as Jules is living Archives - Page 45 of 46

“Go back to your own country, Rhubarbarian!”

August 4, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

"Go back to your own country, Rhubarbarian!" -Veggie Tales Duck & the Great Pie War (The Story of Ruth and Naomi)

When is the last time you were truly "odd for God"? I mean really. Not just the standard American version of a Christian, but truly ODD!

Where I wanna be...
Not participating in gossip even if that means I will be limited to simple conversation with...my kids.
Submitting to my husband even when it makes no sense to others.
Discipline my children strictly even if that means being considered a tyrant.
Not be concerned with my appearance even when that means not tanning my pastey legs, not wearing make-up (or wearing it modestly) even when I have pimple outbreaks and regularly splotchy skin, and using modesty when dressing even when it's out of style, 'unattractive', mundane, or 'homely'.
*Toughest* Not caring if I lose 'friends' by speaking the truth over our lives (those who call themselves Christians) about convictions the Bible has led me to; ie Gossip, Submission, Disciplining Children, Modesty, etc.

Where are you in this journey? What "odd" situations has God called you to live in that I have yet to list?
Are you a typical American Dream with a Christian twist or are you Odd for God?
Do you fit in nicely in the Bible belt or are you calling out pharisees along side Jesus in the awkwardness?
Are we worshiping God, the creator, or Religion, the creation?

~~~

Praying I'm being Odd for God. I wanna stick out and be asked to "Go back to {my own country}" since I'm not of this world.

Filed Under: The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}

Ultimate FAIL

June 24, 2011 by Jules 7 Comments

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This week has been tough! As many of you may already know, ~~my husband~~, ~~my sanity~~, ~~my confidant~~, my literal other half, has been gone to Super Summer AR for the past 8 days and will finally be home tomorrow afternoon. It's times like these...ugg, when you're squeeeeezed, that your true self oozes out. No energy to "pull it together" or even fake it.

Several conversations with my best friends during this weeks ooze-fest have led me to post my ultimate fail!

Some conversation included a discussion about all the amazing blogs by Christian women I've been reading as well as the bible study I'm in at my church. Awe: The inspiration. The goals. The challenges. The utter disappointment in myself, as a wife, mom, and manager of my home.

Another set of conversations included major venting! Confessions rolled out of my mouth:

"I can't do this anymore! I cried, no, blubbered in my childs room before trying to make my way down stairs to appear unshaken in the eyes of my in-laws. I ignored the crying baby. I snatched up my daughter. I am not engaged with my children. I yell at my children to stop yelling. I lost a piece to my camera that makes it work. I let my kids watch way more than 2 hours a day of TV this week. I just want to hide in my pantry eating cookies. (true story) I love my babes and know God has chosen me to be their 'primary care giver' but I just don't want to today. I ate an entire box of oatmeal cream pies. I am out of Dr Pepper because I've been drinking way more than I should, especially while nursing. I spanked my child and told her we don't hit. My child (3) used the old-school phrase "none ya!" and I am the one she got it from. I can't find peace."

All the while the taunting thoughts, "I want to bottle what she has and bring her amazingness into my home. How does ______ do it?!?"

There it was. The very things I have been using to try to be who God wants me to be dug me deeper into Satan's lie- She has it all together. I was comparing myself to someone else. Wither the comparison is to exalt or belittle, it's wrong. Where another women is in her walk with Christ should have no barring on my relationship with Christ. My friend gently reminded me that "no one has it all together and they just aren't sharing those rough I-wanna-hide-in-the-pantry-eatting-all-the-cookies-in-peace days."

Though I have confessed this list of faults I want to you know that my ULTIMATE FAIL has been leading people, you, to believe I have it all together. Do you ever secretly desire to be that women that people ask, "GIRL, how DO you do it?" I do. I hide all kinds of faults and failures because of this pride built up inside me. I never again want to feel that desire to lead people to believe I have it all together.

Because I don't!

That's just it- GOD does it. Any and Every positive thing about my life is by the grace of God, not because I'm anywhere close to put together.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

Sorry for leading any of you to believe I have it all figured out! I'm sorry if you ever ask yourself, "How does she do it?!?" New commitment: to exposing my weaknesses! Lets be real with one another.

"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For When I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:9-10

I am worn out!
I suffer a thorn!
I am undisciplined!

As I am writing this:

I keep flinching every time my stinky dog bangs against the siding on the front porch thinking...I don't know what, is coming to get me. I am fearful.

I am eating my 3-year-olds birthday cookies with a tub of frosting. -Sorry Nanna! Undisciplined.

Where are you on this journey of needing peer approval? Yours may not be the generic, "how does she do it". Do you struggle in with specific aspects of how someone else is pulling something off better?

Leave a comment so that we may "boast all the more gladly about [our] weakness[es], so that Christ's power may rest on [us]" and so we may encourage one another!

Filed Under: The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness} Tagged With: boast, confession, cookies, delight, dog, failures, faults, God, grace, julie rothacher, lie, power, satan, sorry, strong, tough, true, ugg, ultimate fail, weakness

(In)courage

June 19, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

"“Where two or more get together in My name I’m there too,” promised Jesus.

And I don’t think cyberspace is excluded." - incourage.me

One of the blog sites I love to ready almost daily is incourage. Today, their post was How can we pray for you? Amazing! As Christian's in blogging communities, shouldn't we be offering this opportunity more often?!? Thank you women of incourage for challenging me today as well as giving me the chance to seek partnership in praying for my thorns!

~~~

Many of you already know how you can be praying for me and my family this week but just incase you don't, this is our request at the moment:

This week my husband and I are struggling through making 2 out of what God has made one. No, we are not getting divorce! My hubby is a youth pastor and is away at summer camp for a little over a week leaving me in my failed attempt at being a single parent. I do have great loving support and help but it’s just not the same as having your literal other half there for that steady routine and irreplaceable hugs at the end of the day.
My 3 babes are all under 3, the oldest will be 3 Wednesday during camp, the next is almost 1.5 year old, and the youngest is 5 month old. At this age they almost all require, desire 1 on 1 time (at least at some point during the day). We made an hour and 1/2 trip today to see him for Father's Day and will again for Maggie's birthday. TOUGH all the way around!
I’m assuming most of you reading this totally understand what kinds of stresses come with this situation and know how to pray for me (probably better than I do myself).
Thanks for this opportunity to share this request and in advance for lifting me and my family up to The Father on Father’s Day!

~~~

Leave your prayer request as a comment. Before you do, please take a moment to read, pray for, and respond to the prayer request before yours. Let’s love on each other, friends.

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Parenting, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The ones about the Rothacher Home Tagged With: 3 under 3, blogging communities, christians, Father's Day, incourage.me, prayer, routine, summer camp, super summer, The Father, youth pastor

Central Shoes

June 17, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

Looking for a practical way to make a difference internationally?
TOMS is a great organization who provided 1 pair of shoes to someone overseas in need of shoes for every pair of shoes you purchase (min. $44.00+shipping). So, running (hehe) with their idea, my amazing hubs decided he wanted in on the action of impacting people groups in 3rd world nations. Although the phenomenon of TOMS does provided an overwhelming amount of shoes overseas they are not a Christian based organization and therefore their goal is to simply prolong impoverished people's lives by bettering thier daily lives with shoes. As a Christ follower I am called to make disciples therefore I don't feel right about prolong someones earthly life without sharing the eternal life changing message of Jesus Christ.
Central Shoes are the most basic tennis shoes we could find (yes, you may recognise them from your local Wal-Mart or Target stores). We are purchasing them and then giving them to those who donate $40.00 to this cause. ~$1o.00 will go toward the cost of the shoes and then the other$30 goes directly to an organization called Soles for Jesus. With $30.00 they can provide 15 pairs of shoes AND share Jesus with everyone who gets a pair!!!
If you haven't done the math yet, that's 1 pair for you and 15 for children in Africa PLUS Jesus!

Just a simple way to make an impact! Comment or inbox me for more details about getting a pair.

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Cool Ministries, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness} Tagged With: central shoes, hubs, julie rothacher, phenomenon, running, shoes, soles for jesus, target, TOMS, wal-mart

Amazing Opportunity!

June 17, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

I have really been enjoying writing (when I get the moments to share) here on my little slice of the net. I am also encouraged to see YOU out there actually reading stuff. God has opened this venue to places I never thought I'd be invited.

In fall 2011, I'm being given the opportunity to be a contributing blogger on http://homemakerschallenge.com/. This is exciting yet overwhelming... I'm still learning to blog. I am currently reading, reading, reading! Reading popular blogs, topical blogs, new blogs, blogs about writing blogs and just chat'n it up with others who know what they're doing. Hopefully the quality and consistency of my writing will rise to a higher standard before fall arrives. (side note- I am open to suggestions, resources, and advise- wrapped in love of course!)

I'd also like your help in post topics! She is asking that contributes write practical, inspiring, and/or encouraging articles to help challenge homemakers. What areas would you like to hear about. I'm all about learning, researching, and growing in areas with you! I don't know where this road will lead (if anywhere) but it sure is a pretty journey so far!

Leave a comment, email me, find me on Facebook or twitter and sound off!
THANKS! Jules

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