"God, despite our greatest efforts, as finite humans, only You are able to bring to light the truth and discovery of Flight #370. I ask that You would allow just that to come to pass quickly--the why's and how's are nothing compared to the agonizing grief of unknowing and loss (without *proof* of loss) of the families. And, given the possibility of continued life of each of those passengers and until it is proven otherwise, I continue to pray for life and rescue. Show mercy, oh, God, to all those involved...we confess we are helpless."
"That's Life!" w/Julie - Mad Funny with a Side of Thoughtful Snark
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Malaysian Airlines Flight 370: A Prayer
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
"Sexy Jesus" Makes Me Cringe: Thoughts on Familiarity & Contempt
The familiarity by which our culture & at times, Church universal (all those who identify themselves as a follower of Jesus Christ), speaks of, regards, and portrays the Son of God leaves me at turns nauseous, profoundly sad, and more than a bit apprehensive. Why my apprehension? I can't shake the insightful observation of the Apostle Mark (Mark 6:1-6) who noted the contemptuous familiarity by which the citizens of Nazareth regarded their hometown son, Jesus.
At first, they were impressed by His teaching. Perhaps they discussed his initial notoriety and felt a measured sense of community pride. It was all well and fine until He spoke with authority. Until He stepped out of His "place." Until He started teaching "teaching" with an authority that belied his station in life. After all, who did this upstart think he was? everyone knew he was just the son of a carpenter. And it went downhill from there; more accurately, it went to the edge of the cliff from there. (Luke 4:29-30)
Because of their disregard, disdain, and scorn/scoffing, Jesus limited His teaching with them. Because of their lack of belief ("The Son of God?! Phfft!"), and anger and offense taken by His words, He was unable to do any miracles among them. They didn't take too kindly to any of this and when all was said and done attempted to throw him off that aforementioned cliff.
Now, that's some serious contempt.
I read this 2,000+ year historical eyewitness account and then turn my eyes and ears to the culture which surrounds me; the culture in which I am engaged; the culture which is, byte by byte, image by image, defining Jesus and I honestly quake within my spirit. It's a fear thing. A holy fear thing as I see our "here and now" version of contemptuous familiarity.
Look what we've done to Jesus.
Look what we've done with Jesus.
We've GQ'd him.
We text, tweet, and post casual--Lord, forgive us (me)--quips referencing Jesus the BFF; Jesus the Homeboy; Jesus the hottie. (Okay, I cringed just writing that.)
We banter about and invoke the name of the only Son of God with a casualness more befit a tweet regarding Pharrel's hat.
God forgive us. God forgive me.
(Please note: this is not a screed calling for the demise of Jesus films or the denigration of those who write/produce such genre of communication. This latest go-around of cultural news discussions regarding the casting type of such simply stirred within me once again a familiar conviction regarding the deeper and more troubling aspect of how I, and the culture around me, chooses to esteem the person of Jesus Christ.)
(Note a note: I'm working out multiple ponderings via writing during this hiatus and will continue to post portions as they come. We can ponder together!)
At first, they were impressed by His teaching. Perhaps they discussed his initial notoriety and felt a measured sense of community pride. It was all well and fine until He spoke with authority. Until He stepped out of His "place." Until He started teaching "teaching" with an authority that belied his station in life. After all, who did this upstart think he was? everyone knew he was just the son of a carpenter. And it went downhill from there; more accurately, it went to the edge of the cliff from there. (Luke 4:29-30)
Because of their disregard, disdain, and scorn/scoffing, Jesus limited His teaching with them. Because of their lack of belief ("The Son of God?! Phfft!"), and anger and offense taken by His words, He was unable to do any miracles among them. They didn't take too kindly to any of this and when all was said and done attempted to throw him off that aforementioned cliff.
Now, that's some serious contempt.
I read this 2,000+ year historical eyewitness account and then turn my eyes and ears to the culture which surrounds me; the culture in which I am engaged; the culture which is, byte by byte, image by image, defining Jesus and I honestly quake within my spirit. It's a fear thing. A holy fear thing as I see our "here and now" version of contemptuous familiarity.
Look what we've done to Jesus.
Look what we've done with Jesus.
We've GQ'd him.
We text, tweet, and post casual--Lord, forgive us (me)--quips referencing Jesus the BFF; Jesus the Homeboy; Jesus the hottie. (Okay, I cringed just writing that.)
We banter about and invoke the name of the only Son of God with a casualness more befit a tweet regarding Pharrel's hat.
God forgive us. God forgive me.
(Please note: this is not a screed calling for the demise of Jesus films or the denigration of those who write/produce such genre of communication. This latest go-around of cultural news discussions regarding the casting type of such simply stirred within me once again a familiar conviction regarding the deeper and more troubling aspect of how I, and the culture around me, chooses to esteem the person of Jesus Christ.)
(Note a note: I'm working out multiple ponderings via writing during this hiatus and will continue to post portions as they come. We can ponder together!)
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Julie's Advice for "I Booked My First Gig!!" Speakers
1. The audience is for you. Unless it's a crowd of 7th graders, then? well, it can get kinda ugly.
2. Only YOU know what you did or did not say, did or did not prepare. This is no time for confession. Leave that to your Priest or time with a girlfriend afterwards.
3. It's 45-60 minutes, not 72 hours. You don't have to say everything, even if everything is stupendous.
4. Do what you need to do to prepare. Me? I have to be alone prior to speaking; I can sit at a meal or table but much prefer not doing such when at all possible. I'm an extrovert par excellence but to nail it speaking wise I have to quiet my thoughts. I don't even like The Husband or my kids (good lord, NOT the kids) being around me. No talking is my preference and then.....*BOOM* I unleash it on the audience.
5. Wear NORMAL clothes. Don't go get all JLo, or Sister Mary Katherine, or The Woman Who Knocked Off CATO. Unless you're normally JLo, Sister Mary Katherine, or a CATO knock-off.
6. Wear comfortable shoes. If they're not, take them off prior to speaking. Or during, as has been the case a time or two in my life. If your feet hurt, well, your face is probably going to show it.
7. DO NOT use vocabulary words with which you're unfamiliar. Stick to your usual street talk.
8. DO NOT listen to recordings of "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World!!!!!!!" It's hard to be authentically you when you're mentally judging yourself mid-point, "Geesh! Ann Voskamp would have NEVER settled for a 2 syllable word there!"
9. Don't do Power Point unless you're really, really, good with PP.
10. On second thought: don't do PP.
10. Just say, "Thank you," when a woman approaches you and say, "I enjoyed what you had to so much." Don't apologize for not being "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World!" Don't feel like you have to say, "To God be the Glory." I mean you can, because it's true but sometimes it's just a passive-aggressive Bible-ly way to say the aforementioned apology.
11. DO NOT listen to a recording of yourself. Other speakers will disagree but seriously, it's your first gig. I say presume you did well unless the entire audience gets up and walks out. And even then, well, it could be "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World" has set up a table selling his/her books across the street and just sent a tweet inviting everyone over for a signed *FREE* copy.
* If the final tip doesn't make sense private msg and I'll help you out.
#Advice4Speakers #AnnVoskamp #MarkDriscoll #TriedAndTrueWisdom
2. Only YOU know what you did or did not say, did or did not prepare. This is no time for confession. Leave that to your Priest or time with a girlfriend afterwards.
3. It's 45-60 minutes, not 72 hours. You don't have to say everything, even if everything is stupendous.
4. Do what you need to do to prepare. Me? I have to be alone prior to speaking; I can sit at a meal or table but much prefer not doing such when at all possible. I'm an extrovert par excellence but to nail it speaking wise I have to quiet my thoughts. I don't even like The Husband or my kids (good lord, NOT the kids) being around me. No talking is my preference and then.....*BOOM* I unleash it on the audience.
5. Wear NORMAL clothes. Don't go get all JLo, or Sister Mary Katherine, or The Woman Who Knocked Off CATO. Unless you're normally JLo, Sister Mary Katherine, or a CATO knock-off.
6. Wear comfortable shoes. If they're not, take them off prior to speaking. Or during, as has been the case a time or two in my life. If your feet hurt, well, your face is probably going to show it.
7. DO NOT use vocabulary words with which you're unfamiliar. Stick to your usual street talk.
8. DO NOT listen to recordings of "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World!!!!!!!" It's hard to be authentically you when you're mentally judging yourself mid-point, "Geesh! Ann Voskamp would have NEVER settled for a 2 syllable word there!"
9. Don't do Power Point unless you're really, really, good with PP.
10. On second thought: don't do PP.
10. Just say, "Thank you," when a woman approaches you and say, "I enjoyed what you had to so much." Don't apologize for not being "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World!" Don't feel like you have to say, "To God be the Glory." I mean you can, because it's true but sometimes it's just a passive-aggressive Bible-ly way to say the aforementioned apology.
11. DO NOT listen to a recording of yourself. Other speakers will disagree but seriously, it's your first gig. I say presume you did well unless the entire audience gets up and walks out. And even then, well, it could be "The Speaker Who Most Intimidates Me In The Entire Freakin' World" has set up a table selling his/her books across the street and just sent a tweet inviting everyone over for a signed *FREE* copy.
* If the final tip doesn't make sense private msg and I'll help you out.
#Advice4Speakers #AnnVoskamp #MarkDriscoll #TriedAndTrueWisdom
Monday, January 6, 2014
On A Not So Minor Midlife Crisis
I think I had a not-so-minor midlife crisis. (Had, past tense).
My agent says it's been seven-years of me figuring out who I am including the five since I had a book published. (And she's still my agent, can you believe that? I do love my Esther.)
My husband would hazard a guess of 4.5 years of my being in a funk. (Of which, about this time last year, he advised, "Get out of it." The man tries, he truly tries.) :)
And me? Well, all I know for sure is there's been some pretty "meh" months and years as (cliche alert!) dreams were shattered over and over again. Decidedly "in a funk" mentality of heart, mind, and spirit, as I grieved over said shattering and wrestled a mother of a parenting bear with The Teenager. Hard days, weeks, and months. Even more difficult nights wondering if any of it would turn out not awful.
I resettled into our current home; took time to decorate--to be a Homemaker and did my best to create a safe haven for all of us to land in-between those COPS-cringe worthy scenes between parent/child; child/child.
I had time to not write; time to not be "on deadline"; time to not chase airport concourses & gates; time to veg...oh, let me be not-so-minor crisis honest...time to be inert. Lazy. A toad.
And it's been what I needed whether I knew I needed it or not.
But I'm ready for something other.
No, something familiar, yet new.
I'm ready to re-embrace the living proof details of My Former Professional Life; details which make it cackle with life and purpose.
I'm ready to be (again) who I've always been in the totality of life: An Entertainer.
So here's to writing funny.
Here's to speaking funny.
Here's to developing "sets" and venturing into straight-up comedy.
Here's to making women laugh so hard they snort.
Here's to being me, again. #MidLifeCrisis #FunnyAgain
My agent says it's been seven-years of me figuring out who I am including the five since I had a book published. (And she's still my agent, can you believe that? I do love my Esther.)
My husband would hazard a guess of 4.5 years of my being in a funk. (Of which, about this time last year, he advised, "Get out of it." The man tries, he truly tries.) :)
And me? Well, all I know for sure is there's been some pretty "meh" months and years as (cliche alert!) dreams were shattered over and over again. Decidedly "in a funk" mentality of heart, mind, and spirit, as I grieved over said shattering and wrestled a mother of a parenting bear with The Teenager. Hard days, weeks, and months. Even more difficult nights wondering if any of it would turn out not awful.
I resettled into our current home; took time to decorate--to be a Homemaker and did my best to create a safe haven for all of us to land in-between those COPS-cringe worthy scenes between parent/child; child/child.
I had time to not write; time to not be "on deadline"; time to not chase airport concourses & gates; time to veg...oh, let me be not-so-minor crisis honest...time to be inert. Lazy. A toad.
And it's been what I needed whether I knew I needed it or not.
But I'm ready for something other.
No, something familiar, yet new.
I'm ready to re-embrace the living proof details of My Former Professional Life; details which make it cackle with life and purpose.
I'm ready to be (again) who I've always been in the totality of life: An Entertainer.
So here's to writing funny.
Here's to speaking funny.
Here's to developing "sets" and venturing into straight-up comedy.
Here's to making women laugh so hard they snort.
Here's to being me, again. #MidLifeCrisis #FunnyAgain
Thursday, October 24, 2013
That's Life, Take 2
So, I'm pulling details together and getting back on track when it comes to fresh & lively "That's Life!" w/Julie vblogs and (soon, and very soon) dedicated podcasting. Yay! Podcasts. As I get those details in-line, please enjoy archive postings. #ThatsLifewJulie
Friday, September 27, 2013
I Don't Do Devotions
Paging All Morning Devotions Rebels and/or Slackers!!
Don't know about you but I've always been a Morning Devotions rebel--actually, I shudder at the term "devotions." Why? Too, too, too! prescriptive and scripted for my learning & teaching style liking. Especially when said devos fall into a fill-in-the-blank booklet or, "What is God telling you to do, think, say, RIGHT NOW! pressure. Uh, "Put this devotion down while my blows up?" :)
Nope.
Not.gonna.happen. (Just ask some of my college roommates.)
Hence the Slacker state of my mornings.
I've found my focus groove over the years and know I learn, consider, and INHALE the teaching of Scripture and the application thereof, most effectively by the process of listening--note taking--and mulling thoughts that are magnificently deeper, broader, and challenging than the sad little manufactured response I feel pressured to scribble down on that blasted "fill-in-the-blank" line. :)
As such, I invite you to join me and Dr. Ravi Zacharias for ANYTHING BUT mundane, pedestrian, or dull. Plus, the compelling cadence and inflection of Dr. Z's voice is such that he could say,
"I love bologna sandwiches,"
And you'd be all, "Oooooh, that's deep."
Devo Option That Won't Make Your Head Explode - Let My People Think w/Dr. Ravi Zacharias
Don't know about you but I've always been a Morning Devotions rebel--actually, I shudder at the term "devotions." Why? Too, too, too! prescriptive and scripted for my learning & teaching style liking. Especially when said devos fall into a fill-in-the-blank booklet or, "What is God telling you to do, think, say, RIGHT NOW! pressure. Uh, "Put this devotion down while my blows up?" :)
Nope.
Not.gonna.happen. (Just ask some of my college roommates.)
Hence the Slacker state of my mornings.
I've found my focus groove over the years and know I learn, consider, and INHALE the teaching of Scripture and the application thereof, most effectively by the process of listening--note taking--and mulling thoughts that are magnificently deeper, broader, and challenging than the sad little manufactured response I feel pressured to scribble down on that blasted "fill-in-the-blank" line. :)
As such, I invite you to join me and Dr. Ravi Zacharias for ANYTHING BUT mundane, pedestrian, or dull. Plus, the compelling cadence and inflection of Dr. Z's voice is such that he could say,
"I love bologna sandwiches,"
And you'd be all, "Oooooh, that's deep."
Devo Option That Won't Make Your Head Explode - Let My People Think w/Dr. Ravi Zacharias
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