Trainee Party!! We had SO much fun....we all dressed up and watched "Enchanted"
Praise Him!
4/18/2008
I heart trainee life!
Trainee Party!! We had SO much fun....we all dressed up and watched "Enchanted"
Praise Him!
4/17/2008
A few thoughts
Hey all.
The Lord has given me a choice this week. I feel lifeless and dead. However, his name is still to be praised. This passage from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters is what I've been living. I didn't even realize it until last night. I was so focused on trying to get myself back to "feeling normal" that I completely over looked the fact that I am trying to live Christianity in my own strength.
Read this:
Whenever they [the humans] are attending to the Enemy Himself [God] we are defeated, but there are ways of preventing them from doing so. The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him towards themselves. Keep them watching their own minds are trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills. When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing. When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment.
Isn't that an incredible thought? How often do we chase a "feeling" or a "way of life" instead of running hard after the Lord? How we feel about things, our perspective on life may change from day to day, but he is constant. What am I chasing? What do I have my eyes set on?
Well....I probably won't write again for a while.....I'm heading off to Chicago tomorrow to see one of my two favorite guys! (The other is in his forties and lives in Michigan ;-)
Love you all.
-Julie
The Lord has given me a choice this week. I feel lifeless and dead. However, his name is still to be praised. This passage from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters is what I've been living. I didn't even realize it until last night. I was so focused on trying to get myself back to "feeling normal" that I completely over looked the fact that I am trying to live Christianity in my own strength.
Read this:
Whenever they [the humans] are attending to the Enemy Himself [God] we are defeated, but there are ways of preventing them from doing so. The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him towards themselves. Keep them watching their own minds are trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills. When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing. When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment.
Isn't that an incredible thought? How often do we chase a "feeling" or a "way of life" instead of running hard after the Lord? How we feel about things, our perspective on life may change from day to day, but he is constant. What am I chasing? What do I have my eyes set on?
Well....I probably won't write again for a while.....I'm heading off to Chicago tomorrow to see one of my two favorite guys! (The other is in his forties and lives in Michigan ;-)
Love you all.
-Julie
4/16/2008
Revival
I need a revival.
Revive my heart, dear Jesus. Fill me with your Spirit once again. I know you live in me.....teach me to live like I know that. I don't want to just drift downstream. I want to swim against the current, press on toward the prize. Jesus, shine through me. Use me. Consume me. I need more of you Jesus.....I'm empty, I want you to fill me. Nothing in the world can satisfy me....only you.
Even these words are empty Jesus. I have nothing to say to you to convey my thoughts. My prayers are so shallow.
Even as I write I realize how self focused this is. Oh Jesus, revive me.
Revive my heart, dear Jesus. Fill me with your Spirit once again. I know you live in me.....teach me to live like I know that. I don't want to just drift downstream. I want to swim against the current, press on toward the prize. Jesus, shine through me. Use me. Consume me. I need more of you Jesus.....I'm empty, I want you to fill me. Nothing in the world can satisfy me....only you.
Even these words are empty Jesus. I have nothing to say to you to convey my thoughts. My prayers are so shallow.
Even as I write I realize how self focused this is. Oh Jesus, revive me.
4/11/2008
Just for fun
Hey guys!
I thought you might get a chuckle out of this.....I'm sure you've all heard/seen Twila Paris. Well, Ballet Magnificat apparently did a music video with her WAY back in the day. It's hilarious. I laughed so hard I almost died. It's SO different from what we do now.....but it's kind of cool.
The only thing I can't figure out....why is there a tree in the dining room??
The 3rd dancer is Ms. Cassandra (Trainee director), the last girl is Ms. Kathy (the founder/artistic director), the first guy is Mr. Yuri (Omega company director), and the last guy is Mr. John (company dancer).
Don't watch the whole thing (it's boring) but the first couple of minutes are really funny.
So...after that little piece of history.....here's a really cool video of Omega doing "Hiding Place"
I thought you might get a chuckle out of this.....I'm sure you've all heard/seen Twila Paris. Well, Ballet Magnificat apparently did a music video with her WAY back in the day. It's hilarious. I laughed so hard I almost died. It's SO different from what we do now.....but it's kind of cool.
The only thing I can't figure out....why is there a tree in the dining room??
The 3rd dancer is Ms. Cassandra (Trainee director), the last girl is Ms. Kathy (the founder/artistic director), the first guy is Mr. Yuri (Omega company director), and the last guy is Mr. John (company dancer).
Don't watch the whole thing (it's boring) but the first couple of minutes are really funny.
So...after that little piece of history.....here's a really cool video of Omega doing "Hiding Place"
4/10/2008
Humbled
I am humbled by how the Lord works.
Today was a long day. We had ballet off, so I worked a long shift at work. While I was there, a girl that rarely works with me walked in the door.....my heart sunk. The last time we worked together, I got frustrated with her and subsequently spouted off to the cooks.....was I justified? Probably. Was I right in God's eyes? Nope. So, as soon as she walked in, I knew I had to apologize. I had made our issue public (by talking to our cooks about it) and so I had to make the apology public too (something my mom taught me.)
Apologizing publicly, especially when I think I'm right, is not an easy thing. Anyway, I talked to her about it, and made it clear that I was out of line. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I don't want anything to mar my witness for Christ.
After that it was like a switch had been flipped....we talked the whole day.....a wall that had been put up suddenly toppled over. This girl, who I used to tolerate at best, has started to open up to me. Praise the Lord. How am I supposed to share Jesus if I act like a self righteous hypocrite? Thankfully, God gives second chances, and I am now in the position to really get to know this girl, and share Jesus with her.
I'm not saying this so you guys can give me a pat on the back. I just want it to be a testimony as to how God's ways are always better. The world wants to see a difference in our actions.....if we respond in a godly manner, especially when we mess up, they can tell.
Today was a long day. We had ballet off, so I worked a long shift at work. While I was there, a girl that rarely works with me walked in the door.....my heart sunk. The last time we worked together, I got frustrated with her and subsequently spouted off to the cooks.....was I justified? Probably. Was I right in God's eyes? Nope. So, as soon as she walked in, I knew I had to apologize. I had made our issue public (by talking to our cooks about it) and so I had to make the apology public too (something my mom taught me.)
Apologizing publicly, especially when I think I'm right, is not an easy thing. Anyway, I talked to her about it, and made it clear that I was out of line. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I don't want anything to mar my witness for Christ.
After that it was like a switch had been flipped....we talked the whole day.....a wall that had been put up suddenly toppled over. This girl, who I used to tolerate at best, has started to open up to me. Praise the Lord. How am I supposed to share Jesus if I act like a self righteous hypocrite? Thankfully, God gives second chances, and I am now in the position to really get to know this girl, and share Jesus with her.
I'm not saying this so you guys can give me a pat on the back. I just want it to be a testimony as to how God's ways are always better. The world wants to see a difference in our actions.....if we respond in a godly manner, especially when we mess up, they can tell.
4/07/2008
Prayer
Prayer is an amazing thing. The Lord's been teaching me a lot about it lately. We're studying it in Ballet Mag. bible study....and I've been studying it on my own for a while now too.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him." 1 John 5:14-15
How true that is. When we pray according to the Lord's will....nothing can stop it from happening. I've seen it time and time and time again.
I love to pray, the Lord's been teaching me SO much about it....I see SO many results from it...yet, honestly, I still fail to give it the time and attention it should have in my life. I know that when we pray, things happen. I know that God hears me....I know that he speaks to my heart and gives me specific things/people to pray for....so why do I consistently put it at the end of my list?
What....are my friends, my roommates, my family...more important then the Creator of heaven and earth? How many times have I spent an afternoon pouring out my frustrations and problems and pains to those that have NO control? Why do I do that? I should be going to my Father, who knows what to do, and how to fix every problem I encounter. I should have a humble, sweet, patient spirit....but instead I'm trapped in this stupid overly dramatic, girly, emotional ridiculousness. It's frustrating. Most of you would love to tell me that I'm "doing great" but don't. I know where I fall short, and it's time for me to stop making excuses for myself.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." John 15:8-10
Okay. That makes it simple. I need to abide in Him. I'm getting better at it...but I have a LONG way to go. Thankfully, the Lord is patient, and he never gets tired of teaching me. What a good God we serve! He is awesome. He is slow to anger and abounding in amazing, wonderful, incomprehensibly steadfast love.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him." 1 John 5:14-15
How true that is. When we pray according to the Lord's will....nothing can stop it from happening. I've seen it time and time and time again.
I love to pray, the Lord's been teaching me SO much about it....I see SO many results from it...yet, honestly, I still fail to give it the time and attention it should have in my life. I know that when we pray, things happen. I know that God hears me....I know that he speaks to my heart and gives me specific things/people to pray for....so why do I consistently put it at the end of my list?
What....are my friends, my roommates, my family...more important then the Creator of heaven and earth? How many times have I spent an afternoon pouring out my frustrations and problems and pains to those that have NO control? Why do I do that? I should be going to my Father, who knows what to do, and how to fix every problem I encounter. I should have a humble, sweet, patient spirit....but instead I'm trapped in this stupid overly dramatic, girly, emotional ridiculousness. It's frustrating. Most of you would love to tell me that I'm "doing great" but don't. I know where I fall short, and it's time for me to stop making excuses for myself.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." John 15:8-10
Okay. That makes it simple. I need to abide in Him. I'm getting better at it...but I have a LONG way to go. Thankfully, the Lord is patient, and he never gets tired of teaching me. What a good God we serve! He is awesome. He is slow to anger and abounding in amazing, wonderful, incomprehensibly steadfast love.
4/05/2008
Tornado
Yesterday we had a HUGE storm here in Jackson. The storm came at about noon, and lasted until about 1:30. I was at Ballet Mag. studios at the time. The power went out, the sky turned green, and we all sat in the hallway waiting for it to blow over. I've never been afraid of storms (actually, they fascinate me) so I watched a little bit of it from the windows of the studio (until some well meaning friends made me go somewhere a little safer). It was awesome......The winds swirled at a fantastic speed, the leaves were caught up as in some crazed dance, and the trees even joined in, swaying in an uncomfortable circular motion.......Okay, so that's a bit dramatized....but it was cool. The tornado came right past the studio.....but thanks to the Lord, no one was hurt, none of the cars were damaged, nothing on the building was shaken. However, half a mile away...."Some 80-100 vehicle windows were blown out at Watson Quality Ford on I-55 frontage road just south of County Line Road in Jackson on Friday."(Clarion Ledger-local paper). God is good, amen??
I really do love storms. First, I love the huge noises, chaotic sights, and fresh smells brought in by a storm. It reminds me so much of the Lord. We think that we have pretty amazing technology....we can "raise" the dead......we can "create" new life....we can "heal" the sick....we can "do" so much by our "own" power.....but no one can claim to do anything to the weather! Only Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, can do anything to a storm. We are rendered powerless in a storm, while all he has to do is speak one word, and all is calm. What a good reminder of how little power we have over anything.
Here are some pictures of the damage:
Some 92,000 were out of power (including me!). Restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, movie theaters....and everything else came to a grinding halt without electricity. It was a little frustrating.....I like my conveniences like everyone else . But at the same time, I love to see God's power displayed in such a tangible way. All this chaos, and he still holds it in the palm of his hands.
I really do love storms. First, I love the huge noises, chaotic sights, and fresh smells brought in by a storm. It reminds me so much of the Lord. We think that we have pretty amazing technology....we can "raise" the dead......we can "create" new life....we can "heal" the sick....we can "do" so much by our "own" power.....but no one can claim to do anything to the weather! Only Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, can do anything to a storm. We are rendered powerless in a storm, while all he has to do is speak one word, and all is calm. What a good reminder of how little power we have over anything.
Here are some pictures of the damage:
Some 92,000 were out of power (including me!). Restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, movie theaters....and everything else came to a grinding halt without electricity. It was a little frustrating.....I like my conveniences like everyone else . But at the same time, I love to see God's power displayed in such a tangible way. All this chaos, and he still holds it in the palm of his hands.
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