More of Him - Less of Me - Getting back to the basics

More of Him - Less of Me

• Apr. 4, 2009 Getting back to the basics

I don't blog as often as I used to because I always feel such a pressure to put pictures and all that on my blog. It didn't start out that way. I wanted my blog to be a place where I shared what was going on in my life and to, hopefully, encourage others along the way. I think the pressure to make my blog something more is from reading other peoples blogs. There are a lot of blogs out there that I know they must spend tons of time on. I just don't have that kind of time. So, I've decided to get back to my roots. Writing. If I have time to share photos, I will, but if not, I'm not going to put off writing on here and keeping in touch with you all. Maybe I won't get as many readers, but so be it. It's just where I am in my life right now.

This has been another week filled with sickness. I had a stomach bug and then my hubby caught that cold that my younger son had. He has been really sick and I'm praying that he gets over it soon. I always worry about him since he has the health issues he has. The wind here has been horrible and I think all that pollen getting stirred up has only made his cold worse. I was sitting in my car the other day after getting out from swimming and you could see the pollen, thick like dust, on the windshield! It's horrible!

I have been busy with the graduation preparations and sometimes it really hits me that in less than two months, I will be finished with homeschooling my children. I'm excited for what the Lord has in store for me, yet I'm also sad because homeschooling really has been the greatest thing I've ever done! I'm so thankful that my homeschooling group wants me to continue to write articles for the newsletter and also be a mentor for the other mother's that are homeschooling. I just don't want to lose touch with the homeschooling community.

I haven't shared the fact that our family has been in search of a church again. We finally decided to go to my best girlfriend's church as we had heard so many great things about it. One up side about it was the fact that the assistant pastor at this church was the assistant pastor at another church we went to for years. After he left and moved out of state, things changed drastically and we left that church. He and his wife moved back and are working at this church now. Anyway, after making that hard decision to go there, another church opportunity came up. After that first time of visiting this church, my husband and I went to Safeway to pick up a few things and we ran into another assistant pastor that we knew from another church. We had always liked this man and his wife and had learned so much of the Bible under him. However, this church was having issues because the wife of the pastor was going around telling everyone that she wasn't called to be a pastor's wife and it created turmoil. Enough so that we decided that we had to leave there. Anyway, he told us that he was going to be starting his own church and we told him we were very excited about that and would interested and knowing more about it, which we are. However, it does create a turmoil for us because we aren't sure where the Lord wants us. We are in prayer about this but isn't it funny how we were searching for a church and then end up having to decide between two different churches the same day?

God bless you - Julie

• Apr. 5, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Joycemarie

Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog. I know what you mean. For the last couple of years, I have been sad that time was going so fast with Brittany. I have been really good all this year. We just made vacation plans this week and it hit me...how many more years will she be able to go away with us...then, I started thinking of my little girl and of course started to cry...because in all reality...in just a few short months...we'll be right where you are and I can't even imagine my life without school. I am with you sister! I am glad you are going to write more...I do love to read your blog. I love your sweet spirit.

Well, then, now that we are feeling domestic...we'll have even more in common...LOL

Have a blessed Sunday,
Joyce

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• Apr. 5, 2009 - Hi

Posted by Lachney1

Hi Julie,
I have missed your blogs. I feel the same as you. I see other blogs with all kinds of pictures and tons of other stuff and I want that too, but you know, I've realized, that we aren't all the same. We can only do what is meant for us to do. I can add pictures now and then, but I'm not going to try to keep up with everyone else. I went a week without blogging. I missed it, but I just didn't have anything to say and I just didn't feel like blogging at that time. That's okay though. There's no law that says we have to do it, because everyone else is doing it. During the week that I didn't blog, I still looked to see if anyone had wrote anything new. Sometimes, I comment and other times I don't. If I see something that I feel needs my comment, then I will do it.

I do want to comment on your church dilemma. My dh and I were members of a church that I grew up in. The people were semi-friendly, even though I knew all these people from being a child. We were accepted, but I'm not sure what the problem was. One day, we visited another church and the Lord spoke and said, "I want you here." We changed and I'm so glad we did. We learned so much there. We learned all about the Bible, warfare and tons of other things that I hadn't learned all my life in that one church. We were there for about 10 years and problems started happening left and right. We waited and one day I was reading my Bible and praying and God spoke to me. All he said was, "It's time." I knew right then that it was time to leave that church. We told everyone the next Sunday. They were very unhappy to see us go, but then you know what, they didn't call and check on us and a lot of them would see us out and not even speak to us. Now, I call that really loving and missing us. We went to another church, because that's where my dh and girls wanted to go. I didn't feel that it was the right church, but I didn't have the say. We went and learned, but then some stuff happened, that almost tore my marriage up. We left and went to a small church, where the pastor that was at the church we were at for 10 years is currently at. We've been there for a few years now. This was the church that I felt that we should have been at, instead of the previous one. Right now, we are having a couple of problems, but we'll stay until God leads us somewhere else.

My advice to you is to try both churches and see what God tells you. I feel that if you're in tune with God, He will tell you when you're in the right place. You might walk into one church and God may say, "This is where I want you." He may tell you neither place. It's not about whether people are that friendly to you, it's about whether you can worship God freely. It does help that people are friendly, but that's not important. My mom and dad go to the church that we had a lot of problems at and the people aren't that friendly to them, but they don't care. I did care. Christians are supposed to be friendly with each other and not be cunning, but there are a lot of people like that everywhere.

Anyway, just keep praying and asking God what He wants you and your family to do. He'll lead you where He wants you to go.

A friend of mine only has one year of homeschooling left. She's already starting to feel like you. I'm sure that we will all feel that way, when we reach that point. I still have a lot of years, but they will end quickly too. There are lots of things that I want to do then, but who knows what will be going on at that time. I love homeschooling and I know I will miss it tremendously. My computer has so much school stuff on it, that I can't imagine all of it being gone.

It's great that you will be able to mentor other people. We all need mentors.

Blessings,
Penny

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• Apr. 5, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by diamondsintherough

HELLO, you just gave me a wake-up call about that pastor's wife thing. I am a pastor's wife, and I sure wouldn't believe God "called" me to be one, except for one thing -- I happen to be married to the pastor! Your pastor's wife probably just got overwhelmed with her own sense of unworthiness or inadequacy, and decided she would rather not try than try and fail. At least, that's my view, having been there, and still being there. My own lack of confidence and feelings of unworthiness would easily finish me off if I let them, but I count it a privilege and a blessing to be married to a man of God, and I know what is at stake. I also know that since I am married to the pastor, that makes me called. God knows I couldn't be happier serving him anywhere else, after all, he put me here for my good. I thank the Lord for his working in my life. Now if he would just make me perfect, kind, gracious, organized, and all those other things pastor's wives are supposed to be, lol!

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• Apr. 7, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx

Oh wow, only a couple more months of homeschooling left? CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I hope y'all get to feeling better soon. Decisions like which church to join will be a lot easier when you are rested and well! I'll be praying for you-- for God's clear direction and wisdom for you.

I've missed you, Julie dear! But I am SO glad that I can see you on Facebook! FB is much more time-friendly, although I do love how blogs just let you know more about a person.

Have a great week, my friend!

Love,
Marsha

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About Me

I am a homeschooling Mom who wants to be more like Jesus and less like me! I homeschooled for 10 years and have now graduated both my sons. I now mentor other homeschool Moms, write and pursue my art. My prayer is that I will be a blessing to others in this life and to our Lord, Jesus Christ.