~Merry Christmas 2005~

I had a good Christmas weekend, how about you? Hello? Hello? Anyone out there? I am beginning to think of this more as my own private e-journal since I don't have too many comments posted, but that's ok, too, because I am enjoying this catharsis through blogging!

Christmas day was enjoyed first by watching A Christmas Story with my Mom and brother around midnight while we finished some last minute Christmas wrapping. Then the day began by me playing Santa and taking a gift to a friend, followed by making breakfast for my family staying with me. I really enjoyed this and forgot how much I enjoy it since I live alone and haven't had as much family coming over lately. It was good to be a hostess to them this weekend! I then proceeded to attend church and look frantically for my family all over the sanctuary finally finding them only to see that there was no room for me to sit with them! Oh well, I was able to sit behind them and see my brother nod off and almost hit the lady next to him with his arm when he was stretching in his dozing! Hah! I did enjoy the sermon today in which Buddy reminded us of the importance of pondering things in our heart, analyzing the details, looking at God's plan at work, and truly recognizing the worth in Jesus Christ, our Savior.

I was then embarrassed to see my Mom laugh almost completely through the ending song in worship. She later proceeded to tell me that she asked her husband if the lady singing was Asian and he responded to her, yes, I think maybe so, but they are dubbing her voice with an African American woman. You would have to be there to understand this humor because this lady singing has an unbelievalbe voice which I compare to that of someone like Sandi Patty, and she was singing an African spiritual Christmas song, and she does look like she could be Asian, she is beautiful.

We then proceeded home to cook Southern Living Peppermint Red Velvet Cake, Green Bean Artichoke Casserole, and a salad with toasted almonds, strawberries, spinach, mandarin oranges, and creamy poppyseed dressing, my fav! Then off to lunch with more of the fam. We had a great day with my sis, Amber, and her boyfriend, Nathan, in from Chicago and my other sis, Angela and brother-in-law, Clem, and their 2 children, Nicholas and Amanda, my Mom and her husband, Larry, and my brother Nathan.

I have to say favorite dinner dish today, my sister's Cranberry, Green Apple, Oatmeal dish. Awesome. I did good today on not overeating. We then proceeded to play our family tradition Christmas game in which everyone brings 3-5 wrapped presents, kind of like dirty santa, and you go around and guess Red or Black for what your card turned over will be from playing cards. In round 1, if you guess correctly you pick a wrapped gift and place it by your side. This takes place until all the gifts are taken from the middle. Then everyone proceeds to open their gifts 1 at a time to show everyone what they have acquired. Round 2, the fangs come out! We then set a timer for 15 minutes and go around again guessing red or black, and if guessed correctly you can take someone's gift, and after 3 times taken it is frozen. Much fun, I won a target gift card, How The Grinch Stole Christmas DVD, and a cute pink sparkly SAK makeup bag.

There was a new tradition this year with my sister Angela writing presents with tags to us from different stars like To Julie: From: Bo Bice, Mariah Carey, Usher, etc...The funniest response to this was by my brother Nathan, "Who is this from?"......"Usher, Usher who...." In which we all responded "Yeah, Yeah, A'town, peace out!" There were several other top ten worthy quotes from family including my Mom saying, "I'm having problems with the dexterity in my hands..." as she was wiping down a kitchen counter! Also my response to my nephew Nick at the end of the game, I asked, "Is that all you got, 2 balls?" Meaning he won these 2 different type of balls from our present game, but my sick family started out bursting in laughter, maybe TMI for a blog! Well I could go on and on and probably will edit this bad boy with more Top Ten from the fam and pictures! I then ended the night with friends, and was a little sleepy and feeling restless, so I headed home to try and sleep, but am waiting on my Mom to get home! I tend to feel a little wishful at the end of Christmas day, but I think it's time for bed and I can just dream. It was a beautiful day, just the way it was!

Looking forward to 2006, I pray that everyone had a wonderful day in the Celebration of our Savior's birth.

~Katie, Hannah, and Andrew~

These are some Christmas photos of 3 of my nieces and nephew, Katie(12), Hannah(6), and Andrew(4) a.k.a. "Drew". I miss them so much! They are growing up so fast. Their Dad, Lee, is my brother and my sister-in-law is Amy. Lee is in the army and they have been stationed in Germany while my brother was serving in Iraq. Praise God they are stationed back in the United States.

I am so proud of my brother and the family that he and Amy are raising with a heritage and foundation in the Lord. I love you all and hope to see you soon.

Psalm 127:3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Merry Christmas~Aunt Julie

Hannah Grace below :0) I love you!

~While You Were Sleeping~

This week has gone by very fast for me. I find that I am becoming emotionally and physically drained as I approach Christmas day and I don't want to miss out on fully celebrating the King of Kings and Lamb of Lambs this Christmas season. Last Sunday I fell off of the choir loft! How embarrassing! Praise God no harm was done despite one fellow, hyper, choir member telling me in a fast, worried, voice, "Go to the doctor, you better go, your tailbone may be hurt and you may have problems in child bearing!"

Yeah, let's just say "So not what I wanted to hear after I was still shocked with pain and humiliation."

Moving right along into the week more of a mountain in my life moved that I have been asking God to move for me. I find I question if it's really moved, but then I remember I only need faith as small as a mustard seed and "When I call on Jesus, Mountains are gonna fall, cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call." I pray that I call on Him more this week as the mountains to continue to fall.

This weekend I took some much needed R&R and was able to get a few things organized at home and in my mind! I don't function well with chaos, and lately, my home and my mind have been a little chaotic with all I've been trying to do and hold onto. Thank God for His rest and for my retreat. Today at church a Casting Crowns song was used to minister to me. It was so moving to me and I've thought about it all day. So I leave you with the lyrics as we head into the week leading up to the celebration of our Savior's birth. Will you be sleeping? Will I be sleeping?

"While You Were Sleeping"
Oh little town of Bethlehem Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the darkThere shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight
Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a manAnd stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in historyAs a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping While you were sleeping
Oh little town of Jerusalem Looks like another silent night
The Father gave His only SonThe Way, the Truth, the Life had came
But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save Jerusalem,
what you have missed while you were sleeping
The Savior of the world is dying on your cross todayJerusalem,
you will go down in historyAs a city with no room for its King
While you were sleepingWhile you were sleeping

United States of America Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the darkThere's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned And has carried His bride away in the night
America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again And leave us slumbering where we layAmerica,
will we go down in historyAs a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleepingWill we be sleeping

~Aslan is on the Move~

Today I went to see the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I went to the movie by myself and I am glad I did because it was such a powerful movie to reflect on. I was fascinated and impressed at the representation of parts of the book, despite it not being true to its entirety, but what movie from a book is?
I was like a little girl again watching the movie as I was when I read the book many, many years ago as a young girl, pretending I was Lucy. Today it dawned on me again, I am Lucy, and I need to aspire to be like Lucy daily. To be bright eyed with hope, to be willing to unveil God's truth, and to have faith and be humbled as a child.

Matthew 18:2-4 (NASV)
And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

I think it is important to note C.S. Lewis's desires for his book as we watch the movie. This is one commentary I found compelling:

"If the audience cannot enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia as just a story, it will be impossible for them to get anything else out of it. Schakel believes it is important for the children to first fall in love with and long for Aslan and then to transfer that love and longing towards Christ (134). Schakel discusses it well when he says "children should be left to enjoy [The Chronicles] imaginatively and emotionally, without being asked to reflect upon [its] significance. Out of that enjoyment 'meaning' will come" (135).

When Lewis' readers find Aslan in the real world, they will find out that his true name is Jesus Christ. And when this occurs, Lewis is successful at opening a person's heart to accepting Christianity"

Schakel, Peter J. Reading with the Heart: The Way Into Narnia. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979.

I was also reminded through the movie that the enemy is constantly trying to deceive, kill, and destroy. However, I as Peter, have the Sword of the Spirit, the Helmet of Salvation, the Breastplate of Righteousness, and the Sheild of Faith to overcome through Him who overcame the world. I am also reminded to stand firm in the battle and pray in the Spirit for myself and my brothers and sisters in Christ that are to me as Peter, Edmund, and Susan were siblings of Lucy, Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.

1 Peter 5:7-9
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Ephesians 6:13-21
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

I was also encouraged to search my own heart and ask God to reveal what Turkish Delights I am being tempted by, tasting, or holding onto and reminded of my need to taste and see that the Lord is good.

Psalm 34:8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 37:4Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

In closing, I encourage you to checkout the Soundtrack. I know I will!
http://www.ccmcom.com/reviews/3416.aspx

~Happy Birthday, Julie Ann~

Happy Birthday! Yes today is my birthday. I turned 29 today. I have had a good birthday. I was able to attend a David Phelps concert at church last night followed by Cheesecake Factory and dancing at Bellbottoms. Yes, quite an experience. I've got 2 words for you, Brick House! However, 4 AM does not sit well with being 29 and I am still feeling the effects of "Groove Is In the Heart...." tonight.

Today my sister and niece took me to lunch @ Tavern on the Summit followed by shopping for shoes @ Parisian. My sister bought me some Yellow Box black suede clogs for my birthday! Yeah! We then proceeded to go watch my niece perform in the George Balanchine's Nutcracker produced by the Alabama Ballet. I can tell I am getting older because I have seen this many times as my niece has played several parts over the years, but this year, I noticed I was more fascinated by watching the enjoyment of the families and children watching the Ballet. I noticed how the parents and grandparents would look at their children with smiles on their faces as they saw their children's eyes light up with excitement during the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies or during the Snowflake Waltz.

It made me realize how much God must enjoy it when we His children are enjoying the beauty in life and earth and experiencing life more abundantly. It is so humbling to think He will delight in me.

Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,he will rejoice over you with singing."

John 10:10
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Tonight I attended a Christmas party for my Sunday school class. It was fun and I was kissed on the cheek under the mistletoe by my dear friend, Richard. I love a confident man! I think the world needs more affection. I think it is in me to give more affection than I do because I am half Greek and my Dad and paternal family are very affectionate people. However, I do hold back and it doesn't always come naturally. Maybe that is something I will work on this year! I know I am getting better with not having to be perfect or always in order because I wanted this post to be complete by the end of my birthday, but it is after midnight, and alas, it will still be posted despite my missed deadline!

Happy Birthday to me and Goodnight!
~Julie Ann

~My Sweet Sweet~

This is Tiffany, my "Sweet Sweet!" She is my Sealpoint Siamese kitty that was given to me by my Mom 7 years ago this December for my birthday. Tiffany has many other nicknames such as, "Momma's Girl," "Babooshkie," "Tiff," and "Little Moosh."

She weighs about 41/2 pounds and actually has beautiful blue eys unlike the picture is displaying here of golden yellow to match my bedding! Oh well, it works....My Mom wrote in a card that she was a gift to me as I was single, approaching graduate school, and waiting for God's timing in becoming married after a somewhat painful ended relationship. She wanted me to have something tangible to pour out my love and affection to in addition to God and my friends. I must say that back then I thought it was kind of silly, but looking back, Tiffany has been such a blessing. God has used her to bring me comfort, joy, and feelings of love when I have felt lonely. Plus, she is such a little princess and can be very funny at times. She loves to hear noises from the computer and makes the cutest little half purr/half meow sounds when she hears IM dings and audibles! Oh well, enough about Tiffany....thought the blog world should be introduced to her! Purr, Meow~Tiffany