old writings March 21, 2008

Friday, September 07, 2007 The Investment.. Current mood: frustrated So – a week ago tonight, I made a substantial financial investment, in myself – and tonight, it’s sitting in my closet. I’ve been talking about my Nike project since April, when I first had the idea. I’ve been, for the most part, “doing it”. Waking up early, making healthier decisions… I’ve been “doing it”. For the most part. I haven’t done anything to develop the creative ideas that have been simataniously spinning in and fading from my mind. The visions of encourgement and empowerment for the masses that got my butt going in the first place, the visions of seeing the captives being set free, the victorious dancing… the visions fade as the ideas go undeveloped… My mom left me a gift when she had left, coinsidentially she left it in my “dream jar” she gave me when I moved down to Florida. Just as I was figuring out what to bill to pay and what ministry to donate to… it was just then that I remembered one of the nuggets of inspiration I took away from my time at the Passion confrence over New Years. The jist of what Louie Giglio was saying was that we can spend our whole lives dropping our spare change into the buckets of someone elses dreams. While neglecting the very dreams that God has placed in our hearts to invest in…. So I went to Macy’s – and bought a Nike shirt for around 40 dollars, and then bought the matching pair of Nike shorts for about another 30 dollars, then to Lady Footlocker and reluctantly paid ummm – almost 100 for a pair of matching shoes.. All of it in my closet… I don’t know why…. I have no excuses, I don’t know if I am afraid… I don’t know if I am lazy, I don’t know if I need lovingly encouraged or just a swift kick in the keister… I don’t know if I am afraid of failure – or because I know that I am on the cusp of something… It’s all poetic and nauesating all at once… Thanks for being on the journey…..

Monday, August 20, 2007 Aww Heck – Here’s what happens… Current mood: annoyed my disclaimer is that this really has nothing to do with anything of importance in my life – and it isn’t even on my “list of things i really should write about” But here’s what happens- So I love love love this black bean salad that this family I used to work for in Cleveland made – super easy – super healthy… Kris and I are at my fave place for lunch – (Sweet Tomatoes) and it’s mexico time and they have this black bean salad – and I love love love it ! So I am convinced – since it is more finiacially reasonable and healthier to make my own food, I make the trip to Publix – here’s where it gets ridiclious – I get a little crazy when stuff goes on sale at Publix – the beans  was gonna get were like less than a dollar a can – OR I could get the publix bag of black beans 2/$1.00 …. so I pick the bagged beans and continue on to produce to get the fresh cilantro – No cilantro… off to the next Publix.. Ok here we are Publix 2 …. getting “just cilantro” – nope… Whole Chicken is on sale for less than 70 cents a pound – do I get one? no! two? no! i buy three chickens… convinced that I am going to cook them and be all smart and proactive about being healthy… So i get home all excited that I am going to be making my favorite black bean salad and some chicken.. So I get the corn ready and cut the red and green peppers – and get the lime in there – and chop the cilantro – and then I see that I have to soak the beans – FOR EIGHT HOURS….. so I start soaking the beans… Moving on to the chicken – here I am getting the chicken ready – I cleaned them, all three, and decided to cook one last night – and let two of them soak in this healthy fruit salad dressing overnight…  at some point in the night I was convinced that I was poisioned by the raw chicken infecting a cut I have on my hand from roller blading 2 days ago… So then I get home after 8 tonight – to return to my beans – that are now supposed to be boiling and/or simmering for two hours… and my two raw chickens… So i cook the beans – and I cook the chicks… I don’t know what’s going on with the beans – and since I soaked the chicken in red salad dressing – I don’t know if it’s raw or not – So the over/undercooked beans are in the salad (which is so not as good as expected – but I am stubborn and will eat it, some of it) And the chickens? after cooking for two hours in the oven – they have been boiling on the stovetop for the last – 40 minutes…. Aww heck….

Thursday, August 16, 2007 Balanced – not so much… Current mood: crazy Just went from three weeks with my mom and the girls and danie and me all here together- now -  no mom, no the girls, no danie….just me i’m in a haze – not sure if I was over, and now underwhelmed – or if it’s the antibiotics…

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 I have a date… (with added disclaimer) Current mood: flirty Whoopsie daisy….   After having this blog up for a few hours I know… Ok so I should’ve left the catchey headliner to my professional, and not my personal life - As danie pointed out – many people have done what I ALWAYS do – I read only the catchy headline – and skim through the story… not reading to the end …My fault I suppose - Just read the whole {to the end} blog for goodness sakes ! The six year undated streak is over… I have a date – for breakfast – on “the island”… So I am sitting here at Panera, minding my own business.. and someone comes up to me and starts conversation …. about my computer, cute huh? So I engage him in playful conversation for a few minutes talking about my computer – my mom being a crazy good sale shopper, and walking on the beach – We talk about him, I was very attentive, he is a local, he is going to be buying a computer with a 17 inch screen soon.. he does something with stocks, part-time.. He likes to order the fruit cup with coffee, both here at Panera and when he has breakfast on “the island”… super nice guy.. he wears glasses … So as the conversation is coming to a natural ending – he asked for my number… or my business card… and he asked me if I would join him for breakfast one day… so without any business, or business cards.. I took out one of Age’s cards for the salon she works for.. and then wrote my number with purple sharpie on the back - He complemented my hand writing… I said it was because I am a leftey – we both smiled… maybe he will call – maybe this is the start of something exciting.. Did I mention that this man was at least 70 years old ??? NO JOKE …. Welcome to my world …. this is my reality…

Sunday, June 24, 2007 To meat – or not to meat – that is the question… Current mood: exhausted To meat or not to meat, that is the the question… I don’t even know what made me think about this again this weekend… but I revisited the thoughts of what really happens to the meat, before I buy it for $1.99/lb at Publix… Brant had mentioned to me before a book he had read called Dominion… I haven’t read it – but I remember a picture he showed me, or that I looked up, or whatever – it was a dumpster full of baby boy chicks, because they just throw them away … And with my improving health – I have been thinking about what I am eating more and more - about 6 months ago I switched from real bread – the schwebel’s and wonder bread I grew up eating to now this whole sprouted no flour bread… Likewise with the Smuckers jelly – gone… Low sugar strawberry preserves have made their home here…  It’s good – I feel good about it… But the meat thing – it’s not just a health thing – and not only that  – it’s not a small adjustment, switching this for that thing… It’s a Stewardship thing :: Not just a how do you spend your money, what are you putting in your body stewardship.. but a what is happening to God’s creatures before you eat them Stewardship – Now I personally don’t think that we are not “supposed to” eat meat – but I also don’t think that we should support harsh and disgusting treatment of animals… It’s the conditions they live and die in, and what they are injected with, and …… And where is the balance – What does God care more about? My finances? My health? The animals? I have never ever even claimed that I am balanced – so for now – I am cutting back on the meat/eggs/ and dairy…. It’s too expensive for me to buy free range (which I learned sometimes is just a marketing slogan anyways)  but more importantly, it costs too much for me not to…. If you want to read more about it… Here’s a link to a discussion:: http://branthansen.typepad.com/letters_from_kamp_krusty/2007/05/the_god_of_the_.html    (no – I don’t support Peta now, I just thought the picture was cute and sad…)

Monday, June 04, 2007 Julie could be a NIKE spokeswoman?? WHAT?? Current mood: determined Did that get your attention?? Please take a minute to read this WHOLE blog… It’s long – It’s my heart… I need your help (if you only knew how God has been working on me to be able to even make that statement)  and mostly importantly your prayers…. (wisdom and guidance among others)My desire above all is to honor God, inspire, encourage, and communicate….I want to see the captives set free – and to sing songs of victory and songs of freedom with them…I pray to God that you will catch a glimpse of this vision – and surround me with your prayers, your friendship, and your support (personal and when the time comes professional) And Julie what does that have a ding dong dang thing to do with Nike?? Ohh how my noodle twirls .. I am going to market myself to Nike .. I want it to be my platform to let people know that they were created to live a full life … not to be stuck in fat and being unhealthy… I can see it – and I can visualize it - Here’s the thoughts behind it… Ok – so Dove has been doing the real women campaign.. they are getting major PR points from it – and it’s been amazing for them – and then there is the subway Jarrod guy – again just a regular person who has redeveloped a brand —- not to even touch the obesity statistics in our country… we are being robbed of our lives.. So my thought is that if Nike’s slogan is “Just do it” – What is the thing that keeps women (and men, and children) in this country unhealthy ? NOT DOING IT… We don’t need fad diets and we don’t need a magic pill, and we sure as heck don’t need studies telling us that weight gain is all genetic - We need to JUST DO IT — we know that broccoli is more healthy than chocolate and that salad is better than pizza and that even just walking for an hour is better than sitting and watching TV .. It would be pictures of me, and journals, videos as I am losing weight ….. something like below… No excuses – Just do it No fad diets – Just do it Nothing Holding you back – just do it  and so on and so on and so on I tried contacting Nike and they deferred me to their ad agency – and their ad agency dumped me in some fake voicemail that they won’t take any outside ideas .. With or without Nike involvement – I have still been inspired and called to action… I am going to continue lose all of my extra weight anyways so why not communicate to and encourage others to do the same?? PLEASE visit, add and pass along my myspace page dedicated to this project – http://myspace.com/JustDoItJulie    It is still in it’s baby stages, and new content will be added by the end of the week - and once I figure out how – I will have videos frequently uploaded onto YouTube… Join Me … Just Do It  *grin*  I had to … No Turning Back, Julie Stein

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Old People Need Fellowship Too… Current mood: grateful I remember one of my first times ever in a nursing home.. Chrissy was making her confirmation or first communion or something and needed to do community outreach.. and I went with her – I remember we went and read Miss Manners books to the old people. There was a man named Harrold, he could hardly speak.. and he drooled everwhere… Yesterday reminded me of those days… Lacey, Adrianne, Molly and I went to Manor Care to sing and read to a room full of old people…. They couldn’t have been paying less attention… some were sleeping, one had dementia crying out to her husband who wasn’t there, some were just placed in there so that the nurses aid, I’m assuming, would have a break from it all… But then it happened, about 20 minutes into it… they started singing… really singing… I have never heard Amazing Grace or The Old Rugged Cross sung so beautiful… it was out of tune, the words were broken, it was sung through tears, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL…. It stirs my heart – because of the lack of volunteers from the church, we can only go to this nursing home once a month… I can’t help but think that we take it for granted… all of it… we can stand up… we can sing… we can lift our hands in worship.. we can hang out with our friends… we can help people… They sit there… waiting….

Sunday, January 07, 2007 the lugnut… Current mood: grateful I think could’ve almost died last night – I know what you’re thinking – “Ok, Julie, we know how you get excited and animated when you tell stories and we are used to a dash of the drama but seriously – you think you could have really almost died last night?” Yes, I think so. Bethany and I had just had a conversation hours previously about tire pressure and stuff.. now, we all know that I don’t know beans about my car, and if I do need to know, my dad is just a call away… so I thought that my front left tire was low on air, not really a big deal. I was driving home from Boca after going to Calvary to promote the Race For Faith, I then remembered about my tire maybe being low on air, so here I am on 95 looking for a gas station sign… I think my car maybe was pulling to one side- but I didn’t really think anything of it aside from my tire might be flat… I pull into the first gas station and their air pump is broken, pull into a tire place a few miles down the road, they are closed but tell me where the nearest gas station is, so I pull into the gas station, take off all four of my air caps on my tires and start putting air in… my front left tire was the only one that I knew needed air, but I checked the rest anyways… That’s when I noticed it… there was a lugnut missing from my front right tire, no big deal, just a bit strange, so I checked my other 4 remaining lugnuts and all but one were wobbly, even just falling off… I knew that was bad and I didn’t really understand what was going on because I had just gotten my front right tire plugged not even two months ago,  so I got my cross bar wrench out of my trunk to tighten the lugnuts… and some as soon as I touched them fell out – so I called my dad… After explaining it all to my dad he figured out what had happened, It wasn’t that the lugnuts had just fallen off – the studs that they were connected to had broken off and stuck inside the lugnuts… there was nothing holding my tire onto my car except for that one lugnut, which there is a reason why there are five and not just one- one lugnut can not hold your tire on your car… not good…. I don’t know how in any other way than the grace of God that my tire has not fallen off of my car… I just keep picturing the car that we saw after a wreck on our way home from Passion… I just wonder how many times God has spared us from tragedy…

Saturday, January 06, 2007 passion07 Current mood: good I can’t even wrap my mind around everything that God has done and is doing through my time at Passion07 in Atlanta this past week… I will write more about it in the days to come.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 thoughts from Current mood: sleepy I am sleepy – a tad cranky – and cliff notes of the story is that I am still delayed in Philly, there was fog at 7 am – and here I am not expected to be back in West Palm until after 7 tonight, or later depending on how long it takes me to get my luggage from FtLauderdale (unless they got it to west palm -that would be great)… but I did get to go home to see my family which is more than friends in Denver could do…. The good news about Philly airport is that they have a ton of stores and they have Chick-fil-A and these cozy white amish-ey rocking chairs – and FREE WiFi !! :) There is a live jazz band playing, I’m sippin on some sweet tea and it’s nice - I am bring like Patch Adams and seeing who will smile at me if I smile at them as the walk by…. people are in a hurry and I just want to yell out – don’t rush, yout flight won’t be here for another 2 hours… there was fog this morning… ;)  Have you heard about PostSeceret – WOW !! It was this thing where this psychologist had people send in their secerets on artsy cards. I Checked out the books this weekend and Borders – Once with Cathi and once with Jen – it was thought provoking – and depressing and overwhelming how many people I could relate to somehow and how many people there are suffereing with things that I thankfully never had to think about - I don’t even know, it’s just a great book – warning: some of the cards are really graphic… I just thought of that because in my amishey chair I am sitting across from the bookstore… Christmas in Ohio was amazing – I forgot how much I really do love Ohio – the hills and the trees and my family and just everything that I sadly forget about when I am in sunny, but flat, SoFla… Spent most of my time with my family which was nice, I made the full Christmas dinner, and concocted a yam thing and it was gross – NEVER substitute shredded wheat when the directions call for frosted flakes. It didn’t snow, but there was frost on the window of the car. Close enough…. I went to the house A Christmas Story was partialy filmed in – they made it a museum, hopefully it will be complete next year  Excited for “Passion” in Atlanta this weekend – hope to catch up on some sleep before then… I think that I might actually be sleeping right now… Zzzzz