with God. Today was the day to do just that as the weather could not be more perfect. Is it really July? I don’t recall too many times in July where the weather has felt this great! It’s so easy to be surrounded by God’s creation every single day and not even notice it. How many times do I do this? A lot, but I find when I finally stop and think about ALL of the things He created for us, it really takes my breath away. Even as I was walking today and some kind of little varmits were swarming me and well…driving me nuts, to be honest, I still was trying to find some thankfulness in those moments while swatting at them. Of course, I kinda had to laugh as I felt like it was just another tactic of Satan to try and keep me from conversing with my God while walking along. He does all he can to distract us, doesn’t he? The greatest thing I’ve found in working for myself is being able to slow down and enjoy life. I was never able to do that much working in the “real world”. I wonder if we really live life the way God intended? We rush, rush, rush through life and next thing you know, you’re old, retiring, and getting ready to die. I’m not trying to be morbid, but isn’t that how we live life? What if we took time to just live and take in God every moment we’re awake instead of worrying about that next deadline or business meeting? What if we just slowed down? Why are we in such a hurry in today’s world? That's one of the biggest reasons I LOVED Belize. No one was in a hurry. It was incredible! Jesus spent time with people and His Father while He walked on this earth. I don’t know how many of us do that today because we don't seem to have time to spend with people or really get to know them on a deep level. I know I sure don’t do it the way I should because something is always distracting me, or I‘ve got 50,000 things to do. You know exactly what I'm talking about, especially those of you with kids. When did kids get to be so busy? It's the best part of their life and they're missing out on so many fun things that we experienced as kids. Satan loves to keep us “busy” so we don’t spend time with God, and in our world today, he’s doing an awfully good job. I don’t know about you, but I need and crave moments of serenity. Moments when I’m alone. Moments when I can get back to nature and remember whose child I am, and to be THANKFUL for all my blessings. For it is in the moments of my distraction, the moments I stop spending time with my God…those are the moment when the Enemy sneaks in and takes my focus off where it should be. So what about you? Where or how do you see God? Where do you need to slow down in your life to be able to spend more one on one time with Him? We all have different places or things that help us “see” God, how about spending some time with Him today? And as you step outside today, take notice of HIS creation, not the skyscrapers and man-made things, but HIS creation. If you really stop and think that He made all of this for you, it’s pretty mind blowing. And now...I must get back to nature and this perfect day. :-) God Bless!
Yep, it's late, and yep, I should probably go to bed, but oh well. Seems the older I get the less sleep I need. Some nights I'm just not sleepy, tonight is one of those nights...so I decided to write a blog. Just feel like rambling tonight so bear with me, or stop reading now. Last week I took a few days "off" from pet sitting to just get out of town. I was supposed to be in Houston on a Durant gig, but it fell through at the last minute. This was the first year I've not done pet sitting on the 4th of July since I can't remember when. Even when I was working full time, I was always booked at someone's house. One year, I even pet sat in Illinois over the 4th. But this year, it was all for ME. I spent about a week at home in Illinois. You know, as much as I love city life, sometimes I really miss small town living and it's nice to go back "home" to get away from it all...especially these crazy Tennessee drivers who have no idea what a turn signal is or a speed limit. While most people are spending their vacations at the beach, I'm spending mine at home with people I love and miss dearly. I really needed this past week to help me rejuvenate and catch up with some lifelong friends that I just don't get to see nearly enough. Mostly because some of us live in other parts of the country now or because I just can't seem to find any free time to get away. City life keeps you hoppin' at all times it seems, and just when I think I'm going to slow down, something else comes my way. I'm not complaining, I'm just stating the facts, ma'am. So last week and part of this week was so great because I didn't have to sing anywhere, I didn't have to be at church at a certain time to be ready to sing on the praise team, I didn't have someone's dog or cat to watch...I just got to be Julie, and no one asked me to sing. It was great. haha! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE singing and yes, it's my passion, but sometimes I just want to be a spectator and not have to sing. Yes, even the singers sometimes just like to sit in the audience. I know, hard to believe, but it's true...or at least it is for me. So when I was home, I got to hang out like the old days. Got to play at the park and walk around the lake remembering all the times I'd spent there either with friends or church potlucks. Remembering feeding the ducks when I was a kid, and my brother falling through the ice on the lake when he thought it was frozen. haha! Oh that is a memory I'll not soon forget. Seeing the old ballfields where I played softball and got taken out at 3rd base during a church softball game...but little Jewels got the out even though I ended up bruised from head to toe. It was one of my prouder sports moments. :-) Had a flashback to the 80's when I went to my old neighbor's house and they still had the old Atari that I played hours on end in their house as a kid. It still works and I found I'm just as addicted to those video games today as I was when I was a 10 year old kid. I'm such a nerd, but I love video games even to this day. This time instead of playing with my buddy, Roger, who is now grown like me, I was playing with his 7 year old nephew, Adam. Adam was impressed with my Pac-Man skills. He says to me, "How did you get to be so good at Pac-Man?" I told him, "30 plus years of practice." :-) Although, he didn't like the way I saved all my power pellets until I had most of the board cleared. It's just my strategy, what can I say? On Saturday night, I met up with 5 high school friends and we ate at the best pizza joint on the face of the planet. :-) We had fun reminiscing about our crazy school days. Just wish more could have joined us as we had so much fun. On Sunday, I went to an amazing church with my friend, Jane. I experienced church like it should be. In the middle of the pastor's sermon, a lady interrupts him who had just received a phone call about her brother in the hospital and he was not doing well. She broke down, the pastor stopped in the middle of his sermon, walked over to the lady and immediately started praying as people were leaving their seats to lay hands on her. It was such a moving moment. And the praise and worship?? Wow...out of this world and all the people were lost in worship with hands raised high. It was just incredible. On Sunday afternoon, I was able to go to Mt. Carmel (a town nearby where I used to live in 1995-96) and see some of my dearest friends there, people who are more like family to me than just friends. On Monday, I spent all day with one of my dearest friends and babysitter. I know she probably loves me telling she used to babysit me. Although I was older when she stayed with me, and she was always the best because she played "Clue" and "Red Light, Green Light" with me and the neighbor kids. She was a pretty cool teenager, even took a few of us kids from church cruising town after church one night. We thought we were "big stuff" the night she did that and took us to Dairy Queen. I can't even remember the last time I'd spent time with her in Fairfield, so I made a point to get in touch with her this time and we spent the whole day together...I mean, the WHOLE day catching up and doing a photo shoot. Her hobby is taking pictures, and she was thrilled when I agreed to let her take pics of me. What can I say? I'm just that good of friend. HAHA! I've posted a few on Facebook, and I think they came out pretty good considering what she had to work with and she's not a "professional". She made me look good, that's for sure. So yeah, I had a great time at home, being with people who've known me my whole life...who know the crazy Julie, the shy Julie, the sports Julie, or the comedian Julie. So sometimes it's just good to get away and remember my hometown and where I came from. Although I've not lived there in almost 20 years, it's still home...it will always be home. So keep practicing Pac-Man any chance you get and maybe you'll be asked, "How did you get to be so good at Pac-Man?" It was a good get away...and now?? I think I'll head to bed as all my words look like blurred lines. Thanks for reading! Hope you have a blessed day!
