I Hate Goodbyes...

Well good news is my throat is starting to feel almost like new!

Nothing to report about yesterday really. well nothing exciting. Worked in the office - rough day. Worship practice with Rachel and Lynda - refreshing time of fellowship. Bible Study with Pastor Henry - spot on but I'm anxious to see things put into action.

My highlight yesterday was the late evening spent with Jacs. We just sat on the bed and talked. We both kinda reflected on the past 4 months and the amount of growth in each of us is unreal. God is just cool like that! I hate the challenges that constantly stretch us - but oh the fruit it brings!
Today was really good. Better than yesterday. Took the morning off and then Sue and Allison picked us girls up for lunch. We ended up going to a nice Indian restaurant. Not my usual first choice but I was open to it. Glad we went there too cause the food was delicious!! I must say - since moving out here I have really grown to loving all types of food.

We went into town for about an hour. I had to grab some stuff for Junior Youth tonight while Jacs needed to get a couple more gifts. Have I mentioned how much I love Belfast?!

Tonight's Junior Youth was the last one for the summer. 16 kids showed up! Most we've had since last year! Haha it was a bit crazy but everything worked out perfectly! Senior Youth was really good too! A ton of youth showed up and 98% stayed for the epilogue! (The epilogue is what we call the last hour which is when we bring the message) We had one girl rededicate her life! God's anointing was really evident tonight! It was a bit sad towards the end as Jaclyn said her goodbyes. I don't even want to think about having to do it myself in the next few hours. . . still doesn't feel like she's leaving me in the morning :(

Gonna go help her now rearrange her bags as one is currently 15lbs overweight and the other 5lbs. Should be a challenge but I accept!

Peace ♥
-J

Gonna Be Missed...

We had the day off today! Starts your day off right from the get go! I still am living in the game room which makes it hard to sleep in since you can hear people in the hall and hear the phone and doorbell that much more but I managed to stay in bed until about 10am :)
Still am finding it hard to swallow -come on Jesus! - but at least everything from the heatstroke is gone!

Jacs and I went into town one last time. . . (I feel like I've said that alot, "one last time") She wanted to switched some money around and do some last minute shopping as well as see a couple of the teens. We had movie tickets for later in the afternoon to see What to Expect When You are Expecting. and of course we had to get our half off frapps!

We spent several hours card shopping today - no joke! Unfortunately my favorite card shop is going out of business! Goodbye Clinton Cards! However everything was at least 20% off sooooooooo I stocked up and got birthday cards for my family thru January of next year! Woohoo! Now as long as I remember to send them! I have some pivotal bdays coming up too for some of them! One sister, Emily, is turning 18. Another, Melody, will be 21. And my dad will be turning 60. (Agh and I will be 25. . . the "I will have done so much by this age" year) Speaking of which I really have been wanting a baby. Not sure if its the movies I'm watching, or the age I'm approaching, or the time I've been spending with wee Joshua. . . regardless of what is giving me this strong desire - I better hurry up and get me a dog!

Around 4pm Jacs met up with some of the teens. Collin had painted her a beautiful picture of his version of Van Gogh's starry night - it really was beautiful. And then Beth, James, and Jenni, met up with us and we all grabbed some Domino's in the food court while waiting on the time to pass.

The girls joined us for the film - I thought it was rather cute and much better than the reviews it received. And then Daniel and his friend Stephen met up with us to say goodbye to Jacs. That girl will surely be missed!

Not in the mood to do much tonight Jacs and i are just gonna watch a movie. LOL so much for an early night for me!

Jesus PLEASE help me feel better in the morning!

-J

BBQ With Friends...

Wow I am exhausted! . . . but happy :)Been another long day but not all hard work. Got some stuff done in the office. Actually I worked for quite awhile. Still a little weak from my crazy weekend, but much better than yesterday. However, my throat has never hurt so bad! I had trouble swallowing for most of the day. I don't think it's strep but it's def some kind of throat infection. Seriously?! I am under some physical attack here.

Praise God Jacs had some antibiotics which I am now taking. Should start to feel better in a couple days! (Lord willing sooner!)

Had a couple meetings and also went through some more stuff with Jackie as Wednesday will be her last day in the office! Hard to believe 4 months has gone by so fast! We are also tearing down all the rooms in the back of the church to make it into a giant youth area! Praying it all comes together! It's going to be incredible for the teens at JCC!

Stephen Agnew texted us this morning about getting the crew together before Jacs left. So around 6pm he picked up Jacs and I and we went to his house for a BBQ! Yay! Love those and miss them! His mom was home (Mary) and Luke and Natasha came - who are now together! and the 6 of us had a wonderful craic! (Nathan is away in the States for the next few months serving at a church in Jacksonville) We watched a movie that the boys picked out (thought Nat and I weren't gonna let them do that anymore! Ha!) It was called the promotion. Not bad, random, but not that great either. Still we all really enjoyed ourselves and it was so nice to be out of the church hanging with friends.

Wish I was feeling a wee bit better! Hopefully tomorrow I will be!

Loving yall!
xo
-J

A Picnic Along the Shore....

Not feeling well at all. Gonna keep this one pretty short. Had church this morning - was really good! Alan and Rachel were back which definitely added so much to the service and overall atmosphere. I could barely keep my eyes open - wasn't too sure why I was so tired.

Alan and Rach had planned to spend the afternoon with Jacs and I since this is her last Sunday. We all changed out of our church clothes and headed down to Lough Shore for a picnic (3rd one this week). I felt a little "off" but figured it was just my strenuous day yesterday.

Alan got us all McDonald's and then Alan and Jacs threw around the American football while Rach threw the frisbee with Ben. I volunteered to play with the wee man, Joshua. (I tried throwing the football but my dang ankle wouldn't allow it)

A couple hours later I was shivering. There was some wind but it felt more like a feverish chill than the cold. I finally said I needed to head back but they were all pretty ready anyways. When we got back to the church I headed straight to bed. I grabbed a cold compress on my way and just rested until church.

I actually had heatstroke. Fever, headache, nausea, fatigue, etc. . . Not fun.

I ended up still singing for most of worship and was able to stay in for the whole service before retreating back to my bed. I rang my mom (my ever dependable doctor of all trades) who said I needed salt and electrolytes. Ahhh so that's why I didn't feel better after having water last night.

I just got back from a walk down to the Spar. Hoping this powerade works! Had some tuna and saltine crackers - the saltiest things I could find in our pantry, and I moved rooms. Our bedrooms at the moment are ridiculously hot cause we cant open up the windows due to the fact that they are on the ceiling and it smells like a mix between pigeon poo and dead bird.

So I am now in the game room. My throat is a wee bit sore but hoping that was just a side affect from not drinking water during my hike yesterday.

I have to work in the office tomorrow cause Hannah is still away on holiday, but we'll have Tuesday off at least.

Well here's to me getting better!
x x x
-J

Rock Climbing...

Adopt-A-Block this morning, Jaclyn's last one, was really good! She got to say her goodbyes to Peggy and Kathleen and James and Vera and Junior. Vera made us all tea and scones! She set everything on the porch table and we sat in the sun chatting away. Should've probably wore sunscreen - the UV rays out here must be pretty strong as it doesn't take much to get pink. Thankfully though it wasn't too bad and it'll turn tan tomorrow. Stephen (Vera's son) had brought the kids over and we all had a good laugh! (sigh) If only N. Ireland's weather was like this all the time!

SIDE NOTE: A "farmer's tan" is called a "builder's tan" out here. Interesting. . .


Jaclyn had a desire to climb Cave Hill before leaving so today seemed a perfect time for it - the weather was a confirmation for the adventure! Emma, her friend Nicole, and Abigail all joined us. We planned a picnic and soon the five of us were sitting on a blanket near the Belfast Castle enjoying our lunch.

About an hour later we began our trek up the mountainous like hill. My first mistake. . . not bringing water.

                                                                                 We passed this tree and Jacs and Abigail wanted a pic in it! Definitely one of the best climbing trees I've seen in awhile! My little sisters would've just loved this!

At one point in our journey we found a little rock cave in the side of the mountain. The opening was about 15 feet up but seeing a couple holes in the rock I thought "I'll bet I can climb this." Mistake number two! I got about 8 feet up and realized that it probably was a bad idea to attempt this with a bad ankle and being miles away from a hospital (if I fell) . . . so I then told Abs and Jacs that I was gonna climb back down. Took me longer to come down than it did going up! I couldn't just drop cause we were on such an incline and there were loose rocks at the bottom. The girls helped me find a few holes in the rock to make my way down . . . so glad I didn't go all the way up!

After that random detour we finished our climb to the top! It took us a couple hours but we finally got there and what a view it was!

Overlooking Belfast

The legendary Nicole - climbing Cave Hill 5 months Prego!

On the edge

The dehydration set in later this evening. I've been drinking water but I'm not feeling much better. Jacs is watching Diary of a Mad Black Woman again and as much as I love Shemar Moore, I'm thinking I should probably get some rest. So glad that I went out today! I love long hikes. . . brings back memories of my first year in Masters. To be out in nature reminds me of how big God is.

-J

My Favorite Place...

Busy day in the office - Jaclyn only has two more so I'm just making sure all loose ends are tied before she departs, or at least I know where we are at with everything so things don't slip through the cracks.

I needed to grab a few things in town so we took the bus a bit early to get there before Street Reach. I had a skype date scheduled with a friend from back home in LA so we headed into S'bux first. They've been promoting this amazing deal lately too - 1/2 price frappuccinos from 3-5pm! So good catching up with Alyssa - one of my dearest friends who is full of life and encouragement! Blessed being her friend!

Tonight was Jaclyn's last Street reach. The kids have grown quite attached to her - I wasn't sure how they were gonna handle it. Some took it pretty hard. it's amazing how someone can change so many lives in such a short time! One of the guys, Martin, baked her a carrot cake! It actually was delicious!

We had a team from Jacksonville with us too. Because it was so nice out the town was buzzing and City Hall was covered with people spread out over the lawn sunbathing. Haha nearly all the guys had their shirts off  and all the girls were in wee tanks and shorts. Some people were white others red. . . very few tan. I hadn't seen the town this busy since Christmas.

I must say - this is my favorite place to be. I love Belfast so much! But it's these kids that have stolen my heart! I could be out here every night! Really working towards this drop-in centre! I have a meeting in the near future with the city centre manager - please be praying for favor!

Went to Tescos for the last time with Jacs. So sad. . . 6 days in counting :(

-J

Ulster Folk Museum...

What a completely lovely day! This morning Jaclyn and I headed down the hill to look at an apartment in the village. It was nice but had an extra bedroom that we don't really need so price conscience Emma and I will continue looking maybe a little closer to Belfast to see if we can find something better. She moves in with me end of June and Rique beginning of July - thus completing our Dream Team trio :)

Lynda and Sharon (ladies from JCC) picked us up outside the apt and we headed off for the Ulster Folk Museum. Jacs and I had never been and I really hadn't a clue what it was. . . but the sun was out and the temperature was reaching 70+ so a day out was going to be glorious!

The Folk Museum houses a variety of old buildings and dwellings which have been collected from various parts of Ireland and rebuilt in the grounds of the museum, brick by brick. 170 acres are devoted to illustrating the rural way of life in the early 20th century, and visitors can stroll through a recreation of the period's countryside complete with farms, cottages, crops, livestock, and visit a typical Ulster town of the time called "Ballycultra", featuring shops, churches, and both terraced and larger housing and a Tea room.

Half way through our museum experience we stopped for a picnic lunch. I have never had a more incredible picnic meal before! Lynda sets out the red checkered tablecloth onto the table and opens up the basket revealing sushi! Haha this woman knows what I love! She also had some delicious slaw sandwiches and fruit, crisps, and drinks. Wouldn't be a complete British picnic w/o tea and coffee!

After our museum adventure we walked for a bit along the shore chatting and then they brought us back to the church to get ready for Junior Youth. Because we only had three kids and the sun was still out we took them down to Lough Shore to burn off some energy. Ha trying to get them to leave was sure a difficult feat!

The Loft Youth was really good too! I hung out with the teens until the service where Alan talked about being thankful. A spot on message for me.

Finished the night catching up on some tv shows and now its me off to bed!

Night!
-J

ps Hard to believe Jacs leaves me in a week :(

At the Stewarts...

Yesterday I worked in the office so Jacs could have a day off. It was a really rough day for me. I was extremely overwhelmed with everything. (sigh) TRUSTING!! TRUSTING!! I spent last night pouring out all of my concerns and frustrations and dreams to Jacs. I am so grateful for her in my life. Really don't know how I'm gonna fare when she's away :(

Today was a much better day! I woke up and decided first off that I was going to remain positive no matter what challenges I faced.

Jaclyn and I were invited to dinner at the Stewart's home so we headed over there before bible study. I've been there once before - the place is breathtaking! A gorgeous house built in the mid 19th Century, once owned by some government officials as well as Gustav Wolff - co-founder of the Harland and Wolff shipyard. Evelyn has done an extraordinary job in decorating it to match the era of the architecture. The minute you open the front door you feel as though you have stepped onto a live set for Pride and Prejudice.

Dinner wasn't quite ready so Jacs and I went for a walk around the property. The sun was out and the warmth from it accompanied by a slight cool breeze make the walk thoroughly enjoyable.

This tree reminded me of The Lion King

After a delicious meal of roast chicken w/ gravy and potatoes,  yorkshire pudding, carrots, broccoli, and peas (and pavlova for dessert) we headed back to the church to hear Robert share about his recent trip to Ethiopia.

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert with a crisp crust and a soft, moist marshmallow-like centre. It is traditionally decorated with a topping of whipped cream and fresh fruit such as kiwi, passion fruit, and strawberries.

Later that evening Jacs and I watched a movie and hung out. . . trying to spend as much time together before she heads home :(

ALSO: Today while at the Stewart's they mentioned how they often see seals in the summertime on the rocks of Lough Shore! What?!? It's like my own personal zoo right outside my front door! Can't wait to see one! I shall be on the look-out from now on!

-J

That American...

Hiya!

Great day today in N. Ireland! Sunny, 60 degrees, and no wind! Nicest day out here so far this year! What a lovely day to have off!

After a nice lie in I headed into Belfast to meet up with my girl Zena! To get her to eat something we headed over to TGI Fridays. One of her first times being an actual restaurant and she thought the "waiters" were hilarious with always coming to the table to check on us! She was so cute!

Got to have some amazing conversations with her for a good wee while. . . Can't wait until our visit next week!

RANDOM SIDE NOTE: While at Fridays we sat near a window overlooking the Victoria Centre. In plain sight was a rather large set of stairs. Anytime someone used them we'd watch in hopes someone would trip and fall! No one did. . . but I guess that's a good thing. I decided to take an escalator further away when we left cause Lord knows I'd be the one to fall!

She had to leave to meet up with a social worker after lunch so I headed out to buy some different things I needed. I ended up in Clinton's Cards - never to early to plan ahead! I absolutely LOVE the cards out here! The detail and originality of them as well as the different assortment of them! So fun! And they have teeny tiny all the way to some almost as large as a board game! Trust me you could spend HOURS looking through the numerous card shops in NI.

N. IRISH CARDS: They have the usual categories you'd expect to find; Birthday (His/Hers), Anniversary, Baby, Graduation, Wedding, Thinking of You or Miss You, Sympathy, Thank You, and the nearest holiday. But they also have some other really random categories such as:
1. New Home / New Job
2. Retirement
3. Passing Driver's Test
4. Nearly every age...(Happy 17th Bday)
5. Goodbye (Hallmark and Walmart do carry this but the selection is fairly small whereas here you have as many to choose from as you could possibly want.)

Ok so now that I have spent WAY too long on the subject of cards I will bring this to a close.

Spent the later part of my day walking Lough Shore collecting glass for my mosaics.

My highlight of the day tho however came right before that, when I was sitting on a bench watching the ocean and enjoying the sun on my face. A little boy of about 8yrs was walking along the pathway with his brother. He walks near my bench and then says; "Hey aren't you that American?" Haha He was one of the many kids on our Adopt-A-Block site! Didn't recognized him myself but we chatted for a bit before he went on his way. Hmmm that American huh? I'll take it. Crazy how short of a time I've been in the country and yet how often I run into familiar faces, whether in the village, Belfast, or along Lough Shore. :)

-J

A Weekend of Miracles...

I'm extremely tired and ready for bed but so much has happened this weekend I just knew I'd regret it if I didn't take a moment to write!

Thursday was such a lazy day for both Jaclyn and I! I woke up to rain hitting my window and decided that it was just too cozy to leave the covers! So I stayed in bed thinking about life while listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops.

I finally did have to get up though as we had Junior Youth at 5:30! I didn't pray for it but both Jacs and I hoped that no kids would show up! We had 15!!! Haha but they actually were all well behaved and it was one of our smoothest nights to date! I am looking forward to regrouping over the summer and being more prepared for the fall when it starts back up again! Just 2 more weeks!

Senior Youth was good too! Alan was still away on holiday and we were missing two other leaders but the teens were great! I spent an hour painting fingernails with the girls - really enjoyed it! And then Martin lead the group in a worship night. Everything went smoothly!

Yesterday was Friday and I got a good deal done in the office. Met with Hannah to run over her "list" as she will be out of the office next week for her granda's funeral in England. Then, Jacs and I headed into town to buy some things for AAB and Junior Youth before meeting up with Rachel and L-j for a late lunch of Pizza Hut.

Tonight at Street Reach we had a team from YWAM Boston with us (9 total) and they were incredible! We told them quickly the jest of it - pass out food, hot chocolate, and show the love of Christ. They dispersed from there! We also had some of the teens helping pass out hot chocolate - everyone was really enjoying the night! I got to see alot of the teens (and have some really good conversations! Please keep praying!). Also two girls from the Boston group prayed with a woman (in her early 20s) who wanted to give her life to Christ! Miracle number one!

Friday also marked the 2 week countdown for when Jacs leaves. . . I've grown so fond of her, though I know it's god's will, letting her go won't be easy and she will be extremely missed by me, the kids, and the whole team.

Today was amazing! Sun was out - great start to the day! The team from Boston all met up with us to help with AAB. The whole team this time - a total of 23 people! So we divided into four groups to keep things organized and efficient. After picking up litter along Shore Road, Jaclyn took some with her to visit families, Vinny took some to work on gardens, Stevie took some to the football pitch, and I took some to pick up litter around Glenville. Talking with the ones in my group brought me back to my days of Master's Commission. Hard to believe it was almost 6 years ago when I started MCLA!

The group at the football pitch really impacted the kids there. The Boston team had guys who were free runners thus winning the adoration of all the boys. Halfway thru a football game they stopped and talked to the kids - one boy gave his heart to the Lord! Miracle number two!

Later that afternoon I hung out at the house. Didn't feel much like going out so I got online to catch up with friends and family. One of the girls we met on Street Reach a week ago was on facebook and we got to talking. After about an hour she also decided to "give God a shot" !!! Miracle number three! Meeting up with her on Monday to teach her the story of life. Can't wait!

Finished the evening by starting a new book; "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. I've read it before but felt compelled to read it again.

Today was really good. Hardly anyone at church (7 of our regulars are on holiday and several others were sick), but still it was a good service - as tonight's was as well! Excited to have Alan and Rachel back next week though! Miss them and the boys! Spent the afternoon and evening reading. Just finished the book about an hour ago. AMAZING. It's the story of Hosea and Gomer retold. Reading it this time really made the parallel of the bride of Christ evident. God spoke so clearly to me on somethings - excited to put it into practice!

Gonna head to bed here soon. Have the day off tomorrow, but I'm going into town to visit with Zena.

Blessed ♥
-J

Sticky Notes...

Hiya! Had a couple of chill days here! Got alot done in the office yesterday. Watched Pride & Prejudice last night with Jacs - I had forgotten how much I thoroughly love that movie! Also because it is set in England I feel like I was able to catch a bunch of things I never noticed before which engaged me even more than normal. Afterwards I watched the finale of Survivor. (My sister reminded me during a Skype date that it was on) My highlight yesterday though was a Robin's egg shell I found on my walk to the Spar. Reminds me of new life . . . plus it brings back memories of when I was a kid and would go on hunts in the spring on the lookout for egg shells that had fallen from nests.

Also, it hailed today. It was sunny for part of the day and on the warm side (for N. Ireland) - then hail came and after it was cold and windy. Sigh, I don't think I'll ever get used to this weather :)

Had an exceptional day today! Ha which is surprising only because I didn't go to sleep til after 4am last night (well this morning)!! I literally pushed the snooze up until 8:55am (I had to be in my office by 9am) It's on days like these that I'm grateful to be living in the church!

Had a couple meetings today. One with Vinny - sharing my heart with him on where I see the Dream Centre going (we are both on the same page PRAISE GOD!) And then another with Emma, who is planning on joining the Dream Team after Jacs leaves in June. Excited to work with her! God is definitely bringing a solid team in!

 RANDOM SIDE NOTE: We are doing alot of remodeling here at the church - one job being repapering the bathroom. We are in the process of peeling off the old paper and I often find myself in there taking off even the tiniest of pieces. I find it fascinating and slightly therapeutic. Hmmm I always was that kid who let Elmer's glue dry on their hand only to spend the next half hour peeling it all off. . .

Decided to go ahead and get started on organizing all of the random stuff up in the loft. That way whenever we get a building to use for the thrift store we'll be all ready to move stuff in. So, I headed upstairs no idea that this awaited me. . .

Had Bible Study tonight - Lynda spoke on "Moving Forward". Definitely a message God made special for me - Needed to hear that! She had some solid quotes but this one was by far my favorite:
"Procrastination is opportunities natural assassin."

During her message God began to fill me with all kinds of creative ideas and also I am really feeling called to run the Houston Marathon in January. What?!? I must be crazy! However, I feel strongly that I am supposed to run it with the goal to raise £5000. "Run for a Life" and "Run for One" will be the slogans (in reflection to our newest slogan "One Life at a Time".) He even gave me these crazy ideas for t-shirts! He also gave me a new idea for one of my glass inspirations (I take broken pieces of glass found along Lough Shore, whose edges have become smooth due to the constant rolling against the sand, and glue them into different mosaics based upon a visual the Lord gives me for each one. "Unity" came tonight. I can't wait to begin work on it! My heart is to eventually sell them once I have several and use the money for DCB.

He also gave me an idea to make key necklaces. I haven't fully developed the idea but will be along the lines of representing authority and loosening of chains. . .once again the money will go to DCB.

With such a down pouring I had to share it with Jacs. (Sure am gonna miss her when she heads home) Somehow we got talking about office supplies and how much I love them! Which persuaded me to tell her my most favorite ones!

JULIE'S TOP FIVE OFFICE/CRAFT SUPPLIES
1. Sticky Notes
2. Black Sharpie/Pen
3. Highlighter
4. White Out

5. Glue Gun

Happy to have the morning off tomorrow! Hope you are all doing well!

Love yall!

xo

-J

A Day in Dublin...

Woke up this morning ready for my adventure with Jacs to begin! I stepped outside to check on the weather and was greeted by this! "Why hello beautiful rainbow!" So far every rainbow I've seen out here has been a full one! I LOVE it!

Today was the day we were heading into Dublin! Only a 2 hour train ride so why not? We took the Metro bus (which happened to be a bit early! Glad we got to the stop early too!) into the Belfast City Centre. Had about an hour to blow so of course being the typical American women we are - we stopped to get some Starbucks!

We then headed off to find the Grand Central Station which actually proved to be rather easy. Arrived at the station quite early however we almost missed our train cause we lost track of time waiting!

I spent the bus ride resting while Jacs read her book and mapped out our trip. Total opposite from the norm. Usually I am the self-ordained tour guide and Jacs just comes to enjoy the adventure! This time she decided to take the reigns and I thoroughly enjoyed taking a back seat for a change :)

Jacs was smart and brought some snacks in the likes of apples, clementines, and almonds - already a better guide than me!

I was determined to get some random snaps while on this trip so here is my first. . . 

Looks like Auntie Em stole Dorothy's shoes! I couldn't help but take a picture!

Finally arrived in Dublin! The train station was so intricate and beautiful! We were ready to begin our adventure and our own self-given tour (compliments of Jacs).

We headed off to O'Connell Street. I spotted 2 gingers in the first 5 minutes upon our arrival. . .ohhh so this was where they were all hiding! I was beginning to think Owen was the only one!!

I was loving Dublin already! The shops, the culture, the bustle of the city. . . excitement hung in the air!

We were both pretty hungry after about 15 minutes and began asking around for a good authentic Irish restaurant. Flannagan's became the place of choice so we headed there. We each ordered a meal and split it - both equally delicious! Definitely the perfect choice!

After lunch our adventure continued. We went into a Nordstroms type department store and instantly were drawn to the fancy hats. Haha we couldn't resist trying some on!

After that we headed over to Trinity College. From the architecture of the buildings to the cobblestone streets - it was breath taking and instantly took me back in time!

The Library there was built back in 1593! We didn't want to pay the £9 to explore it further but Jacs snuck a picture thru the exit...

It reminds me of the library in Ever After, or better yet; Beauty and the Beast! (Sigh) I am such a film addict.

We then ventured into a random mall. All we did was walk around it but I LOVED the intricate details of it! And the massive clock that hung overhead.

Then we went off to St. Stephen’s Green, a beautiful park in the middle of the city. Though I haven't been yet, I told Jacs that it reminded me of Central Park.

Being in Northern Ireland for so long I've grown accustomed to seeing the British flag - it was a different change of pace to see the Republic of Ireland flag. Because it is such an international city there are numerous countries flags hanging everywhere. I saw the American flag about 8 times on this trip. It's crazy how a flag can bring such patriotism out of a person. Well out of me anyways :)

We then headed to St Patrick's Cathedral. It was massive and stunningly beautiful! Of course we had to stop for pictures!

As soon as we left a storm came in. Hoods went up as the rain fell in sheets. Off in the distance you could hear bells from a cathedral, reminded me of The Sound of Music when Captain Von Trapp and Fraulein Maria were married.

We ran to find cover from the storm, but before we knew it the rain had stopped just as quickly as it had begun and the sun was out again!

It seemed as though every door in Dublin was colored. I loved it! And thus began my search to find my favorite one. . .

My favorite!

We stopped for a snack - I opted for some Starbucks while Jacs chose a crepe at a nearby cafe she had heard about. Sitting for a wee bit felt amazing! I don't think either one of us realized how much walking we'd done!

RANDOM NOTE: One thing you may not know about me is my LOVE for clocks! Any shape, size, color. . . they are all so exquisite! My favorite are vintage looking ones. I had no idea that the streets of Dublin were full of them! I must've snapped a dozen of them throughout the day, here are a couple of my favorites. . .

We spent the last little bit of our day walking aimlessly around the city just taking in the sights around us. Haha the man below definitely caught our attention as he walked by in his nice business suit accentuated by a pair of running shoes!

We arrived at the train station tired, but with a new adventure under our belts! So glad we decided to go! Can't wait for my next trip back! Glad to be heading home though. . . my bed awaits me! Belfast here I come!

-J

Do You Trust Me..?

"Do you trust me?" These four simple words cause me to contemplate my very being. "Do I trust Him?" It's an easy question really when everything is falling into place, but when all hell is going against you and when everything is shaken but the foundation you stand on that question has a much deeper meaning. Every time I pause and mediate on those words my mind clears, the chaos settles, and I succumb to an overwhelming peace as a new perspective on my circumstances takes hold.

Today was one of those days. Church this morning was ok but things got harder from there. In the afternoon I was extremely homesick as it was Mother's Day back in the States. My mom is my rock, my best friend. . . and it killed me to not be with her. All my brothers and sisters were there. . . all but me. Yes homesickness was the first thing to grab me. And then I had a Skype date with my one and only Lynsey! I hadn't talked to her in quite some time (remember she left back in January to work with the LA Dream Center) We caught up on life but it was then the enemy started to attack me with a heavy heart - missing my friends and life back in LA. Service tonight had one problem after the other and so then discouragement overtook me. . .

I made it to  my room right before the tears began to fall. I couldn't contain it any longer and I just let go. Pouring everything out to the Lord, every hurt, frustration, worry, and question. I had Jessie Rogers "Untame My Heart" playing on repeat. God then began to speak. I quickly grabbed my journal and for the next hour I didn't stop writing.

"For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when our endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." James 1:3-4

♥ - J

Stop & Smell the Roses...

The past two days have been so packed full its hard to believe its only been 48 hours! Yesterday was an extremely busy day in the office. We have been switching offices around the past couple of weeks and although I am keeping mine I swapped out a filing cabinet and a bookcase for another desk (preparing for the future when the DC has a couple more interns). Ha I never finished putting everything away - I guess I'll begin with that on Tuesday when I'm back in the office.

Street Reach was amazing. Because of where NI is on the globe the sun stays out much later in the summer months. Currently it sets around 9pm, so we have plenty of light (as long as it's not raining) during the outreach. Makes is far less gloomy and cold - so alot more people are in town. Last night was no different and I was able to see so many of the teens I hadn't seen since before my holiday. I got to sit and visit with each one of them! Daniel, Erin, Jack, Dempsey, Malachy, Gemma, Kaya, Oonagh, Stevie, Amy, Leigh, Gary. . . and I met a new girl who has my heart. She opened up about some major struggles she has. . . please lift her up in prayer! Also some of the other kids shared some personal struggles they have. I left feeling slightly overwhelmed but forced myself to remember that it's not my job to save them or deliver them - all I'm called to do is pray for them, love them, listen to them, and speak words of life and wisdom. . . it's all He asks of me. (sigh, when will I learn that He has the other stuff covered)

Today was such a wonderful day with plenty of memorable moments. Glad to have these every so often to break up the normal ministry routine of life! This morning we had Adopt-A-Block which went very well. :)

After lunch Alison picked up Jacs and I to take us out to the Botanic Gardens. We took a slight detour to Sue's house on the way. Her son John and his wife Gemma were in town for the weekend with their 9 month old, Harry. I spent a week with them back in October and developed quite a friendship, so I've been anxiously awaiting their next visit :)

After seeing them (we wanted to stop by when Harry was awake) we headed into town. There were some darker clouds in the distance but the sun was victorious and the rain never came! Such perfect weather! The gardens were beautiful! Breath taking actually.

After spending a couple hours walking through lush gardens and multiple greenhouses we headed down the road to a Chinese buffet. Mmm!

In the evening Ali, Jacs, and I headed back over to Sue's to play chicken foot with her, John, and Gemma. The next 2 and a half hours were hilarious! We had such a good time! Great game, excellent company, wonderful memories.

Thus completing my day, I head to bed. . .

Night!

-J

ps Congrats to my lil' sister Emily who graduated today! Wish I could've been there! So proud!

Not Always This Dumb...

Been a couple days! I'm super tired and it's late so I will just give you a quick catch up. . . you haven't missed out on too much :)

On Tuesday I worked in the office like usual. Nothing too exciting or extreme to report :) Afterwards I went into Belfast to grab a couple things for our Adopt-a-Block leader of the month award and a couple other things. I ran into Rachel Adair who had just finished Tech for the day and we chatted for the next hour as I completed my errands. We ended up in McDonald's to pass the next half hour until my bus came and ran into some of the Street Reach teens; Gemma, Stevie, Woody, and Amy. I LOVE seeing them throughout the week. Can't wait until it becomes more of a regular thing. We all then visited until my bus arrived and then I spent the rest of the evening in my room watching TV.

Yesterday was an up and down day. I had a meeting with Dr. Stewart in the late morning. One of those "heart to heart" kinds. I shared with him my vision for the drop in centre in fuller detail as well as my heart to expand the Dream Team ("intern" is a word that is relevant to the troubles so we opted not to use it for our long-term volunteers). I also shared with him my ideas on how to impact the city of Belfast now by doing daily acts of kindness. He was in agreement on everything - so glad we are on the same page! Now for the execution of it all!

Towards the end of the work day I "had a moment". Now I know I am a natural blonde (I have frequently been made fun of for this growing up but have accepted it graciously) Though I'm not always "this dumb", yesterday I "had a moment". I tried to upgrade my iPhone, which I thought was different than restoring the iPhone. (In my defense it does give you both options separately on itunes) and I had no clue that they were at all connected. Anyways, my phone had been unlocked the cheap way and thus I was told not to restore my phone, so I thought to fix some problems I had on it I'd just upgrade it. Little did I know what that would entail! Basically I completely broke the phone and found myself yesterday afternoon heading into Belfast to meet with a genius at the Apple store. (Surprising enough he had heard about the Belfast Dream Centre) He felt bad for me and gave me a major discount on a new phone. I went ahead and swapped them out and headed back home not realizing that the memory from the old phone would be carried onto the new one. Thus I now find myself with a new iPhone that is locked!

So today after sleeping in a tad I headed back into town with Jacs to get it unlocked. We went to several places to find the cheapest place. Finally decided on one but then found out it'll be 2-5 working days before its done. Oh Julie. So now because of "a moment" I am without a phone for a week. Hmmmm wonder what lesson I can learn here???

I did end up having a lovely afternoon with Jacs in Belfast and we got back just in time to role play Noah's Ark for the junior youth kids! Such fun! Senior Youth was amazing as well! Quite alot of kids showed up.

I had promised one of them, Lindsay, a push-up/sit-up rematch about 2 months ago. . . so there was no getting out of it tonight! It ended up being 3 guys and myself. Jamie P, Camz, and Lindsay. I didn't win either but proud to say I didn't come in last! Lindsay beat us all at sit-ups (I beat Jamie). . . and Jamie won the push-up competition (I beat both Camz and Lindsay). Ultimately it made for good craic! Love them guys!

Jaclyn shared her testimony tonight and focused on not judging others. The minute you judge someone in your heart you open yourself up to pride, allowing the enemy to tempt you in that specific area. You don't always fall (You find yourself thinking. . . how the heck did I get so close? How did I even get to this point?!) But quite too often we find ourselves flat on our faces. . . having to repent for the very thing we were judging others for! Great word - ministered to me just as much as the kids!

Have a busy weekend with the different outreaches, and then Jacs and I are going to Dublin for the day on Monday! Should be a fun but busy next few days!
x♥x♥x
Julie

The M-A-R-A-T-H-O-N...

I woke up this morning praying that weather.com, and the BBC News Forecaster were wrong. . . unfortunately I heard the rain already started by the time I got out of bed. So, I decided to make this into an adventure - and what a day it was!

Vinny had agreed to take Jacs, Abigail, and I down to City Hall for the race but has been kinda sick lately and so wasn't able. Sue came to the rescue and was outside the church 5 minutes after we called her! Praise Him! We piled into the car and headed for town - which was already full of highly energetic people in running gear. The atmosphere was electric! We had to walk a short distance to the starting line as most of the roads had already been blocked off.

There were several different races taking place; Marathon, Relay Marathon, 10K Walk, & the Fun Run. The Belfast Dream Centre had one relay team (made up of 4 people) running. Jaclyn, Emma, two teens from Loft Youth - Jason & Abigail, and I were all signed up for the Fun Run (approx. 3.2 miles).

After those running in the marathon and the "walkers" took off our group got set up at the starting line. The rain had stopped from earlier this morning but already I could feel a slight sprinkle happen. Ha Jason was SO nervous! (Though he was in denial) Around 9:20am our race began. "What do I do?!" Jason cried out as all the runners started to move forward. . . I smiled at him, "uh, you run Jason." And with that he took off and that was the last I saw of him until the end. We all kinda got lost in the flood of people all heading down the road. So I stuck in my headphones and tried keeping my focus off my sore ankle and onto my two-song playlist.

The run wasn't near as bad as I thought it'd be! I made it in 27 min! So proud of myself! Every one of our runners did an excellent job! Sue was waiting for us at the finish line! She seriously is a legend!

I had told Hannah earlier that I'd wait for her at the finish line (she was the anchor runner for our relay team.) It was exciting being on "this side" of the marathon as I was running it during the last one I was at. I enjoyed cheering people on and seeing the first runners cross the finish line.

The guy who came in first was from Ethiopia and finished just under 2 hours & 14 mins! UNREAL! Our relay team did exceptionally well - finishing in 3 hours & 55 mins (392nd place in the relay division out of 2067 that finished) So proud!

It wasnt easy waiting tho for Hannah but Abigail and I stuck out the cold COLD wet rain. I'm pretty sure it's the coldest I've been out here to date! Sue and Jacs had the car all heated by the time we got there - So nice! And then Sue took us all (Jacs, Abs, and I) out to eat (I got soup which really hit the spot) We all wore our Marathon t-shirts - I know we only did the Fun Run, but hey with Julie a run is a run. Period.

Alan and Rachel are leaving for holiday on Wednesday so they invited me to stay the night since I havent seen them much since being back from America. While waiting for Alan and Ben to pick me up I inspected my ankle. It faired the run beautifully and I then realized why - I had somehow taken FOUR motrine instead of two. . . hmmmmmmmm now how did that happen? God must've know I'd need it.

I'm at the Kirk's house now, they have all gone to bed. I had a lovely time with them as always. Got to hold my wee Joshua who is growing bigger by the second! And of course play with Benjamin who always puts a smile on my face! Plus today is Monday so Rach and I got to have a girl's night and watch one of our shows. Ultimately a really chill and relaxing evening with a family I love.

Have a busy week tomorrow and I am thoroughly exhausted from today's adventures so I'm gonna head to bed.

Goodnight all!
-J

A Whole Lot of Blonde...

Just had the loveliest Saturday :)

Started out going to Adopt-A-Block. Still getting over my jetlag (This morning was the hardest so far! Literally got out of bed 3 minutes before I was supposed to leave!) Conor, L-j, Camz, and Charlie(boy) all came out to help with AAB and they were BRILLIANT! Picked up every piece of liter - I didn't even have to ask ONCE! So proud of them!

Emma, Jacs, and I got to spend some time talking to James while the other 4 went out on a liter competition (first one to fill their bag won). In my opinion, turning things into a game makes crappy tasks more fun :) We all also got to go and visit Vera. Love her!


Jaclyn and I had tickets to see Legally Blonde at the Grand Opera House tonight. Spent the afternoon relaxing and getting ready! I hadn't been to the theatre since August of 2010 when I went with the Movement Staff to see South Pacific.

We took the bus into town and walked the short bit to the theatre. It wasn't raining so other than my sore ankle I quite enjoyed the walk. We ended up arriving an hour and a half early so Jacs suggested we give ourselves a tour of the famous Europa Hotel which was down the street. It was gorgeous! Ha however it only used up about 15mins of our "extra time", so after much thought and weighing of the pros and cons, we headed back to where our bus dropped us off to pick up some Starbucks :)

 

Finally the show began and it was amazing! Pink PINK everywhere!! The performers all did a really good job. Singing, dancing, and acting. . . and I'm a harsh critic! Jacs and I both have done some musicals before and this show really got us thinking about going off and joining Broadway! Haha what if. . .

My Two Week Holiday...

Hello! Hello! Hello! Just had two of the best weeks ever at home with my family in Texas! A nice break from work (and the blog) but now it's time to get back into the routine of things!

I had such a wonderful time being at home! Got to spend alot of time with each of my family members. . . date with my two brothers at Outback, Coffee date with my mom and the twins, CiCi's date with one of my brothers, Prom dress shopping with Melody and Emily, Breakfast date with my dad, Dinner date with my Aunt Terri and sisters, etc. . .

Went to the zoo one day with Mom, Melody, and the twins (my brother showed up too to surprise me). LOVE the zoo! Gorgeous day for it - soaked up as much sun as possible so I no longer glow in the dark! Yay!

Went to Burroughs Park one afternoon with Mom, Melody, the twins, and Jeremy. . . Ha we sure made an adventure of it! Searching for the tiniest pine cone and having a constant "spear grass" fight - the twins and I versus Jeremy. We won.

Played LOADS of games! Apples to Apples, Dominoes, Scattergories, Outburst, Taboo, & Pit. I absolutely love playing games with my fam - some of the best memories come from them!

Went to a show the twins were in - they did a little dance! Ah what a proud sister I was! Later on that night (Monday) we had an ultimate Cops & Robbers game in the front and backyard. Everyone played (except Emi who needed to get to bed early and Jonathan who doesn't live at home) Jeremy was a cop first - It was dark out and I agreed to let him use a flashlight. . . I felt like the Von Trapp family hiding in the convent from the Nazi's! Trying every which way to hide from the light. We decided to play one more game (bad call) where Melody was it. Why I push my luck when I know how accident prone I am is beyond me. Needless to say in attempts of a heroic jail break I ended up badly hurting my ankle in the last seconds of the game. I heard (and felt) a pop and was on the ground. All i remember was the instant intense pain I felt and lying in the grass asking my family to pray - and they did. They pain left and I was able to walk inside. It started to swell slightly and throb so my mom scheduled me a doctor's appt. and x-ray for my last day home. Stank.

Fortunately, praise God, it was only a bad sprain! (Still gonna try to run on Monday)

Had such a good time too visiting with friends! Got to see my bestfriend, Rebecca, of 18 years who came in from Dallas for a friends wedding! Spent a day catching up. The wedding that night was gorgeous too! Never knew how anointed a wedding could be before then.

Sophie, Lori, Rique, Missy, Robin, Lindsey, Rebekah, Reggie, Brandy, Caitlin, Emily, Jeffrey, Brandi, Hannah. . . all friends I got to catch up with! Such a time of encouragement for me!

Was worried about walking around the airport yesterday but my ankle wasn't that bad (thanks to some pain killers the doctor prescribed me!)

SIDE NOTE: The Chicago airport has become my most favorite "people watching" location! It was full of the most exciting and interesting people! Enjoyed every bit of my 5 hour layover :)

Today was good. Landed in Dublin this morning and got into Belfast a couple hours later. Took a nap this afternoon until Youth. AHH I missed the kids SO SO MUCH! As hard as it was to leave my family again I am so glad to be back with the teens!

Came back refreshed and filled with direction from the Lord! Now how to implement it is the question! I assume I got some busy days ahead of me and I am EXHAUSTED thanks to jet-lag so I will be heading to bed now :)

Missing you family!

xo

-J


 

Houston - Love this city!

Miss this place already!