I had good intentions to go to church this morning, but when I got out of the shower, Jess informed me of the impossibility of that happening. The snow had drifted knee deep around our cars. She had tried shoveling and it took about an hour to get her car half shoveled out.

So, instead we watched "At Issue" and then walked to Whole Foods to buy fruit and milk for the week.
Julie @ 12:38 PM Permalink |

I've found a church home. The Church of the Good Shepherd on Marshall and Fairview in St. Paul feels comfortable. Its traditional in all the right ways and progressive where it needs to be.

I attended Ash Wednesday service and the picture on the bulletin was a cloudy, new-age, painting of a naked woman. The sanctuary was large, but felt intimate. The pastor talked realistically about lent - not too "feel good", not too "guilt inducing". He invited us not to give something up, not to start a new self-improvement project, but to live out God's Love. Now to try and do that.
Julie @ 6:01 PM Permalink |

Fairmont Avenue UMC is pretty similar to Bemidji UMC. Traditional hymns, inclusive language, boring in spots, heartwarming at times.

Pluses:

• Great Organist


• Female pastor, new pastor coming in July


• Jim Wallis referenced in her sermon


• Multiple people were central in the worship, not just one


• Lots of kids and families as well as seniors


• Nearby my house


• Youth group saving to go to Youth 2007 (which is rumored to include U2, wonder if they need anymore chaperones?)


• Few announcements. Joys and concerns in the middle not at the beginning

Minuses:

• A little too traditional for my taste


• No other twenty-somethings


• No programming specifically geared to young people (older than high school, which unfortunately is extremely common in most churches)

This afternoon the lady I sat next to in church, stopped by and dropped off a bag of cookies and some information on FAUMC. No pressure and very cute, she just wanted me to let me know I was always welcome to come back, even if I never joined. And it answered some of my questions.

It's worth another try. So much of what I love about church is that everyone knows me and it makes it feel more like family. At a new church, I don't have that.

I'm considering leaving my membership at Bemidji, so I can serve as an equalization member for the Northwest District at Annual Conference. Or I could just be a page again.
Julie @ 8:14 PM Permalink |

to my completely passionate, driven and totally deserving roommate/best friend/hetero-lifemate, Jessica! She has been accepted to the Humphrey Institute in the Urban and Regional Planning Program. Now, she'll have homework to do again, as she has so desperately wanted to do for the last 9 months. Also, it ensures that she stays in our house and not back with her parents! All she needs now is a nice TA job.

Yay Jess!
Julie @ 8:00 PM Permalink |

So obviously I have no real date for Valentine's, but my roommates (whom have absent boyfriends) and I are going out. And I'm wearing my fabulous red clearance suit from Express to work. There is so much candy on my desk this week. It takes all of my will power to hold myself to one piece per half hour.

As promised, here are photos of our Gorgeous House:

It's still cold in here (like 59 degrees) but the girls and I are looking forward to Spring from underneath our down comforters.

Julia keeps me company in the Living Room every night as we get our fill of sitcoms and dramas and the internet (when it works).


I joined Lifetime Fitness and succumbed to getting a trainer. The first day I could barely walk and for the next 3 days walking DOWN stairs was torture. I'm learning a lot about working out efficiently and am no longer scared of the weight room. The only problem is getting there on time and making sure to eat before hand. There are a couple other girls from the Senate who are members, so we are making plans to get our butts to the gym.

I've been working on a website for a Bemidji organization, but have been running into some snags, especially when someone stands in the wrong place upstairs and we suddenly are without internet.

I'm finally going to start going to church again - just in time for lent. I'm trying to decide where to go and have it narrowed to the 3 nearest UMCs (Fairmont Ave, Cleveland Ave. or The Good Shepherd). As much as I like Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians and other protestants, I just can't tear myself away from my history and home with the Methodists. We'll see how it works out.

P.S. Julia has been taking online quizzes all night. So far she has determined that: she is just like H.W. Bush (what?), her life is worth almost $800,000 and she is mostly a nerd (as opposed to a geek or a dork).
Julie @ 7:29 PM Permalink |

It's only -3 and snowing and there isn't any wind.

We got our electricity bill yesterday. $50 for 7 days. Um, wasn't planning on that.
Julie @ 7:26 AM Permalink |