Off to Italy

Ok - I have not blogged in FORVEVER! I got a digital camera for my birthday -- so maybe someone ( mmmmmm - Dianne) will show me how to get he pics on the blog all by myself. ( : I hope to get back to simi-regular blogging. We shall see!

I am OFF TO ITALY tomorrow! Yeah - 20 years of being married to John! He has planned a very fun and eventful trip.

Home in 10 days to get busy, busy, busy on my ensemble's mission trip to Slovakia for September! 13 kids + 7 adults. Great little group. More on that later!

911 hero of my own

Robby is my hero. He very calmly called me upstairs earlier and told me he saw sparks over his pool table. When I arrived, I saw small embers at the ceiling and the light fixture was aglow and I smelled an electrical burning smell. Not good. My first thought - 911! I told the kids to go outside and I went downstairs to call 911. I all of a sudden could not breathe very well. After the call - the dog HID under the bed and I could not get her out. She was scared and hiding. Here I am - half dressed - trying to get my DOG out and grabbing my robe.....I yelled and pleaded, I tried being calm. Nothing.

You know how you wonder what you would take if your house burned.....well - tonight I found out. Nothing. You get your kids and your pets and you get out. Try as I may - I had a BAD CHOICE. For all I knew the attic was on fire - so I had to make sure they kids had obeyed me and gone outside. Had I been sure at that point - I would have kept on with the dog ( not a good decision) but since all I could think of was the kids, I went out to check on them. It was then that I realized I had left my dog. Then I really could not catch my breath - scared to death. As the trucks came down the street, I was wondering how bad this was going to get......Was I about to watch my house really flame up? Since the fire was near the attic - I really was scared.

Fire trucks came and ambulance. Then the neighbors. Then my parents. Abby crying.Robby still being calm. Me, in my not so hot robe trying to be calm.....They held us at bay in the neighbors yard and kept me informed as to what was going on. I was talking to John on the phone - he was calm, too. I think I see a pattern here. Females - not calm. Males - calm.

The fireman determined that the fixture had overheated and started a burn - but the tranformer did it's job and tripped the 'whatchamacallit' and so it contained. I have burn marks on the ceiling. They gave the all clear after a little while and so we came inside. Not sure if I will sleep - but at least I have a roof over my head.

Fireman said I have to call an electrician tomorrow. This was not really on my "TO DO " list for Tuesday.

We are all ok!!
Robby "ROCKS!"

It's a "SONNY" day in Georgia!!

Yes, this is my eldest child with Georgia's Governor, Sonny Perdue at a local event for folks who are helping in the re-election campaign. I heard Governor Perdue speak last year and was really impressed with his testimony. I decided then that I wanted to get involved with his re-election!! Robby had an opportunity to talk GA football with him! How COOL!
I have plenty of SONNY signs to share - let me know if you want one!!!

Happy 40th!!

Happy, Happy Birthday , Tracey!

It is not so bad! You look great, have lots to be proud of - and hey, turning 40 beats the alternative!! ( :

Celebrate today - eat some cake and know that your blogging buddies are celbrating with you!!!

Love and miss you!

Julie

"Slow and steady wins the race!"

Yes - I have a favorite quote. It is from Aesop's book of fables. I have loved this little collection since I was a kid. You know the story of the tortoise and the hare-- great little object lesson. The hare just brags and brags about how good and fast he is -- so against the turtle -- he has no real competition.....or so he thinks. He thinks that he is slicker fellow, a more talented racer and that the victory will surely be his. Sorry hare, you have it all wrong. It is the slow and steady progress made by just being faithful to a task one step at a time that will bring you a well deserved victory. No amount of bragging or thinking you deserve to win will give you the victory. You just lost to a turtle who just plugged away a little at the time. Sorry, dude!

So - I want to hear YOUR favorite quote!!

Little Miss Busy

Well, I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but I have been pretty busy. I will get "back on the horse" when I can. My schedule is a little crazy right now - but since this is so much fun -- I will try to keep up!!

Blessings on each of you!!

JC

Are you hungry???

How great is it to live in a land where we get to vote on our leaders. I had an informal history lesson with a friend the other day who was listing the communist ( "closed") countries. Wow - there are more than I thought!

Anyone who knows me well knows my heart on being aware of and praying for the persecuted church.
Please take time to check out www.persecution.com. Make yourself aware of what our brothers and sisters all over the world endure for HIS names sake. Learn how we can minister to them. If you want to host your own "underground service", let me know. We did it on my last youth choir mission trip - it was amazing. God was there...hard to put into words......

I am convinced that a lot of the "little" things that people worry about would fade away if we really knew how well we really have it. We can worship openly without fear that we will be killed right then and there. Who cares if the song being sung is a little too slow for your ( our) taste? Who cares if the sound system is a bit too "hot?" Who cares if you get all praise choruses for one week, or all hymns the next???

When we get deperate and hungry -- he will fill us. He always does.