“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

I did a topical study of a particular word and its related terms. Does anyone see the theme here? A prize for someone who can name the topic!

  

“Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger” Job 17:9

“Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:24

The B-I-B-L-E

So it has been a good two weeks since I have read my Bible. If I’m honest with myself, it has been much longer than that since I have had a decent time with God. When I crave Jesus, which I do, regularly, I tend to mop up my messy self and stop up the gap with secondary works by Christian authors or thinkers. What’s wrong with me? I need to go straight to the source from whence cometh all life and help. There is no substitute. Learn, Juliet, learn! Time after time, I put my spiritual life on hold. Unlike Kent, going back to my earlier posting, I don’t get up in the middle of the night to make time for Christ when I am busy. Rather, I just shrug him off, like I do (unjustifiably) to so many of my friends, saying “he’ll understand.”

He won’t push me, but I am missing out on Him. Not the other way around. Time to turn my heart and mind and feelings toward Him again.

 Time to read His Words to me. Let's see if actually do it. Ask me about it! I will be paying attention, seeing what He wants me to read. 

Snowboarding adventures

With best friend, Josie and her boyfriend Phil, and my little brother Paul-O. Loved it! Although, I was no good and couldn't stop. A full week later, my tailbone still hurts. But totally worth it! Thanks for helping me, Phil and Josie! You were both awesome teachers and even better company. Paul wasn't much help, what with the teasing and all, but he was good, and he was fun. He got us a real, bona fide military discount! Woo hoo!

surfing adventures....

I was not so good. But it was fun, and the surf in La Jolla was bigger than ideal.

Heroes

Recently, I finished a spiritual autobiography of Amy Grant, as well as one by Jill Briscoe. I am looking for my next characters to read about, and my thoughts are leaning toward William Wilberforce, or allegorical accounts like Pilgrim's Progress, Hinds Feet on High Places. I just found out that another person I greatly admire, Bethany Hamilton, has come out with her own tale of life and faith.

Bethany's arm was bitten off by a shark in a surf accident when she was 13, but she was out surfing ten weeks later and is a pro surfer to this day. Can't wait to get the book and tell you what I read.

I know that classifying William Wilberforce and Bethany Hamilton together may seem inadequate to most people, but all we can do is what God sets before us. For Wilberforce, it was defeating and evil of slavery in England. For Bethany, it is conquering her very real fears and doing what God set in her heart to do. Go to it!

Hats, pt 2

Well, I still have at least two more to show, but for now, here's my newest favorite!

A Broke-n resolution

My resolution this year, among a few others, I guess, is to save as much money as possible. I am the type of person who would really enjoy investing my money. Unfortunately, I can't really do that with my situation in life right now, but I am going to spend as little as I can. Not that I ever lived extravagantly, but I am looking forward to this challenge. And I don't count my plain ole Starbucks iced coffee as a luxury. I am definitely budgeting that IN!

2010: the year of the hat....part one

Three more to come! Get used to them, they will show themselves a lot. I think that 2009 was the year of the scruffy hair. One of my resolutions is to straighten it a lot more often. It's amazing how long and silky it gets. Thank God for electricity. By the way, the BEST hat is to come!

The next decade

I want to write more, much more, but must reserve my time for studying.
But I wanted to share two updates.

First, my wonderful, kind, honorable and upstanding boss, Congressman George Radanovich, will not seek reelection in 2010. I am very sad for our team to break up, but I am praying diligently and fervently for George and his wife, Ethie, who has been fighting Cancer for a few years now. Please pray for her healing and for comfort and protection for the Radanovich family. Their son, King, is still in elementary school. They are a devoted Catholic family and I have really grown to treasure and respect and love them.

Second, this month I start paying off my graduate student loans. It is scary, but I feel so grown up. I am 25, and I have a 10-year repayment program. That means, paying only the due balance each month, by the time I am 35, I will have completely paid off and completed my doctoral program. I can't wait until then, and it doesn't even seem that far away. The sooner I start, the sooner I am done.

My test is in January. As soon as I find out the date, I will let you know!

Hang loose, Baby

Let's pray all goes well. So excited, but wearing Michael's wetsuit might be a bit too big and cumbersome. We are headed to sandy San Diego Monday.

Talk to ya on the flip side, Bro.

Twenty Five

Wow. I am excited to turn 25. I feel more like a bona fide adult. No more "young adult" for me, but I do feel young. I have such a dearth of life experience, I am so untried, inexperienced, immature.

It always strikes me as ironic that my sister's name is NOEL, even though my birthday is two days before Christmas, and hers is in July. Oh well, our names suit us, respectively.

 Merry Christmas, and thanks to all of you who sent me birthday well-wishes. I appreciate it so much!

PS...I asked my parents and family not to get me any presents, but they didn't listen. I will report back with what I get.

PPS...I had steak for the first time in my life (that I recall) last night from Tahoe Joe's. It was good. I had about three bites. Looking forward to steak salad this afternoon!

A Jealous God and the Phantom of the Opera

I remember watching the 2004 film version of the “Phantom of the Opera” in an IMAX theater at the River Park Edward’s Cinema. The Andrew Lloyd Webber soundtrack was etched in my mind and expectations, because it was one of the few CDs I owned and had treasured for so much of my childhood. I remember permanently “borrowing” the soundtrack from Auntie Andrea, along with a few others that I still prize, such as the Amy Grant collection, and the “My Best Friend’s Wedding” soundtrack that I loved before I was even allowed to watch the film.

I remember loving every moment of the Phantom of the Opera film, and crying when I got home that night. And crying the next day when I was telling my friend Bobbie about it. The movie struck such a chord with me. Now, almost six years letter, I think I know why.

Magnificat and Biblical Christmas Songs

This is an excerpt from a sermon that changed my life last Christmas. It reminds us that true, authentic Christian spirituality is not about us. True, authentic Christian spirituality is about GOD, Emmanuel. If you think, "Um, Duh" please read this! It's got so many more layers than just the obvious. The sermon is about Christmas songs.

Readers?

Hey all. I know several of your check this blog often, but if you could just say Hi once in awhile, I would love to know that people continue to check it out. Please feel free to comment anonymously or otherwise. I would totally love it. I wish I had a "Like" button like on Facebook.

Love you all!
Juliet

p.s.-- its just my good friends that know about this blog, so no weirdness in posting with strangers.

Okay...maybe I DO want something for Christmas

What about a job designing for NIKE? I love this. Next up, some pink patent leather!

Sporting a new hobby

I am so excited to go snowboarding for the first time in Badger Pass in Yosemite. I have wanted to try it for a long time, and I will be going with my BEST friend in all the world and her boyfriend and my brother, and some other friends. I feel like this sport will suit me...balance and strength.

And it goes hand in hand with surfing later this month as well. Thank you Jesus for making this dream come true.

Christianity: not your fuzzy wuzzy

"What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross. It is much harder to believe than not to believe. If you feel you can't believe, you must at least do this: keep an open mind. Keep it open toward faith, keep wanting it, keep asking for it, and leave the rest to God. "

--Flannery O'Connor (The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor

Ha Ha Ha...Top 20 Unfortunate Lessons Girls Learn from Twilight

Taken from a blog, http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/11/twilight-lessons-girls-learn/

1. If a boy is aloof, stand-offish, ignores you or is just plain rude, it is because he is secretly in love with you — and you are the point of his existence.
2. Secrets are good — especially life-threatening ones.
3. It’s OK for a potential romantic interest to be dimwitted, violent and vengeful — as long as he has great abs.
4. If a boy tells you to stay away from him because he is dangerous and may even kill you, he must be the love of your life. You should stay with him since he will keep you safe forever.
5. If a boy leaves you, especially suddenly (while telling you he will never see you again), it is because he loves you so much he will suffer just to keep you safe.
6. When a boy leaves you, going into shock, losing all your friends and enduring night terrors are completely acceptable occurrences — as long as you keep your grades up.
7. It is extremely romantic to put yourself in dangerous situations in order to see your ex-boyfriend again. It’s even more romantic to remember the sound of his voice when he yelled at you.
8. Boys who leave you always come back.
9. Because they come back, you should hold out, waiting for them for months, even when completely acceptable and less-abusive alternative males present themselves.
10. Even though you have no intention of dating an alternative male who expresses interest in you, it is fine to string the young man along for months. Also, you should use him to fix things for you. Maybe he’ll even buy you something.
11. You should use said male to fix things because girls are incapable of anything mechanical or technical.
12. Lying to your parents is fine. Lying to your parents while you run away to save your suicidal boyfriend is an extremely good idea that shows your strength and maturity. Also, it is what you must do.
13. Car theft in the service of love is acceptable.
14. If the boy you are in love with causes you (even indirectly) to be so badly beaten you end up in the hospital, you should tell the doctors and your family that you “fell down the steps” because you are such a silly, clumsy girl. That false explanation always works well for abused women.
15. Men can be changed for the better if you sacrifice everything you are and devote yourself to their need for change.
16. Young women should make no effort to improve their social skills or emotional state. Instead, they should seek out potential mates that share their morose deficiencies and emotional illnesses.
17. Girls shouldn’t always read a book series just because everyone else has.
18. When writing a book series, it’s acceptable to lift seminal source material and bastardize it with tired, overwrought teenage angst.
19. When making or watching a major feature film, you should gleefully embrace the 20 minutes of plot it provides in between extended segments of vacant-eyed silence and self-indulgent, moaning banter.
20. Vampires — once among the great villains of literature and motion pictures — are no longer scary. In fact, they’re every bit as whiny, self-absorbed and impotent as any human being.

Um, Yum!

CURRIED SWEET POTATO AND LENTIL SOUP

This thick and hearty soup is packed with spicy flavor. Get it going, then call a friend or spend some time with the kids while it simmers.


INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 large stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion (12 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 package (16 ounces) dry lentils, rinsed and picked through
6 cups water
Yogurt, toasted coconut, lime wedges (optional)

PREPARATION
1. In 6-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, ginger, cumin, coriander, salt, and ground red pepper; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. To vegetables in Dutch oven, add broth, lentils, and water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve with yogurt, toasted coconut, and lime wedges, if you like.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/5077#ixzz0Zo1q5nNj

In the morning, my soul longs for you -Isaiah 26:9

I am sitting in the final exam while the students in my section are taking the exam. I should be studying for my own exam in January, but I am so keyed up after a full day at work. I love my job. I love my coworkers and the little filial ecosystem we have going there, but after reading and writing and folding and assigning all day long, my brain needs respite. Oh so bad.

I was talking to my cousin, Pastor Kent (he’s my dad’s age, because he is my dad’s cousin, too), one morning quite early. I got up at 5am Pacific time, because it felt like 8am Eastern time. I’ve always known him to go to bed early and get up early as well. And I always knew that he read his Bible early in the morning. But on Saturday, December 12th, the day of Jennifer’s wedding, I got to talk to him about it. He said he gets up at 3am every day for his quiet time. I asked him if he reads his Bible or prays. He said that the routine changes. Sometimes he prays, sometimes, he reads then prays, or prays then reads, or sometimes he just cries and cries.

Oh how cathartic. Just to sit down in quiet time with God and cry and cry. Kent works hard in the thankless role of a small town pastor. He doesn’t have a “cushy” life, but it is filled with love, and a cozy home, and people under his pastoral care. I was so inspired by his words. I felt overwhelmingly convicted about my lack of, or the shallowness of, my quiet times. How often do I get up out of obedience, rather than an agenda? And, more pertinently, how often do I get up early at all? God, help me! I would love to rise early, get cozy, and settle in to hear from you. I KNOW that you would meet me like you meet Kent.

Getting up early is sacrificial, and it is literally putting God first. Jesus, help me to do this. Ruth Bell Graham did this during college, to the point that she almost flunked out of college. That’s pretty funny. I think that Jim Elliot also got up inhumanly early to pray. God can replenish our bodies and our time. I was getting up and doing my Bible Study early for a long while, but then the cold came, and the stress and anxiety and fear, and I caved. I began hording my time and using it to worry about my exams. What to do? I need to surrender and get myself up out of my warm bed to seek the Lord.

Thanks, Kent. I need to spend time just open to God’s leading, to listen, read, write, speak, memorize, or just….to cry and to cry and to cry some more. Oh so healing. And so amazing to hear it from the lips of a time worn and world weary pastor who has seen and been through so much.

Another Tender Tennessee Christmas

So...this is my mom (the light Blonde with poofy hair), my Auntie Caedamon (Or Auntie Em) with the long dangly earrings and strawberry blonde hair, Auntie Andrea, the birthday girl, with dark hair, my little cousin Katie (age six, I think), Michael (Well, UNCLE Michael), father of Katie and husband of Andrea, and rockstar extraordinaire :), and ME of course. I love my people

To all my missionary friends

(I wish I had more missionary friends...)




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUs__HBg3rU

This Christmas song is YOURS. It is an amazing, jazzy rendition of a song I never much cared for until a few weeks ago, when it dawned on me that it is so pertinent to the Great Commission and to missionaries, who truly do "Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere...that Jesus Christ is born."

The most honest prayer

I heard this second hand from some (brilliant) authoress, who said that the most honest, gutteral, instinctual prayer happens when you step out in front of a moving car, or your are deathly afraid, or you whimper as I often do, the following small phrase:

"Help, help..."

And then today I heard this, which is also so true: If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. It's just the constant churning.

Oh boy, do I have a lot to tell...and I promised to, and I will, but I need to unlock my lips and my fingers and my heart just a small piece at a time. But there is a lot to say.

I'm the Sheep, in need of the Shepherd

Psalm 23 (Amplified version)

The Lord is my Shepherd (to feed, guide, and shield me), I shall not lack.
He makes me lie down in (fresh, tender) green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but for His name's sake).
Yes, though I walk through the (deep, sunless) valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod (to protect) and Your staff (to guide), they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my (brimming) cup runs over.
Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord (and His presence) shall be my dwelling place.

I love the subtleties of "He leads me in the paths of righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but for His name's sake). That means a ton to me right now...the "not for my earning it..." part.

If I pass my exam in January, it will not be for my earning it. I am trying to break away from the reliance on self that says, "I will do all I can and then He will do the rest. I just have to set the stage for God..." That is NOT TRUE! It is ALL Him. So I am reliant, and I need to be walked through that Valley. Please, Jesus, prepare me for this horrifying test coming up next month. I don't know what to do, I am rather paralyzed.

California

I must be homesick

Where I've been...'cause I haven't been home

I can't wait to upload pictures from my past few weeks' adventures. I went to Spring Hill, Tennessee for Auntie Andy's 40th birthday. It was tons of fun, as my mom, Auntie Caedmon and Auntie Andrea as well as little Katie and I got to spend time together.

Then, I went to Bieber for my cousin Jennifer's wedding. It was gorgeous. So wonderful to spend time with her, especially before such a huge occasion. I can't even imagine what it felt like for her as we rode to the church. And I can say that, sitting there, next to her trembling arm, I was glad that my wedding is beyond my immediate sight. I am happy for her, but definitely don't feel ready to dive into that type of commitment yet. Scary, yet good, if it's the right person.

Bieber, and all of Northern California, I should say, was incredibly beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen anything as breathtaking. North of Sacramento is open, hilly, rural, pastoral, and sweeping. Northeast of Redding was mountainous, cold, the sun was setting, there was snow on the ground and covering the huge mountain ranges. We had to cross three major mountain ranges before reaching Bieber. We had to (or my Dad had to) put chains on his Toyota truck. But we got there, past the old-time, quaint, small town pizza shops and beauty parlors, the small churches, and the storybook homes.

I never wanted to leave. I cried on the way home not because I wanted to stay forever, but because whenever I leave, I have such a LONG way to go home. It is so far away. Although I cannot adequately describe the beauty and my photography is lacking, The area reminds me a bit of the exchange home in "The Holiday" where Cameron Diaz goes to stay. It's originally Kate Winslet's character's home. Except in the movie, the local town is much more upscale and trendy. Bieber is just plain old rural and country, except for my cousin Andrea's cool salon, and Jennifer's revamped youth center with a coffee bar and pool tables and stage and rec area. Wow...Jen...good work! And congratulations on the marriage. Derek-- you are sooooo lucky to get my cousin. She rocks.