Round 2

Well, I got a call yesterday - from the little brother...



He's gotta go back.





This time not to Iraq, but to Afghanistan.





I can't write much cuz we are moving this week - but for those who care, please be praying for him, for his new bride, for my parents, for my sister and I... and for all those who know and love him. It just doesn't seem fair to only allow him to be home for 11 months and then send him back....





Thanks for the prayers

Also - today is his birthday... go over and tell him happy birthday!

Things to come

Some of you may already be involved in this - but for those who aren't and those who care.... THIS is something we are going to do this summer....

Ventanas, Ecuador. You can search the internet and you will find very little information on this portion of the country that is named for the fact that it crosses the equator. Ventanas is located in the Los Rios province, due to the large rivers that flow through. In early 2008, heavy rains hit this area of the country destroying many homes and farm lands. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes and many lost their lives.

Due to this heavy flooding and loss of homes, Ecuador will allow us to come and help rebuild a portion of the community in Ventanas.

It is to this challenge, and to the goal of helping to build the local church in Ecuador that Ronnie and I feel we are called. As believers, God has called us to reach out to the hurting, the widows and orphans, and the prisoners. This summer, God has called us to take his message of Hope to the hopeless people in Ventanas, Ecuador. We are a part of a team of people from several different states that will be traveling in late July to do work in some of the area villages. Some of these villages have NEVER heard the gospel of Jesus Christ before.

We are writing together to ask for two things from you.

First, we are asking for your prayers. We believe that with a trip like this, nothing will happen without the prayers of God’s people pleading before the throne that hearts will be changed, lives will be transformed, and our work will not be in vain.

Second, we are asking for financial support. The Bible makes it clear that believers are called to go into the world to preach the gospel, to baptize believers, and to make disciples. You may not be able to go at this time, However, you can still be a part of our team by helping make it possible for us to go. Your ministry to the hurting people of Ecuador will be just as fruitful as our ministry will be once we get there. The people need Jesus, Ronnie and I feel called to take them the Hope of Jesus Christ. We need prayers and finances in order to do this. So, I need you, to prayerfully consider supporting our mission. Thank you in advance for your help!


If you are interested in supporting this ministry in Ventanas, Ecuador,(this is a tax deductible gift – simply attach a post it note to the check with our name on it) please either send your gift by check payable to:

E3 Partners
April Allen EC09H
600 Development Drive Suite 120
Plano, Tx 75074

Or you may donate online:
Go to www.e3partners.org
Click on “donate.” Fill in the blanks. Click “Give to a Campaigner.” Type in either Julia Mayhew, or Ronnie Mayhew, and enter the trip code EC09H.

THANK YOU!

Too much time, too little to do - Wait - Reverse that -

What movie is that from?




Anyway - as stated by my dear movie companion, and fellow chocolate lover - Willy Wonka - "too much time, too little to do" seems to be my theme these days. I mean, I feel like my list is long... laundry, syllabus writing, questions to create for this online music course, dishes, basic house maintenance, my commitment to Scripture memory and healthy living... yet, due to the fact that all of these have this "whenever" basis, I generally feel like I am behind in all of them.

It all falls back to discipline. My goal for the year. I have none when I am given freedom.

When I had a daily job, and requirements and deadlines, I get more done. When I have free time - I end up at the end of the day wondering why I didn't get my stuff done.

I don't want to waste my day. I don't set out for that to happen. It just seems to happen.

So, I am working on finding a way to plan my days. Even those days that seem to have no plan. I have got to get a schedule going. It can have some flexibility - but it must be planned.

So, having said that - - this must be a short blog. For I have a schedule to come up with!

P.S. mom blogged about her Hospital visit this weekend... and her memory verse and the reason behind it

What a whirlwind....

Memory Verse #2

Remember my memory verse goal??? Well, I am on to number 2 of 24 now... I am a couple days late due to an unexpected trip to Bama -

Anyway - the verse is....

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Thanks!

Running around my head

It seems that when things that are heavy (not physically heavy... but mentally heavy... which isn't in all reality that heavy but due to the lack of my brain functions right now, they simply SEEM heavy)....

(if that last statement doesn't make you jump to the next blog then you win a prize.... please go to your own kitchen, get a whole sleeve of Oreos and return to your computer screen)

Ok - I am going to start that first sentence again. It seems that when things that are heavy, are running around in my head, I really struggle to get them into a blog. (now, was that so hard?)

I am going to try to do this today.

Right now I am dealing with trying to find those "lines." Here is what I mean. I need to give you a bit of background.

In 2004 I lived in Germany. It was a wonderful year, but a terribly challenging one. Especially the first 6 months. The town I lived in was about 50,000 people (Eisenach... the city Bach was born in, and the city in which Martin Luther translated the Bible into German for the first time). It was a beautiful city and I lived with the most AMAZING German family on earth! My struggle mainly lied in two areas.

1, I was the only English speaker I knew. This was stressful. But it is not the point.

2. The traditions of the church were WAY different than the traditions of the American churches I had always been a part of.

This was my struggle. It really pushed me back to study to find what part of what I know is due to my Scriptural understanding? What part of what I know is due to my Baptist background? and What part of what I know is due to me living my whole life in the USA? All three of these factors play into our religion weekly.... daily.... hourly.

I was pushed back to the Bible to determine what I believed.

I fell I am in that place again. This time, not because I am in a different country, but because of the situation in our country. I am not going to go into political stand offs about what we should/should not do in our country. I am going to simply state that things are not as they should be. We can throw blame in a TON of directions, and that is all fair in the political world. I believe that we all have a desire to see our country move forward, we simply have different beliefs on how we should get there. That is not the point. My point is that we have issues. We have financial issues, economical issues, ethical issues, (when a group of politicians are appointed and a large percentage are then found to be already breaking the law?? seriously??) world issues, unity issues, racial issues (please see the riots currently happening in Oakland, CA), security issues - - the list could go on. But you get my idea.

How do you line up the promises God has given to his children with the current state of affairs? I feel that in many cases we are continuing to walk as if nothing is happening. Just this last week I heard it said that when we were this close to economic breakdown in the 20's (right before the depression) people were already beginning to use savings to buy food, warmth, etc. When I walk into Wal-Mart today, the flat screen HUGE TVs are still flying off the shelves. Are we still burning up credit cards when the TVs are already yelling that the credit market is crashing? Or are we using the last few dollars that might be in a savings account so that we are able to demand from the government more money?

God's promises are true. He says that he will provide out needs, the righteous will not be forsaken, His seed not begging for bread. But does that give us the liberty to keep pushing on as if nothing were happening? I don't believe so? Am I a "doomsdayer?" No. I do believe that we have many opportunities to help this situation out - and that we are given the keys to make this work. I don't believe that we (not the politicians, but the people) have chances daily to help fix this.....

Anyway - I have no answer here. In talking to some people, they say go ahead and prepare for the worst... other say that we just "trust God." I think there is a balance. I feel that God gave us intelligence so that we could prepare for things when the worst happens. I also feel that He wants us to trust Him for everything! Not just the "rest" that we couldn't prepare for. I am working to find that balance in my life right now. Please leave comments on how you are balancing this? Or are you continuing along as if nothing is happening? If we ignore this will it go away?

Because I have nothing better to say

I stole this from One Thing because it looked like fun and, well, I don't have a lot of brain activity today as I am still sitting in my PJs... late into the morning... two days in a row... enough... Anyway, if you like it, please feel free to copy it at your own place and let me know so I can come and compare my own life stories with yours!

Just boldface the items that you HAVE done, and leave the rest normal….

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Number 6 has been deleted due to it being an unfair question.
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (wood working... its still in progress)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping - like I would even admit this on a BLOG!?!?!
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (I assume piano lessons were a business right?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (does Kazahkstan count?)
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (for my sister... I was never a Girl Scout)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma (I tried... passed out when they pricked my finger - never saw the needle)
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check (oh college days....)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (my first job EVER as a life guard... but I promise it wasn't my fault!)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (Thanks Jon)
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (once in 7th grade - had forgotten about that until recently - - and then a few weeks ago along with Todd Palin at a NASCAR race!)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (as a lifeguard... see I did a GOOD job!)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Now - copy it, post it, it gives you a day off - -and leave me a message that you did it... its kinda fun!

Following

Hey - I just added the gadget so that you.... yes you... you reader that doesn't want anyone to know who you are - - you can choose to FOLLOW my blog. I know you already have this excitement added to your RSS feed - or your reader - or whatever. But I want to know who you are:) - so - follow me :)

We went to see a different house yesterday. It isn't our house.... Next?? Sometimes its hard to continually have doors partially openened, and then completely slammed. I am trying to focus on my Isaiah 33:6 every day though.

"He is my constant source of stability, He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom. He gives all this to those fear him."

I am clinging to this, at least until God gives me something else.

Welcome to 2009

2009 has arrived.

Surprisingly, it arrived without too much fanfare in my life. I don't mean that bad, I mean, we were at a party, with friends and family, eating Krispy Kreme donuts and drinking carbonated grape juice - but still, not much fanfare today. It doesn't feel that different.

I do not usually do very well on resolutions. I have read some ideas today on not doing resolutions for a year, but short term goals. 7 per week - 4 per month - and 1 for the year.... I am afraid I would fail in january and not even try the rest of them (my perfectionism weighs in... if I can't do it 100%, I tend to not do it at all.)

So, here is my decision. I am going to try two things. They will each last all year. And I believe, that if I am successful, these two things will help me to be able to accomplish all other things much better.

1. Memorizing Scripture. I have signed up for the accountability on the LPM blog. I plan to memorize two per month. Ending with 24 in a year. No, this is not a major feat, many people much better than I am have done more amazing things many times over. However, I must admit that 24 in 2009 will be 24 more than I memorized in 2008. So, here we go with that one.

Other benefits: Discipline over weeks at a time. I cannot wait until the 14th of every month to start memorizing. I will have to do it as I go.
- I will have to be reading the Word often in order to know what Scripture will be impacting me.
- If I am meditating for two weeks at a time on a Scripture, it will be harder for my mind to get back into the pity parties that I tend to have.

I am starting with Isaiah 33:6.

2. Being healthy in body. This will encompass several things for me. I need to eat better. I was doing so well this time last year. I had completely cut out all carbonation, I was cooking healthy foods, we were not eating very much bad food... and for a while, I did really well at cooking for lunches, and having sandwiches or lighter food for dinner. I plan to get back into this. Also, I need to run. I love to run, I love to bike. I need to do the things I love to do.

Other Benefits: I will feel better.
- I will still be working on my discipline.
- I will be doing things I love to do, but so often laziness takes over my desires.
- I will have less time for the pity parties.
- I will waste less time staring at the internet!

So - there you go. 24 Bible verses...

I am not setting a weight goal. Its more about my health than about a particular number this time around. Also, last time I set a number goal, I got so frustrated. I felt better, I looked better, but I didn't lose any numbers - which got frustrating, so I quit (again, the perfectionism). So, this time there is not a number game to be played... I am going to do it for my health.

Anyone else out there setting goals??

Someone who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.

2008 in a nutshell

Well, I missed the opportunity this year for a traditional Thanksgiving post, and a traditional Christmas post. However, I am going to try to make it a not too cheesy, not too sentimental, not too dorky New Year's Eve Post.

I will be honest - this year was blury. It seems to have passed so quickly. ::smiling in a 'I know this is dorky' manner:: "It just seems like yesterday Ronnie and I were on the couch celebrating our first New Year's together!"

Haha...

anyway - it was full of great stuff. So, here ya go, things I wanna hang on to from 2008.

10. Learning to have a giving heart.

9. Loss is hard. Death hurts. But God is faithful. (Turns out she did NOT have the disease that we thought she had.... I never updated that - sorry). Being miles away makes for an interesting response in me to the pain of my friends and family.

8. Men shop easier than Women

7. Trips with Ronnie - Cabin, the Anniversary Cruise, Skyline Drive, the Lake, the beach, New York, Philly and Baltimore.

6. Jonathan came home! And got married!

5. Some times in life get tough. But God provides peace.

4. Someone thought I was a man. (Is it wierd that this was one of the more "impacting" things of 2008 for me??? As an update - I gave those clothes to goodwill... Just couldn't bring myself to wear them any more!!

3. I started teaching a college course... Who knew?? and Ronnie started a new job.

2. I got back in touch with some old friends - - and got some pics too.

1. I started to link to all the wierd things that have happened in the last year - but it was taking too long... and a lot of them are intertwined with other major events already linked. Just read through the blog :) I also started to link to the political stuff that was really cool - but honestly, I am running out of "linking" time - It takes too long... again... just read the blog (particularly the last couple months... since I only blogged 2-4 times a month, its not that hard to do.

so... instead... my number 1 is... We still didn't move - but are finding ways to make it fun anyway.


Anyway - Here's to a New Year. May 2009 bring more excitement, more love, more peace, and more answers to everyone.

Vacation Day 2

So, on Sunday morning - Ronnie and I slept in as much as we could - got up, ate the free breakfast in the hotel and got on the road.

In an effort to avoid at least a COUPLE of the toll roads surrounding NY, we chose to skip the NJTurnPike and took Hwy 1. We got to see more scenery this way, and also, it took us right to the heart of Philadelphia.

`

We stopped there because I had never seen this before:

`

One more step in actually seeing the historical pieces of our country. History is so much cooler when you see the memorials and stuff in person!

But more importantly, while in Philly, we stopped and had these!

REAL PHILLY CHEESESTEAK... with cheezewhiz and everything!

Then we were back on the road again.... it was just a short stop.

Until we arrived in Baltimore - when Ronnie took us to the harbor to see some boats, and a submarine.

`

a lighthouse,

some old warehouses that they are using as new places now,

and we ate crab cakes. I don't have pics of that because we had both had our hats on while walking outside, but inside we took them off... so the bad hair that resulted did not need to be rememered forever. That is why I tell stories on a blog! So here are random other pics taken at the Harbor.

Crab Cakes are some of my favorite things to eat.... having them in Baltimore... WOW...

Ronnie says he travels by food - - where there is good food to eat, we will stop for it.

The weekend was amazing and DEFINATELY something we needed after the political season that pushed us all to the end!

Thank you to my wonderful man for taking care of me... and having such a wonderful time together!

Interrupted schedule - flashback photo

I have to interrupt this Vacation story line to share with you something sent to me by a good friend of mine....

wait...

my BFF - from when I was 3-9 years old

and one of those girls that I am so thankful for!

THIS... is pre-glasses Julia and 'BFF' Jessica

I am not sure exactly the age here - only that it had to be before 3rd grade (also known as the beginning of bad glasses years.... that lasted, well, till today)

When I look at that picture so many things cross my mind.

1st - how wonderful it was then to have a good friend - we had no clue what the next few years would hold for us. I would move, we would write letters back and forth... and when we got tired of writing, we would record our letters to each other on cassette tapes. I am sure our parents thought we had lost our minds... but that in itself is an example of how awesome our parents were! (and still are... )

2nd - This friend got married about 10 years before me.... I was at her wedding... I am sure there are incriminating pictures of that - she came to mine in 2007. When we were 7 years old, we believed that we would be "BFFs" forever. It seems that even through times where we didnt have contact for years - we are still living in -forever-

3rd - that little brown eyed, brown haired girl had so much in front of her. If I had a clue then what all would happen in this lifetime - I don't think I would have believed it!

How wonderful to have memories. While at times they can haunt us - remind us of painful things... this time - it is so wonderful to remember amazing times - full summers - spending the night - staying awake till wee hours of the morning - imaginary games - a ride in a jet airplane - VBS every summer - 'cool-ots' (not sure how to spell that tragic piece of clothing required by Jessica's elementary school) - cassette tapes - the Monkeys TV - The Chipmunks great race - and SOO many other wonderful times.

To Infinity and Beyond!

First – please go to my mom’s blog and look at her Christmas Decorations… she is SO creative!

Second – I am finishing my political work on this campaign this week! YEA!

Third – This past weekend my husband showed that he is the MOST amazing man ever. And no – I don’t think he has even read the blog previous… I haven’t told him about it. :)

Friday we went to his office party in Fairfax VA. (In the D.C. area for those of you outside of VA.) It ended fairly early. I was under the impression that we were just gonna stay in Fairfax that night, maybe go see some of D.C. on Saturday, and have a good weekend… I was PUMPED about the notion.

Late in the week (at packing time.) He said that he had a surprise for me, and that he needed to tell me about it so that I would pack appropriately.

We were going to leave the party in Fairfax and travel the next 4 hours to New York City! We were also going to go ice skating in Rockefeller center. For those that do not know me very well, I have a list of 33 things I want to accomplish before I die. Ice skating with a date in Rockefeller center is one of those things! We had not accomplished one in a while.

So…. Here I am – on skates –

On the ice rink

Under THE Christmas tree

In Rockefeller center.

Ronnie skated too….

He had never ice skated before.

Neither of us fell down.

Even with all these people watching!

We also made it for part of the Today show.

Went to see the Empire State building – I didn’t want to wait in the line to go to the top… maybe next time :)

And yes - - those skies ARE blue in NYC...

Saw Times Square

and THIS made me laugh out loud... as well as the LONG lines waiting outside!

Went to Macys at Herald Square…. Recession??? I think not. Haha

Then after the insanity of that area of town, we relaxed in Central Park for a while.

At first I thought I wanted to take a horse and carriage ride – but they were really stinky – I changed my mind.

Later, we were able to eat at Serendipity - you know, the restaurant from this movie...

There was a 3 hour wait. We put our name on the list and then went to see Grand Central Station... Where we just happened to walk in as they were doing a light/sound show on the walls.


We sat here.....

and watched the show.

We thought about shopping here -

but decided it was probably just due to the recession that the store existed.

We then went back to Serendipity... It was so cool!!!

AND the Frrrrozen Hot chocolate...

yeah - it was as good as the advertised... wow.

We ended by going back through the insane crowds to see this.

Sunday morning Ronnie drove through Manhattan in order to avoid some of the tolls.

We were glad to see this sign - Maybe now we can get some of the stree resolved!

I will do another post maybe tomorrow to discuss the Philadelphia stop as well as Baltimore.

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Gotta be Grateful

Lately, I have been very “me” focused on my blog… so, today – I thought I would share what little thoughts go through my head on my way home from work every day.

Just so you know, I am currently working about 40 miles from our house… the middle 20 miles are through a group of mountains in which I receive no radio signal and no cell phone coverage… During that time, I have made it a habit in the mornings to pray… about whatever there is to pray about…. In the evenings – I think of reasons to be excited to be going home to my husband.

The reason for this should be self-explanatory - - but just to elaborate. Early in this campaign – on a particularly stressed out day – I spent the time driving home mulling over the events of the day, mean calls, mean people, punk reporters, whatever – and in the middle of that, I came up with random reasons to be mad at life in general…. Ronnie specifically.

Of course, when I got home – my mood was even WORSE than if I had just gotten off of work. And honestly, it was ALL my fault. I was creating reasons to be mad at the world…. And my husband.

After that evening, during which I think he asked me 8,714 times “what is wrong?” And every time my response was “nothing.” Which was, in fact, true. He had done NOTHING wrong. I had. I decided that my drive time, where it is just me and God in the car – needs to be spent building things up… not tearing them down.

Have I been perfect at this? No. Have I given it a valiant effort? You betcha! ;)

The result has been that I have been happier to see my wonderful husband every night when I got home! Even in stressful days – where I think this job may just go on forever – by the time I get home, I am THRILLED to see his smiling face!

So – here they are - - a few of the reasons I remind myself of everyday – to be thankful for such a wonderful husband.

Reasons I am thankful for My Husband

-He was not only a godly man when I married him, but he is constantly growing in Christ.
-He is open to discuss with me what he is learning.
-He works so hard to provide for me – even when sometimes it isn’t exactly what he would prefer to be doing.
-He pushes me to be better at everything I do.
-He is open to discussion when we disagree on things.
-He gets up with me in the mornings that I have to be up earlier than him to be sure we have breakfast together.
-He makes my coffee for me on those mornings as well
-He washes the dishes all the time
-He helps me keep the house clean while I am working.
-He fixes things around the house.
-He changes the oil in my car.
-He rubs my feet before I go to sleep at night
-He rubs my feet before I get out of bed in the morning
-Even though I don’t rub his feet…. I know, I know.. moving on.
-He brings me whatever I want to drink when we are watching TV – even if he was not already getting up to get it.
-He cares about helping me reach my dreams-goals.

Now – these are not all of the reasons that I am thankful for Ronnie…. Some are of course just between us – and some I will save for another day. These are the ones that I am thinking about today.

Please also realize that I know that I am spoiled… and proud of it.