When you come, please “bring a memory” for the guest book, we’d love for you to write just a few lines about how you remember Julie. I will let you know any other details that follow. Gerald is taken care of for now, but I promise that if a need arises I will not hesitate to ask for help. Thank you all so much for your kindness, love and prayers. My friend is healed, and basking in the light of the Son. – Tobra

Julie was a wife, both a mother & a father to her two sons (and an adopted daughter).  She was a friend, owned two businesses, was a business executive, a salesman, a receptionist, a bank teller and held a degree in fashion design. She served on the board (of sorts) with Glory House -a ministry for battered or at risk house wives.  This was very near and dear to her heart.  Julie became what she did, and what ever she put her hands to, God blessed.

But most of all, Julie was a Christian; she lived and walked her faith to the fullest and in my opinion heaven is a better place for having her.  Her goal was to share the fullness of Christ with everyone  she spoke to.  She asked God to prepare her heart to become, what she called a Proverbs 31 wife, again God blessed.

A man is appointed once to die and then the judgment.  The essence of our faith as Christians is to be with Christ.  He promised that he would prepare a place for us a heavenly home to forever be with God.  I will say this sounds good but in reality God makes our stay here on earth almost heavenly and hard to leave.  Julie felt as she had some unfinished business here, a soul to be saved.  She was truly a warrior for the cross, and in life and death she fought and faced death head on… She was not afraid of cancer, chemo or radiation.  I admire the way she would get up every day look cancer in the face and press on.  I wish I had an ounce of her courage; maybe God will grant us the mantel she carried so well.

Today I saw the Church, pure spotless, blameless arrayed in kindness, gentleness, meek, forbearing my family in love.  I could have never seen this without Julie and the kindness of our friends, brothers and sisters in Christ.  In all Christian faiths different people showing their love of God through works of faith, the essence of what we believe “so much as you have done to the least of these you have done unto me”

Thank you for your support through this time.  I can not remember everybody’s name that helped, but God does.  He remembers the continual prayers, cards, balloons (not just a few) and questions of concern.  The meals that were brought, the people who sat with Julie at the house and the hospital, and her own personal Ken-Chi trainer visited in the evenings.  There were the kind souls with bending knees in the hospital lobby when the throne was reached along with countless visits to the Doctors office and trips for chemo and fluids. People from all over the country prayed for us and asked of their own friends to do the same. Others folks sent prayer quilts and shawls, books and tokens, even from hundreds of miles away. Our friends cleaned our house, fixed our car, cared for our dogs, painted the house, brought electronics for Julie, donated money, and gave of their time, some of whom did not know our family, just our friends. Who are these peculiar people? “Christians”

In life and death we can take but one thing to eternity, our friends and family. They will know you are my disciples by the love you have one for another”

Your friend and brother in Christ

Gerald

Birthdays are a time to celebrate a person’s life, and to be thankful for another year with those we love.

Today I celebrate Julie’s years living a grace filled life. A life of servitude to her creator. A life with a sole purpose of glorifying God. A life exemplifying the message of Christ -the Son of God- and life through Him.

A life that proves faith doesn’t just move mountains, it helps you climb over them when they won’t budge. A life that shines the life of a Savior, and a life that reminds us that the courage we have does not come from ourselves.

A life that displays a Proverbs 31 wife, mother, and woman of God, taking time to share that principle with other women. A life that honors her husband, and cares for her friends. A life that loves her children, and grandchildren and siblings. A life that cared for her family members, when she was so young she should have still been cared for herself.

A life that showed compassion to those in need, starting foremost, with her neighbors.

A life that touched so many who admire the way she has handled every situation in her life -from being an “Army brat” all around the world, to caring for then losing her parents and grandparents (who helped raise her) all in her 20’s, to giving birth in a pick-up truck, and later being a single mom to her two boys; to surviving the Joplin F5 tornado when the walls around her crumbled. And of course, eventually to battling the disease that will soon take her body but never her soul. This is the reason so many of you even know her name… the reason so many of you respect her life. The very reason so many of you have been moved by her story. Julie is so much more than just the “cancer fighter” so many of you know her as… she is a true woman of God and her identity reaches far beyond how these last 4 years have defined her. Some of her previous battles prepared her for this last one – and others rivaled this one in ways only she will ever understand.

Today I wish her the happiest of birthdays as she prepares to soon enter the kingdom of God and sing before the King she loves so much. Today isn’t about the destination- it’s about the journey.

Her journey has been amazing.

God chose Julie to live this life…..and Julie chose to live it for God.

Happy Birthday my dear friend…. I love you with all my heart. 

-tobra

Just a reminder in case you didn’t know – but Gerald is officially on FMLA today so we will not need anyone to stay with Julie during the day. Thank you Randy Thomas, Michelle Thomas, Melissa Zeidler, Kim Goralczyk, Penny Hinds & DeeDee Edwards for you amazing help and support the past few weeks.

We are keeping Julie as comfortable as possible and appreciate your respect for their privacy and her dignity during this time. I also want to thank all of you who have been helping with meals, errands, etc. Please note that there are MANY people wanting to help so when the time comes, please refer to any postings from me before bringing food, etc. Please contact me if you have questions. We don’t want to over load Gerald with 50 crock pots. It’s a nice problem to have ya know? That many people who care about you so much. I promise you, as I have for almost 4 years now, that I will let you know what our needs are and ask for your help in meeting them. I will not hesitate to rely on those of you who have been so kind and generous and show your love through helping Gerald and Julie.

Julie quoted me a lot of scripture in the years I’ve known her… but there were a handful that stuck with me because they were her favorites. This is one of those. It’s what she prayed for me, for you and for everyone more than anything, and I think this is what she would say to us all now….

From John 14:27 KJV- “Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.”

Next, we need the meal calendar to be filled up again. Looks like we are close to having no one on the schedule so PLEASE go sign up online in the facebook group or contact me if you can’t get on facebook. We need to make sure we have that filled up. Here is a link to the group, just click “ask to join” from your computer (you can’t join from your phone or tablet, but once you’re in you can view and comment). http://www.facebook.com/groups/162558823830536/

Last – I have still not received photos except from 2 people. I need photos of Julie for a project and Gerald has asked me to ask you again – if you have photos please contact me. I can scan prints for you and return them, or you can email me any digital files you might have. Gerald really wants to see the photos you have – if you think that we have plenty – we don’t. You can contact me on facebook or tobra79 {at} gmail.com .

Thank you to all who are continually providing care and meals for Gerald and Julie. There are several of you who have taken meals MULTIPLE times. You cannot imagine how much that means to all of us. Gerald especially is so thankful. Please keep it up. Your kindness is easing their struggle.

Have a great week. 

-tobra

Next, please join the facebook group if you can (you must use a computer to join, not your phone, after that you can post/read from your phone). The meal calendar is there and we need to make sure the dates are all filled up on that.

Last, I am still in need of photos of Julie. I am collecting these on behalf of the family and will make copies if you have prints, or you can email me digital files. Please get these to me as soon as you can.

Thank you all for your continued support. Gerald had asked me last week to update the blog, which I’m just now doing, and to let you all know how much your efforts are appreciated. They were so thankful for the gifts from co-workers at Hilti, and all of the visits, food, and care being provided by all of you during this time. So many of Julie and Gerald’s friends have provided an immense amount of support. This would not be the same without your love, support, help, meals, friendship and time. Your relationships are truly treasured. I hope you know that.

I would like to say a very special thank you to some very special people from my side of the world… these would be the people who don’t even know Julie, or only know of her through the blog and my mentions. I have some amazing friends who have stepped up in a mighty way and provided her family with meals and house cleaning though they do not even know her personally. Gerald told me that people keep showing up at his door holding food. He usually doesn’t know them and so they just say, “I’m a friend of Tobra’s.” He loves that. This means so much to Gerald and Julie because for any of us, we know it is so touching when people  know help us in our time of need, but how much more amazing and gracious when those people we don’t personally know show that they love us, and love Christ so much that they do his work.  No matter what.

So, thank you for sending money from Indiana for a pizza night. Thank you for leaving your family of 7  to come clean Julie’s home. Thank you for bringing food every single night. Thank you for dropping by a dessert to brighten spirits. Thank you for remembering paper goods to help ease the work load. Thank you to everyone… those who are blessed enough to know Julie, and those whose lives she has touched from afar. You are all loved, appreciated, and have blessed us beyond words.