Monday, June 1, 2009

"GYD" - Google Yourself Daily!

Last week I attended a great class on Social Media Marketing as a free means of promoting your business. (See recent post). Among a host of other suggestions, Nems and Jaymie urged us to do a daily Google search on ourselves.

Look what I found today when I was "Googling" myself.

This is hysterical. Although I'm certainly not the satirical Julia Miller in this fictional news story, I have been "church lady" in the past, and may revert in the future. You never know. Read if you're looking for a good laugh.

(It's about the relationship between having a Jesus Fish on your car, and the number of automobile accidents in which you're involved...)

http://www.themq.com/index.php?articles_id=155&issue=105

What do you find when searching YOUR name?

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Feeding the Body, Taxing the Brain

I recently learned about Dr. Vincent Fortenacse, a prominent nuerologist who has writen an important book. Amazon should pay me for this link.

http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Alzheimers-Prescription-Science-Proven-Plan-Start/dp/1592403794

Dr. Fortenasce spells out our present and future reality-- as American's we've been burning at both ends, so to speak. Through the advancements of medicine, he says we've been able to prolong the life of the physical body by a length of close to 50 years. BUT-- we haven't been able to extend the life-expectancy of the brain by even a day.

So what does this mean in all practicality?

The way we feed and care for our bodies must do more good than harm. There are countless words written on the subject of diet and exercise. Heavily processed foods also do their commensurate damage. Meditation cures stress, also. But which do we engage in more frequently? Most of us do more stressing than de-stressing.

And, we've got to enlist the incredible powers of the brain, with at least a view to getting it exercised well.

SO-- very shortly I'll be leaving home to take a class. For a woman traveling through the middle-age of my life, this will be challenging and new.

Thanks to my good friends at Three Chicks Catering, (www.threechickscatering.com) I'm taking their class on Social Marketing in the information age. They'll cover facebook, twitter, skype, blogging, web-engine search optimizing and the Lord only knows what else. And I will make my brain learn! And it will keep me mentally fit. Also, I will eat some of their healthy refreshments. A win-win for my brain and body.

TV is passive. Engaging in LIFE is active, and healthy, and I HOPE-- will keep me independent through my 80's and 90's. Should I live that long.

Well, so get off the couch & learn something new!! And let me know what you did!
Love you all!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Life at 50

Hi Dear Ones!
This is short, but please watch the whole thing. It puts life into perspective.
Just click this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Love,
Julia

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Before I Was a Mom

I recall discovering I was preganant for the first time-- I confided in tears to my Mom that I was "much too selfish to be a mother!"

And in her wisdom she answered, "Honey, you've just got to know that God loves you SO MUCH, that He's already chosen the perfect baby for you, and that you won't be able to help yourself. You'll LOVE that baby, and you won't want to be selfish."

Had she any idea how life-affirming her words would be, as I stared, through filmy vision, at her warm and knowing eyes? Her belief in God and me, helped ME to believe in God, and, well, me, too.

Five nearly full grown, impossibly wonderful children later (sure, I show the bias of a mother!), I'm a true believer in that affirmation. No one can love our children as much as we do. To others, they're noisy, smelly, hungry, dirty, demanding little creatures, and God only made them cute so we wouldn't kill them. To me, my children ARE my heart. I cry with gratitude at the recurring gift they are to me, each day. I love them so much it seems "crazy-talk" to apply human language to the phenomenon. It's Heavenly.

This treasure showed up in my life recently. It's author isn't known-- not sure why. I'd love to give her credit for this sweet, honest reflection. I hope you enjoy it.

"Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night, watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom...I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

May you always be overwhelmed by the Grace of God
rather than by the cares of life."

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What do you REALLY think?

A precious friend sent me this photo in an e-mail, with a link to World Net Daily, and an article about Barak Obama's first 100 days as President of the United States. I apologize that I couldn't figure out how to format the photo, but turthfully, I'm relieved not to dignify it further by putting it here in plain sight on my blog.

http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96138

It doesn't matter much to me if you read the article. What matters to me are the thoughts and feelings that play out in your heart when you see the image.

You may know that I recently returned from Rome, having participated in a choral performance in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

Entitled, "The Birth of Christ," and composed by Andrew T. Miller-- this fully orchestrated cantata shared through a talented choir, cast of operatic soloists and noted narrators (Jim Caviezel, Michael York, Louis Gosset, Jr.), portrays the coming of the Messiah -- even foreshadowing his redemptive suffering and death on the Cross.

The coming of Jesus Christ altered human history in ways no human being, no matter how popular, ever could. I trust in Him.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

In case they don't print my letter~

I just finished this letter to the editor of our local paper. In case this letter doesn't make the cut, I'll share it with you here, instead.

Dear Editor,

When does human life begin? Obviously President Obama imagines the lifesaving potential in live human embryos, and is willing to allow taxpayer money to be spent experimenting on live human embryos – thus causing their death – with the “hope” of bringing about that potential. If it isn’t alive, why try to use it to enhance and extend life?

So last August, when candidate Obama answered this question with, it’s “above my pay grade,” he plainly lied to all of us. Did his recent pay grade increase suddenly bring clarity to his thinking?

President Obama, let’s clear this up for you. The egg is alive, the sperm is alive. They combine, alive. An embryo is the very beginning of a unique, unrepeatable human life. This is a scientific fact, not a religious dogma.

Do not pit science against religion. Instead, answer the question which is a follow up to when human life begins. When does a human life receive rights?




Monday, March 9, 2009

A quick update from Julia

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm crazy for flowers. I want my funeral notice to read-- "In lieu of any other way you might want to memorialize Julia, send FLOWERS! She loved them!"

So I'm glad to report that after taking several years off from my wedding flower business, I am back, to serve those whose occasions call for flowers, with a heart full of joy! This also includes memorial flowers. Thier life and beauty can truly bring comfort to people.

I'll be sharing photos with you soon. You can learn more about my business, Julia's Floral & Gifts, at my website, www.juliasfloral.com. Thanks!