From our Happy Home to yours!
May His coming fill your hearts with joy now and forevermore. đ
I love and appreciate you all more than you will ever know…
-Julie
xoxo
Helping Moms Build Happy Homes
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Today is Obiâs 3rd birthday and we couldnât be more thankful! The transition to having a dog almost sent me to heaven and I think itâs taken me this long to finally accept that the floors and basically everything will never be clean again, but this dog has changed our family for the better.
đśHe is always happy to see us.
đžHe is a tremendous comfort to Ryan.
đŚ´He knows when one of us is sad and he looks for ways to make it better.
đśHe loves to be chased around the coffee table.
đžHe can destroy literally any dog toy we give him.
đŚ´He jumps on us when we get home from school and itâs the best thing ever.
đśI thought getting a dog meant he would eat anything and everything, but he is exactly like my children. Will eat any meat, will not touch veggies. Also I have never been more stressed than when we have grapes in the house.
đžBut you should know his most favorite thing to eat is tissues. Any tissue he can find. Especially the used ones straight outta the garbage.
đŚ´He gets so proud when he catches iguanas in the back yard. We feel pretty good about it, too. đđŁ
đśHe is the perfect dog for us!
We love you, Obadiah Jude! đĽł
#goldendoodle #goldendoodlef1b #dogsofinstagram #doglover #happybirthdaydog
1 week ago
Had the BEST time in the Netherlands! But super happy to be back. đ
#lovemyjob
2 weeks ago
About a year ago, our church came to Ryan and asked if he and I would go to the Netherlands for a prayer conference. How could we say no?!
But as the day of our trip grew closer, I grew more and more fearful! With the election tensions, travel out of the country seemed way too scary! I went into serious overthinking mode. And yet the Lord was so kind to me even though He had to drag me kicking a little. I would have preferred the familiar day to day grind rather than believe God had a new thing in store. Now, I feel foolish for resisting such a beautiful gift.
What if Moses never went? He tried real hard to get out of it, but God said with tremendous compassion, âOff you go.â To reap rewards! To advance the kingdom! To benefit Godâs people! To glorify the Father! To experience His goodness in fresh and new ways.
Fear is a thief that WILL steal your joy, peace, and gratitude. To preach to yourself >> The Lord PROMISES to guide us in paths of righteousness for HIS namesake! He promises still waters and green pastures! He promises to be with us wherever we go! Oh, to trust Him without question as a loving Father. Forgive my spiritual amnesia, Jesus. đ¤
Iâm so thankful for this week of worship, new adventure, precious people, growth, beauty, and uninterrupted time with Ryan. I think Amsterdam is a new favorite city and Iâm already dreaming of going back. đ
Tot ziens, Netherlands! đłđą God used you in my life!
2 weeks ago
Zion! His name means âThe place where the Lord dwellsâ and I can honestly say that I feel close to God when Iâm with this sweet boy. đŠľ
We tried for a third child, but after 5 years we finally surrendered and accepted that our little family would remain a party of 4. I gave away the crib, the changing table, and all the baby clothes that we had kept in the garage. We were pregnant the next month. đ
I prayed these things for Zion when I was pregnant with him and I love seeing how the Lord has answeredâŚ
I prayed that Zion would be >>
đSmiley - Zionâs smile is so easy and it truly lights up the room!
đĽ°Sweet - Zion has a tender and loving heart. He often will come find me in the house just to say he loves me or to ask for âup-pyâ.
đ¨full of the Spirit - Zion is quick to confess sin and pay attention to when the Lord is calling him to action.
đśa Songbird - Zion is always singing!
andâŚ
đŞđťStrong! - He can do the monkey bars like no other. đ
Happy 6th Birthday to our angel boy! We love you so much! đĽł
1 month ago
âTest everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.â 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
Something that is important to me is being discerning about the things we bring into our home as well as the things our family consumes. Like the Scripture above, I want to test it all, holding it against Godâs standard. Does it bring life? Or does it promote death? Will this point us to light and truth or darkness and lies?
Zion was given this book as a gift and he really loves it, but as we spent time with the story, the illustrations brought a discomfort and nudging to our spirits, indicating a need for discernment and action.
A friend introduced me to this helpful tool when navigating culture.
Receive
Reject
Redeem
Iâm all for a hero story and didnât think this was something we needed to reject completely. And yet we didnât want to receive it completely, either. So we chose to redeem the book by adding our own drawings to the various characters. It was a fun project and an instructive one.
As a believer, there are many different opinions and thoughts about how to engage with the culture. The best thing we can do is pay attention. Be alert. Take it all before the Lord. Seek to honor him and make the most of these days!
Ephesians 5:15-16 says. âBe careful, then, how you live â not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunityâŚâ
#christianmom #culture #christianfamily #raisingkidsright
1 month ago
When I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday, she made a plan to take everyone to an indoor play park for the grandkids to enjoy and then go shopping at the Boca mall. While at the mall, she proceeded to buy the boys new Lego sets and me some drinking glasses that wonât break in a house full of crazy boys. On a day meant for HER, she made it about everyone else. Which is the essence of who my mom is. đĽ˛
My mom is truly the most magical, kind, generous, fun, warm, beautiful, encouraging, bright, happiest person I know. I canât believe that I get to be her daughter. She makes me want to be better every day.
đHappy Birthdayđ to my angel mother!! You are my light and my inspiration! đđť I pray I can shine half as bright as you! â¨â¨â¨
3 months ago
â¨Thereâs no place like home - except Grandmaâs house!â¨
We got to spend time in Jersey this past weekend with my Mom-Mom/Oma. đĽš
đShe is sunshine and joy and goodness.
đShe is always happy to see us.
đWe brought over pizza for dinner and she had set the table with some tiny treat additions that made me smile. Grandmas always add a little pizazz and magic. đđť
đShe told me about when she met my Pop-Pop. He came to buy refrigerators she was selling and said, âI will take 3 refrigerators and that lady.â đ
đShe faithfully attends church.
đThe silhouette of the cross in her front windows is such a picture of her heart >> Faithfulness each day to love and serve like Jesus.
đMy Pop-Pop was a principal for many years and he wrote the 10 Commandments of Human Relations. I canât help but think how Mom-Mom has lived out that message every day of her 95 years, raising 6 incredible, servant-hearted kids and impacting everyone around her for the better!
I am so thankful to be her granddaughter and I pray I can be half as beautiful and loving as her one day! âď¸
4 months ago
Tell me Iâm not the only one. đ
#peoplepleaser #travel #airlinecrew #flightattendant #encouragement #humor
4 months ago
âIf you want to change the world, go home and love your family.â ~ Mother Teresa
Always a quote I come back to in times of unrest in our world/country. I see stories of people pouring out hate and I wonder âWhere are their parents? Who is watching over this person and keeping them accountable? Who is pursuing them with the love of Christ?â I donât do this to judge or assume wrong of anyone, but never underestimate the powerful work God is using you to do in your home and in your church families each day. Small acts of faithfulness to restore one another gently when sin is present, to carry one anotherâs burdens, to bear with one another in love, to teach and train in godly wisdom and discernment, to show steadfast joy and faith in adversity, to model repentance, to pray without ceasing - it matters now. Even when the fruit seems few and far between. Donât give up! Donât shrink back in fear! God is at work. He loves a fully surrendered, dependent heart.
â¨Steward well TODAY and trust God for tomorrow.â¨
Praying for President Trump, his family, your families, this nation and this world that belongs to God. God has proven time and again that He will take what the enemy intended for evil and turn it for good. Be still and know He is not finished yet!
This is my Fatherâs world:
O let me neâer forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Fatherâs world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
4 months ago
Thank you for sharing the photos of your beautiful family!! He IS so definitely faithful! xo
Merry Christmas! Thank you for taking the time to share on this blog. I really enjoy reading it.
Merry Christmas to the most Joy filled woman I know. May God shine down on you and your family in the New Year to come and bless you abundantly! Thank you for a precious year with your family, for allowing us to share within your journey. Thank you for teaching us to find Joy, Hope, Faith and Trust, within the most trying of times, in the one who loves us more than we can possibly understand, Jesus. Thank you Jesus for bringing Julie to an often dark world that we can’t understand and for shining her light so bright. Merry Christmas to all the woman who read her blog, I have laughed and was lifted up by each of your replies to Julie at times when I really needed an encouraging word, your words often spoke to me. May God truly fill all of our hearts today and throughout this New Year to come, with his Love and Peace that passes all understanding and may we each be great Witness in this dark World and let our lights shine as bright as Julie’s. Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you all!! Thank you for sharing your journey with me this year and for being transparent and willing to be vulnerable. You have touched many hearts, including my own. I love you Julie, Ryan, Noah and Jet! God bless you! đ
What a wonderful, joyous Christmas you must have had! I hope the drum set came w/ ear plugs for the parents? The music last night was wonderful and a great way to set the mood for all in attendance. THANK YOU! Happy 2013 and may it be perfect for your family in every way.
Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the joy and encouragement you share throughout the year!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Julie that is the sweetest Christmas card! Just warms my heart. đ Merry Christmas to your sweet family.
Amy
Sent from my iPhone
Thanks Julie, Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Thank you so much. Merry Christmas to you as well!!
How beautiful ! So enjoy your inspiring blogs. God bless you all!,,
Sent from my iPad
Thank you for your blog, it’s truly been a blessing to me! Merry Christmas to your beautiful family!!!