as Jules is living Archives - Page 17 of 46

Where DO You Live?

June 24, 2013 by Jules Leave a Comment

I just wanted to give a lil update on where we are. Literally.

There is a wide group of people who stop by this blog occasionally. Some are friends and family I grew up with from birth until graduating Fayetteville High. Some are friends I matured with at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge. Then there are the ministry friends and family I have met along with way over the past 9 years of marriage; anywhere from Walnut Ridge FBC, Parkers Chapel FBC, Central BC, The Valley, and all those we've collided with in between.

I lived in 2 houses as a child; one of those was for 16 of 18 years. Since moving out to attend college I've lived in 1 dorm room, 1 apartment in town, and 1 apartment on campus, as a single adult. Now I'm about to move to my 6th houses in my 9 years of marriage. That's 11 homes in my life time of 29 years {this August}. Since this has all been in Arkansas, I'm not sure if I can wear the same badge but I can definitely relate to "The Humbling of a Nomad".

I've had tons of friends from different corners of the state as well as the town we are currently "living in" have been asking similar questions, all just in the past couple days. I thought I'd take a minutes and let ya know the answers to these FAQ::

Have you closed on your house?

Yes. Depending on which house you're asking about.

We "closed" on our "big blue" house in White Hall and sold it for good! After a year of it being on the market {6 months with an agent & 6 FSBO}, we finally sold it to a perfect family who will be so blessed by the space. God really did turn a hard year of waiting into a situation in which He could be glorified.

No we haven't "closed" on the home we're buying in Vilonia. A week after selling our house in White Hall, we made an offer on a house in Vilonia. To most this sounds like a hasty decision, but if you know us {and the details of this life in limbo then you know we've been searching for a home "in the field" and this is the exact layout I fell in love with when we first began our journey of house hunting that has included hours of online searching, an awesome realtor and over 2 DOZEN houses. This will be the "nicest" home either of us have ever lived in. Don't get me wrong, we haven't lived in crappers but this is the newest and fancier than I ever saw us being able to buy. Just goes to show, God blesses us beyond what we deserve.

We are supposed to "close" any time between now and July 10th!!!

Have you finished moving?

Again, Yes. Depending on which "move" you're asking about.

We moved essentials into our "borrowed" home and then the rest of our belongings after the sale of "big blue".

We have not moved to our new home we are in the process of buying. We are giving the seller a week after closing to move her furniture out as well as to stretch and clean carpets {the only thing not perfectly maintained about the home}. Keep ya posted 😉

Are you excited about your new town?

I bet you can guess this one...Yes. Depending on which "new town" you're asking about.

Conway, the town we are currently living in our "borrowed" house is great. The town feels cleaner and while having all the amenities of "bigger town" without the 1-2 hour commute like ALL the past places we lived, yet still feels small enough to not be overwhelmed.

Vilonia, the town in which we are buying our new home, is only a 15 minute drive to Conway. Although it is a rural community, it still has several gas stations, restaurants, and a grocery store. Plus, our church family is all out there.

When beginning this church planting trek, the first thing they tell all church planters is to "move to the field", meaning live in the community in which you plan to minister, serves, and be a part of that community. Guess God chose to use us a lil differently. Which I love. I think this has let us see, this isn't about us. Often in youth ministry, groups grow based on the popularity and personality of the pastor. Here, He is keeping the truth at the front of everything we do: this plant is about the people God so dearly loves already planted in Vilonia and how He wants to empower them to reach the masses for His name.

Where do you live???

We live in a "borrowed" house that has become home. It really is true, home is where your heart & family is.

Back in March, 1 weeks before our preview services and 5 weeks before our launch date, we were blessed beyond comprehension by a couple who can only be described as "used by God". Through the church that partnered with us for the plant as well as mutual friends, God connected us with a family who heard about our 1 hour commute multiple times a week for services and meetings because our house {WH} still hadn't sold. They allowed us to stay in their home that hadn't sold yet & the former renters had just moved out of...for FREE. Talk about birds of the air.

This transition home has allowed us to be used by God at the valley, wait to sell our home to the perfect family, find the perfect new home for our family, all while being taken care of by God via this amazing family.

This entire God situation deserves a post all its own; I'm just having trouble putting it all into words.

We live on the side of a gorgeous mountain, in a log cabin, with a beautiful view, a huge shop/storage building, 30 minutes from the valley, in a home that was made for just a time as this and our family. God is good.

If I didn't answer your questions about our whereabouts, just ask! I'll keep ya posted on the "final move" and "new home"!

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Homemaker, Parenting, The ones about the Rothacher Home, The Ones about The Valley Church

Dear Young Pastor’s Wife,

June 14, 2013 by Jules Leave a Comment

For years, I've been searching for a blog, book, or just wise women who's been there, done that in the realm of being a pastor's wife. I have always come up short...until now.

Although I most often have nothing to offer in the way of wisdom, I do understand that God sends us through certain things and wants us to share them with others. I have always longed for "older women" to invest in me. I understand none of them are perfect but it would be nice to hear the successes and failures of their life.

Soooo, here I am, through one of those random connections in life, I am now sharing my successes and many failures by participating in something I've searched for nearly a decade: A blog devoted to encouraging, challenging, and supporting one another in this awkward life as a pastor's wife. Coincidence or Divine God thing? Yep- Divine!

Today, I'm over at A Common Bond sharing a letter to young pastor's wives that I think would have been helpful to me, years ago.

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, The Ones about A Common Bond, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The ones about the Rothacher Home

Ready, Set, WHAT?!?

June 12, 2013 by Jules Leave a Comment

I haven't been writing much lately. Not for lack of fun stories, interesting thoughts {or at least to me}, or helpful how-tos...we've been a lil busy. lol I honestly had to go back and look at my instagram to remember what all we'd been doing. {btw: sorry if you follow my instagram via my FB page- its gonna double up}

Shortly before mother's day we found out our #4 is coming to round out the family! Eeeek

Rothacher' Harlem Shake Video {announcement}

Saw a Bunch of former students graduate down in Parker's Chapel.

Went on an awesome day of adventure to Magic Springs water and amusement part with some great friends.

Celebrated our 9th anniversary!!!

Moved the rest of stuff out in 2 days {boooo}
We FINALLY sold our house, "Big Blue"! I'll be doing a follow-up post on the Homemaker's Challenge scheduled for July.
note to self: put the memory card in the camera so you can have that "last day in front of our house when we sold it" picture
Had our 1st block party for the Vilonia community. {the night after 'closing' in White Hall}

Valley Groups have launched! Our ultimate goal and entry point for our church.
Started potty training our 2.5 year old, Jamin. Yay for new-to-us underroos!

We had our long-awaited 1st ultrasound. Baby #4 is due December 24th {but we will likely meet him/her closer to Dec 10th via c-section; entirely different post}

Had an awesome Girls Night Out in Little Rock where we went and saw Steel Magnolia's at Murray's Dinner Theater
Hosted our daughters big 'o 5th birthday party at the park {the next morning after our GNO}

We made an offer on a house in Vilonia! After a year of searching {and waiting to sell}, we made an offer at 3:30pm, received a counter-0ffer {of exactly what we were looking for} at 5:30pm, and accepted at 6:00pm. Did I mention this was the same day as the ultrasound? Busy day 😉

Now we are moving on to the "Honey-Do" list that we are hoping to accomplish before my sweet hubs leaves for Super Summer for a week and a 1/2; leaving me to single-parent {unskillfully} while he's gone.

Sign papers & turn them into the bank for our loan- check
Wii & DVD player hooked up correctly and ready to rock way too much screen time- check
Remove the giant wad of plastic wrap that I tried to use to help the bathtub water leak out slower but may or may not have gone down the drain before I could snag it possibly causing slow drainage and a pretty good clog- check
Go to SAMs Club as a family to get TP & other much-needed essentials so I don't pass out from loading, pushing, and unloading all that stuff by myself- check
Stalk up on simple foods & snacks for the prego & kids at said club- check {but may need a couple things a the big WM, ugg}
Catchup on the dishes, laundry, and big cleaning around the house- 1/2 check
Bring in our microwave from big blue because our current one got tired and doesn't heat any more- Wednesday
Baby pool, weighing way more than I should lift, dumped and refilled with clean water for scorching days- Wednesday
Collect tax return papers after the bank makes copies- Wednesday
Home inspection complete on our New House {within 10 days with the hubs being gone 7 of those days}- Thursday
Mow the jungle- maybe not...
A thousand other random things my hubs will do because he's so good at taking care of me- CHECK

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Birthdays, Holidays, Homemaker, My Husband ROCKS!, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The ones about the Rothacher Home

Father’s Day 2013 DEALS!

June 4, 2013 by Jules Leave a Comment

I just got word from a couple of my sponsors about some awesome Father's Day DEALS!

{contains affiliate links}

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Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Deals, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The ones about the Rothacher Home

Motherhood Redefined

May 29, 2013 by Jules Leave a Comment

Today, I am blessed to have my sweet friend Abby guest post for us. I've ask her to share with us out of her experience with war-torn nations. My hope is that our world view will be expanded and we will act in compassion for those living in these conditions. This being the month of celebrating mothers, Abby will be sharing from the point of view of a mother in one of the countries she has worked with recently. Keep in mind, there are various types of suffering, and poverty is not the only cause, but in some developed countries, like Iraq, violence is the reason for hardship.

Abby Davidson is an Idaho native, economics grad student, and wife/partner to the founder of ForgottenSong, a non-profit organization working to sustainably improve the lives of women and children in war-torn countries. She thrives on experiencing new cultures, loves adventure, and has a passion for seeing hope and love restored to people all over the world. Learn more HERE.

~~~

It’s a quiet, peaceful evening here in Duhok, Iraq. Almost one million people live here, and yet surrounded by treeless mountains and without another town in sight, it doesn’t feel that large. The sun is just setting, and families are beginning to gather in the park nestled in the center of town. Mothers and fathers walk and play with their young children, giving into pleas for candy and soda. I smile to myself, remembering when my children were young and when I was a new mother with my whole life ahead of me. I had so many dreams and desires, but none as great as having children. My experience was not what I had anticipated however. Memories begin to flash back in my mind, as they always do, and I am reminded of what motherhood truly is, or at least what it has become to me.

Four years ago, when we were still living in Baghdad, violence was common and affected many on a weekly basis. It was just after my daughter’s fifteenth birthday, and I sent her off to school like any normal weekday. During her third class, a man walked into the room, pulled out a gun, and shot her classmate in the head. My daughter was only several meters away and saw her friend’s life stolen from her almost instantaneously. We were later told he was part of a terrorist group that targeted girls wearing heavy makeup in order to make a statement to society. Sometimes I still cannot believe it when I say it.

My daughter changed that day. The innocence in her eyes was lost, and the hope in her laughter was reduced to a confused depression. The guarantee of happiness was ripped away as she witnessed a tragedy that shook her foundations and her naivety to its core. It was at that time that we decided to leave our home and come here, to join the thousands of other refugees that have fled Baghdad to seek some sense of normalcy in the north. My daughter never did go back to school. As hard as we tried to persuade her to return, she couldn’t do it. She acts strong, but I can see it in her eyes, she is afraid, confused, and broken.

I hear that children in other countries are too poor to go to school. That is not the plight of myself and other mothers here in Iraq. Money cannot solve our problems. There is no understanding these attacks, no way to avoid them. As a mother, I am supposed to be the keeper of my children, yet my love and care has not been enough to keep them safe. Mothers feel an urgency to protect and comfort their children, and when life makes this impossible, the pain is unbearable. Yet we press on. We hope for peace, which we work for consistently here in our new home. We strive for happiness, and find it in even the smallest of things. Motherhood has been redefined to me. It is no longer about protecting my children from harm, but rather my purpose now is to consistently release them into the hands of God and remind myself that every day is a gift. Sometimes certain gifts, like motherhood, can only come with pain as well.

As I continue to watch groups stroll through the park, I wonder how many of those young smiling faces are hiding fear and pain. And I think about the mothers and wonder how many have had their hearts broken like mine. But at this moment, it seems peaceful here. We pretend as though our hearts are whole, and we enjoy this moment together. The plight of mothers in countries like mine isn’t shouted from the rooftops. It’s hidden in our hearts, and although the rest of the world may not understand, motherhood will forever be redefined for every one of us.

~~~

You can celebrate and support mothers who are living in poverty, through ongoing support of a Child Survival Program or by making a one time donation to Compassion International.

As Abby addressed, simply money cannot solve some of these mothers' problems. Partnering with organizations like ForgottenSong can help by sustainably improving the lives of women and children in war-torn countries. Currently, ForgottenSong is in Iraq and Uganda. Learn more HERE.

Events coming up that you might be interested:

Tri for Febby: Upon completion of the Fundraising, ForgottenSong will fully fund a trip for you to travel to East Africa to visit the Chicken Farm that YOU have funded!
Go Out for a Change: Local businesses are helping us in our efforts to change the lives of widows and orphans in war-torn countries across the world by donating a percentage of profits for the day.