Post-a-Day #11

Well, today is September 11, the 8th anniversary of 9-11. Let's remember to keep our country in our prayers.

As for happier news...
I've now joined HSA - an online network of homeschool graduates. HSA is an amazing place where homeschool graduates can connect, fellowship, and get to know people. (It's kind of like a better alternative to Facebook) I'm loving it so far! Besides meeting new friends, there are all sorts of meaningful and interesting discussions going on in the Forums.

Is anybody reading this post signed up with HSA? Recently I discovered that some bloggers I know in real life are also on HSA - so if ya'll are on there, let me know, I'd love to look you up! :)

If anybody reading this is already on HSA and you'd like to see my profile, my username is Julia and my profile pic is the same one I use on Blogger.


Blessings!

Post-a-Day #10

Lately, our family has been gathering together in the living room after dinner, and Daddy gives us a short 'teaching' from the Bible. My brothers and I are very much enjoying it. Learning at my Daddy's feet is so special for me.

Yesterday Daddy just spoke about one verse. The teaching was short and sweet and very appropriate for the season we've been going through in our family.

Here's the verse:

^{Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.}

Dad focused on the middle of the verse, specifically "The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness".

Then, Daddy asked us what we could do to stop being depressed and agreeing with the spirit of heaviness.

I told him that when I'm depressed, I pray, and usually if I'm home I go in my room and put on a worship CD and play some upbeat praise music and sing along with it.

His face lit up and then he said "Yes." We waited for him to continue - and he did. "Praise is the key here." My dad said.

Basically, when we praise God, the spirit of heaviness has to leave. We have a choice - to praise, or to complain and feel depressed. Sometimes we think that we have to be happy before we can praise God. But that is NOT true - Praising God is a choice we make.

That's all I wanted to share with you today. :)

Post-a-Day #9

Today I have a random fact to share with you.
The date today is 09/09/09! September 9th, 2009.

This will not happen again for 1000 years - until September 9, 3009.

So... enjoy it while it is here! :)

p.s.
I meant to reply a little earlier to a question I was asked "What did you do for Labor Day? You didn't say!" oops! :D

My family and I stayed home for Labor day and had a nice time resting... we've had a kind of busy time recently, and my brothers are sick with what we now call the "Terrible Two-Month Cough" and aren't really up to doing much.

Post-a-Day #8

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.


~Dr. Seuss, American Writer and Cartoonist, 1904-1991.

Confused yet? :D

I loved reading Dr. Seuss books when I was little, and the movies were even better. The old cartoon videos, not the new ones. :)

Which Dr. Seuss book/movie was your favorite?

Post-a-Day #7 - Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day everyone! What are you doing for Labor Day?

Post-a-Day #6

Today I have a cute quote... I have no idea who the guy is that said it...

Behold the turtle - he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out. :)

~James Bryant Conant

Check back tomorrow for another post from me! :)

Post-a-Day #5

I am posting this post to say that I have now reached 200 posts! :0) Hurrah!

In honor of the occasion I will be giving away 1 customized pair of earrings in the lucky winner's favorite color.

See my Etsy shop for some examples of my jewelry designs.

To enter, comment on THIS POST and:

• Tell me your favorite color or the color you wear the most (whatever you want the earrings to be ~)


• Tell me if your ears are pierced or if you would like clip earrings


• Tell me if you prefer gold or silver


• Tell me your favorite style of earring (i.e. small, long, fancy, simple)


• Make sure you have my 'Julia's Journal' blog button on your sidebar.

Entries won't count unless all of the above is filled out.

For a fantastically wonderful extra entry, post about this giveaway on your own blog. :) Make sure to come back and leave ANOTHER comment on this post with a link to your post so I can count you for another entry. :)

The winner will be determined by a random number generator.

Entry for this giveaway will end at 12:00 noon on September 30th and the winner will be announced the following day on October 1st.

Happy Entering!

Post-a-Day #4 - 4 Years Here!

I missed celebrating it on the exact day last week... but August 26th marks the date we moved to Georgia! We have now been living here for FOUR years! We moved when I was 14 years old and now I'm an ancient 18 and 1/2! :) Can you believe it? It seems like forever to me.

I love living in Georgia! The climate is beautiful, the people are friendly (for the most part - :D), and life is good. :) My family and I so enjoy living in the peach state. I am so thankful to God for his hand upon us, moving us here. It's a long story, but without God's help we would never have been so blessed. We sold our house in Florida right before the bottom dropped out of the real estate market, at the perfect moment, all in God's timing.

The Lord removed so many roadblocks to get us here, it's amazing. Hurricane Katrina (you know, the one that ruined New Orleans) nearly smashed into Florida the day we were packing up our belongings into the moving truck! We kept praying and to our amazement the storm dipped around Florida, only grazing the keys with a few rain bands. I almost felt like God had nudged the hurricane out of our way! :)

All in all, I have an overwhelming sense of joy and contentment, looking back over these 4 years, seeing what my heavenly Father has done for me and my family.

It's good to look back and see what the Lord has done. Thank you God!

Post-a-Day #3

Let's see... what have I been up to recently? Well...

I did a mini 'makeover' for my built-in corner cabinet in my room! I sorted my knick-knacks and china by color, and added some bright backdrops using some 'oh-so-glamorous' scotch tape and paper, (lol! Hey, it looks good to me) and adding some ribbon for trim.
All the shelves used to have a dark wooden back like the topmost shelf still does - I left the wood uncovered up there because the brown highlights my great-great-grandmother's ivory-colored china.

I think the blue and pink shelves are my absolute favorites.

I don't have an obsession with stuffed bunny rabbits, those three just happened to color-coordinate with my shelves, so in they went!

I also totally deep-cleaned my walk-in closet (wow, was that a lot of work!) and I meticulously sorted out my clothes hangers and got a few new ones... and hung all the colors next to each other, and the result is that they make the whole closet more fun! :)

Have you done any 'makeovers' recently?

Post-a-Day #2

Today I have a question for you, blog readers... How did you find my blog? I would love to know... Maybe I'll even be able to remember how I found you, if you comment! :D

Love & Hugs,

Post-a-Day #1

Welcome to the start of my attempt to do one post every day for a month! :) I am scheduling most of these in, so I will have written them up earlier, but my goal is to share something with you, be it uplifting, funny, inspiring, beautiful, etc... every day of September. :)

Today I am sharing this gorgeous picture. Doesn't it look so cheerful?

Check back tomorrow for another post from me! :)