Psalm 139:5-6
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it. El Jardin Sagrado - Orosi Valley - Costa Rica
Well I just spent the most God soaked weeks in Costa Rica. God orchestrated everything perfectly as only He can. There is so much to say, that even if I tried here it would be too much. But it short, the team and missionaries were most amazing, an instant family, I made "tico" brothers that I will love forever, the site was beautiful, the people were the most loving most hospitible that I've ever encountered. We got our job done early. I got to play soccer every day. I've never felt the love of God more fully than the past two weeks. My brain is spinning and that is never a good thing. If you want to know more I'll be sending out a newsletter soon, or you could just call me.

eMi Update

So the semester is over, I turned in my last paper last night. I think it ended well. Now its time to focus on preparing for Colorado, I need to get back on routine of waking up early. I’ve got to exercise to be prepared for the altitude and whatever else the job may bring, and I’ve got to decide what I can and cannot live without for 8 months.

Here’s some updates if you are wondering.
I need to be in Colorado Springs by January 7.
I will be in the Orosi Valley of Costa Rica from February 9 to the 23.
We are setting at a team of 9 right now, with 2 architects, a landscape architect, a structural engineer, a civil engineer, an electrical engineer, a surveyor, the team leader and me.
Our team leader said:
It’s going to be fun, exciting, an adventure, a time of discovery and a real blessing. But it will also be hard work, long hours, and lots of travel and times where it will be just plain hard (on mind, body and spirit).

So, I’m going to need some prayers. Here’s what’s on my heart right now.

Pray for all of us interns as we are raising support and preparing for a big move.
Pray for our team, that we would mesh and God would work through us.
Pray for Global Outreach Ministries, the organization we will be designing for.
Pray for me as I am speaking in front of my church Sunday.

Thank you all for all your support.
Have a most blessed Christmas!!

Dare Una Mano,
Julianne

I MADE HIM LAUGH!!

So Roger Creager's got a song called "I got the guns" talking about inheriting his grandfather's guns and of course I was in the front row and Sheria and I start flexing our muscles when I realize he's gonna sing that song. He gives us a look, that we get quite often, as in "What are you doing?" So I yell, "WE GOT THE GUNS!!!" And he laughed. He was looking right at me and laughed about what I had said. I made him laugh. Man I miss have friends in the same town!
My old neighbor and his buddy, I was the 5th wheel in that picture.
Thats ok I had Roger, see he's a multi-tasker!

My most favorite accordian player of all time, Allen, He also plays the keyboards and the washboard. After the concert he and I had a discussion about how the washboard is going to be my instrument .

yep that'd be my hand.

THATS HOW I ROLL
I was asked to teach Sunday School to the High School and Jr.Highers last Sunday. I was going to teach about how God believes in us because He created us, gifts us and provides for us. I did what I always do, cross reference, cross reference, cross reference. I'm in the middle of teaching and one of the kids (great kid, hilarious), well he says "Wow Juli you went way out for this one." I ask him what he means and he says "Well you have alot of verses" So I say goofinly in all my Kansasan Redneckedness "Thats how I roll." They all chuckle and one of the girls, the same that asked if I was "like a high schooler" earlier this year, she says "I've never heard anyone old say that before." I was called old, I got quite the kick out of that one. But then all the boys jumped in to defend me, "She's not old, she's only 20 something." and the girl started back peddling. I just laughed.

Here's Jessica (Johnson) Arndt - "Cheez"- and Myles Arndt's son Javen Gordon Arndt. I got to hold him and feed him and he pooped on me so I'm certian I'm his favorite (course he also peed on Tara so she's up there too).


Here's Tara (Durham) Strahm and Loren Strahm's son Kenan. He turns one at the end of the month
Here's Trish (Denchfield) Rolon and Diego Rolon's son Paul. He turns one at the beginning of December. Here's my baby, I'm undecided on the name. I'm torn between Wasta Time or Wasta Money. I'm just guessing but I'd bet that making their babies were infinitely more fun then making mine.

What's on my mind What's not on my mind!

I just found out that I got an internship with eMi. Engineering Ministries International (eMi) is a non-profit Christian development organization made up of architects, engineers and design professionals who donate their skills to help children and families around the world step out of poverty and into a world of hope. Check it out http://www.emiusa.org/
I get to go to Colorado for 8 months I get to fly fish and ski and hike and visit Cracker at camp. But most importantly I get to help people and I get to help people for Jesus. I'll get to work in a soup kitchen on Fridays. I'll get to go to another country for 2-3 weeks, maybe Africa or Haiti or the Dominican Republic. There I'll do site analysis and such probably with a missionary. Are you all grasping the magnitude of this? This firm embodies all that I went into architecture for!!!!
But I could use anyone and everyone's prayers now. I have to raise money, like a real missionary, so if you got any laying around. And prayers for which team I get placed on which will determine which country I go to.
Less good but still good news. My project is done. I present today. So no studio this weekend. Should I catch up on my other classes. Or maybe I'll just eat and sleep.

Its good to be home, even though I feel out of place everywhere I go. But church was good this morning, Ken's preaching is one of the things I miss the most. But after church I went over to Grandma and Poppi's. Poppi has been down recently and so of course mine and Chucky's smiling faces have just gotta brighten his day. I went and laid in bed with him awhile then went out to talk to Grandma. She told me of how this morning he kissed her and told her he loved her three times right in a row. Then she about started crying when she was talking about if he had to go to the hospital. Is our generation gonna get to know that kind of love at all. How many of us are actually gonna get 60 years with our spouse? Last year Grandma was in the hospital for a week and Poppi is so used to her serving him that he didn't know you can't put a metal pot in the microwave. Now girls aren't really taught to serve their husbands cause that just might mean the men are wearing the pants and we can't have that. But don't get me started on how feminist killed romance. Will our generation of wanting whats fast and easy, our generation of I can't work for anything or care about one thing, I must keep my options open, I must be independent otherwise I could get hurt ever going to know what it feels like to be 80 years old and not know what we're gonna do without the person we fell in love with in our 20's.

Ok so here's my plan. I'll do the architecting. Bart and Jacob will be in charge of construction. John Boles and Brian Rausch will create some amazing windows. Brian Haag will do some wonderful carpentry. Mindy Anderson will do some beautiful art work. I'll get the Marshall to preach. Jarod's got music. Nat's got the youth. Anne Marie can do the whatever she plans on doing in England. George can do graphics for stuff. Ok if I'm forgetting anyone else's skills, sorry. You're more than welcome to join.

But I haven't gone inside yet, so if anyone wants to tresspass in a building that may not be structually sound give me a call.

I need to borrow a man or a big bat
So its been one of those days. Ya know if something doesn't happen your gonna explode, seriously on the brink of spontaneous combustion. And so I did what I always do when I am all sorts of discontent with my situation, I picked a rode and I drove. The weather was matching my mood, sporatic, unsettled, rainy. So I'm driving on this back rode passing some beautiful quaint old houses. Then I pass 70. I drive a few more miles and see a steeple. So I pull off on this less traveled road, and there is this amazing boarded up, abandoned, limestone chuch made in 1910. I'm thinking man this is a travesty, how awesome would it be to have a service in this church, or mass since it was a catholic church. It was breathtaking. Someday I'm gonna renovate it, Nat or Jarod ya'll wanna be my preacher? So, I decide to try and get in. I climbed into this spectacular arched window thats about 5 feet off the ground and about 6 feet tall, in the entry way. I'm perched on the sill when I hear someone, or something breathing, thus the need of a man, or a girl who, to quote my grandfather, could go bear hunting with a stick. Anyways I did what I do best, ran. And with the burst of adrinaline and a few good country tunes my humors were brightened, atleast for a little bit. Any of ya'll near Manhattan want to indulge me, I gotta go back. Well I'll probably go back anyways tomorrow after church. I can't resist, I gotta take pictures and sketch or something. If I ever find my connector from my camera to my computer you all can see it too.

On My Mind

"The worth and excellence of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love."
Henry Scougal

"For the human spirit caught within a spinning universe in an ever confusing flow of events, circumstance and inner turmoil, to seek truth has always been to seek the invariable, whether it is called Ideas, Form, Archetypes, Numbers or Gods."
Robert Lawlor - Sacred Geometry

I went to church this morning in Manhattan, I haven't been back like I had planned when I went home for the summer. I'm all excited, there's a new youth minister and new kids and I am ready to see how I can be used. I walk in and there some young girls sitting in the room that I've never meet, and none of the kids from last year. Trying my best to be a good youth sponsor I go up to them and say "Hello, I'm Julianne." and I put out my hand. And nothing. . . they just stare at me. So I say "And your name is...?" Then they introduce themselves. As I'm sitting down one of the girls says, as only a junior high girl can, "So what are you, like, a high schooler or something?"

Camping Notes to self
1. If your father sounds like a garbage truck at night, make other sleeping arrangements than in a tent with him. And check the weather forcast.
2. Put Abbey's cooler under someone else's cooler who doesn't have vodka in their water bottle.
3. Don't leave your favorite camoflauge k-state ball cap in your drunk brother's canoe if you ever want to see it again.


4. Seven is the most 20 some year olds you can fit in one canoe and get very far.

DANG NEAR THE PERFECT WEEKEND
Rodeo in Pretty Prairie- where a cowboy called me a weeble. Nothing makes 4 girls happier then 3 giant bucks
Cheezin over spending too much money at Cabela's

Red our master chef. The Girls

The Relatives
The Rolons were in town!!!!

Chunkerbutt's birthday party
My new float tube!!!

John Piper Quote of the Day
"The Lover of our souls paid his own blood, not just to make his marriage possible, but to break down doors of the prison and take his beloved to himself. Strength and stability and joy and courage flow from knowing ourselves loved like this."
(A Godward Life Volume Two, pg. 354)

I've often thought about this. What would it be like if on my wedding day my husband came to me and said "I've waited my whole life for this day. I left a wonderful home to come get you." I want to be honest so I say, "Well, I sought you once in a while, but I didn't want to leave my comfort zone." Then he says, "I've kept myself completely pure for you." And all I can say is "Well there was this guy and that one, But nothing big. . . its not like we had sex." He replies, "I spent my time serving and teaching all people and you, for I want the best for you." Thinking of my time I respond "I did some good, But there is so many other things to do, t.v., movies, football games. I had school and sports and come on I needed to have fun before I got tied down." His eyes are still filled with love when he says, "I lived the perfect life and then was put to death, for I knew that my Father wouldn't accept anything else in allowance for us to get married." What have I done? What have I given? How can I justify all the time I waste? How do I excuse daydreaming of an earthly husband when I have Jesus as my knight on a white horse (Rev. 19:11), who did all this and more for me?