Announcement

Well, it's official news now. The Cason family is moving to Michigan!

Some of you know this and have been praying for us as this whole thing has come together. We can't thank you enough and ask that you please keep praying.

For others, this may come as a bit of a shock. Especially since you probably know how we feel about the State of Michigan. I never in a million years thought I'd be heading back. But I am. And amazingly... I'm excited about it.

I'm excited about it because God has orchestrated this whole thing and I want to do what He wants our family to do. So, for that, I'm excited. I'm also glad to be close to family again. The whole three-kid-thing makes living close to family very attractive.

As I've thought about writing this post I've realized that who I was when I left Michigan and who I am now are two very different Juli's. So I want to write about that a little because it's actually a big part of why we are going back.

Up until I was 22 I drank. A lot. I partied as often as I could. I literally drank myself out of college. I drove my car drunk all.the.time. I was an awful daughter, sister, friend, and coworker. I was completely self-absorbed and emotionally and spiritually sick. In February of 99 I was arrested for drunk driving and that began a new path for me. I realized that I was drinking alcoholicly and made the decision to get some help. And getting help led me to God. And God totally met me right where I was at and put people in my path who could help me get to know Him.

In 2001 I became a Christian. Now, up until that point I would have told you I was Catholic. However, I didn't practice Catholocism. In fact, I never went to church - not even on the holidays anymore. I also realized that year that I knew nothing of having a daily relationship with God. Nothing. I learned that God loved me - just as I am - and wanted me to follow Him. So, I made the decision to try to do that. And so did Chuck. And so began our spiritual journey together.

At that time, Chuck was in the Coast Guard. Our life was not all roses as soon as we began to follow Jesus. We had a lot of past baggage to work through, both individually and together. We spent countless hours in marriage counseling, literally battling for our marriage. We were jacked and without God and some very Godly wisdom, we would not be together today, no doubt.

In 2002 we moved to Virginia Beach and were introduced to Forefront Church. We began attending and deepened our relationship with each other and with God. In 2004 I went to work for Forefront as an administrative assistant and began to understand why Forefront did things so differently than other churches. Forefront exists to reach people really far from God. Not people who know God already. Not people who might like to know more about God. Forefront reaches out to people who want nothing to do with church, people who don't like church. Once I gained this understanding, I came to really love our church and the mission of the church.

In 2007 Chuck was medically retired from the Coast Guard due to a back injury that led to surgery. And at that time Chuck went to work for Forefront to be the Campus Pastor of a new campus of our church. Chuck and I were so excited to extend Forefront further out in our area. The campus opened in October of 2007.

The following month we learned I was pregnant, while waiting for our twin sons to come home from Haiti. We had begun their adoption in 2006 and were unsure at that time if the adoption would complete. As the pregnancy progressed, so did our adoption, and our boys were ready to come home two days before Tristan was born on August 15th. Three weeks after Tristan was born, we hopped on a plane to Haiti and picked up Noah and Samuel who were nearly three years old. We had committed to adopt them when they were just 10 weeks old. Our family exploded in just three short weeks.

We've been parents for 10 months now and WOW is it hard! I realize that we were introduced to parenthood quite differenly than most, but we are just doing the best we can one day at a time. God's grace has been shown to us so clearly these past 10 months!

This past Sunday our campus of Forefront was closed so that we can all meet at one location in Virginia Beach. Heartbroken is a mild word for what Chuck and I are feeling about that. Our prayer is that everyone who can will join us at the Virginia Beach location, but we realize that some will not. I'd like to ask that you pray right now that they find a church where they can get to know Jesus. (Thanks for praying!)

One of the many factors of the closing of the Chesapeake Campus has to do with where God is leading our family. In October Chuck was asked to speak at a retreat in Michigan. Michigan has been hit really hard by the failing automotive industry. Unless you have a deep understanding of how the automotive industry has fed Michigan for years or have been there recently to see the devastation, you just can't comprehend the depression that is going on there. To give a brief example of the pull of that industry, when I was in high school anyone who had a family member who worked for the auto industry was encouraged to go work in the factories instead of going to college. People are disillusioned and hurting by the collapse of the auto industry. They are losing their homes, their belongings, and their dignity. And for many of them, they have absolutely no hope in God. Michigan is predominantly Catholic, though most people from my generation don't practice Catholocism. Many of them are like me - they would tell you they are Catholic, but they have no tie to the Catholic Church. Well, as Chuck was researching the area and getting to know who he'd be speaking to, God just completely broke his heart for Michigan, particularily Southeast Michigan. He couldn't stop talking about it and it was all he thought about. He went there and the people he spoke to were hungry for the passion he had for reaching lost people. They want to be challenged. They want to turn the world upside down.

Chuck kept talking about Michigan and how he felt God was asking him to start a church there. It made perfect sense to me. You see, when my life began to change for the better, Chuck was relocated to Virginia and North Carolina. And I kind of just ran away from Michigan. I was glad to be leaving because I didn't like who I had been there. So, the fact that God is asking me to return doesn't surprise me. Perhaps going back will be God's way of giving someone else hope. I don't know. I just know that it feels right that God is asking us to return.

When Chuck first began talking about starting a church in Michigan I looked at him like he had 5 heads. Chuck is from Southern California. He is a surfer and total lover of the ocean. He HATES snow and all things cold. In fact, because his spine is fused, cold weather is painful for him. So, for Chuck to be talking about moving to Michigan... well, there's just no doubt in my mind that it's from God.

So, here's the deal. We are moving to Southeast Michigan to start a church for people who don't like church. We want to reach out to people in our age-range who have given up on church, but not on God. And even if they've given up on God, we're hoping that we can share some hope with them that maybe, just maybe God is worth a second chance. My eyes tear up just thinking about it because there just aren't churches like that in the area we are looking at. Yes, there are some very good Christian churches there, but they aren't completely focused on reaching out to people who don't want to be reached.

Almost everyone immediately asks us, "When?" And the answer is that we're not sure yet. We have a house to sell - that we just bought 19 months ago - in a depressed economy. We're not even sure if we can use a real estate agent because we're just hoping to break even. Before we can sell the house we have a number of small projects to complete... projects that are not easy to manage with three little kids under foot. We need prayer and help. If you sense God leading you to help us out with advice on how to sell this place or with projects, please email me at (julicason@yahoo.com).

If you are reading this and you haven't talked to me in years you may be wondering, "What the heck happened to Juli?!" And I just want to tell you that I'm still me. I may not do some of the things I used to do, but I'm totally open to talk - about anything. Just because my husband is a pastor and we're starting a church doesn't mean I'm going to try to shove Jesus down your throat. I promise. I'm having great time reconnecting with many people on Facebook and it's my hope that this announcement doesn't scare people off.

I would ask those of you who pray to please pray for us. The excitement of following God is paired with the heartbreak of the closing of the Chesapeake Campus. Just as we are adjusting to our crazy new life of being a family of 5 instead of two, we are now going to have to pack this party up and relocate. We are overwhelmed with the weight of all we have to do in the months to come. Just getting regular household chores done is a stretch for us these days. I'm not sure how we are going to keep our house ready to show at a moments notice and then pack it all up. And I'm not even ready to start looking for homes in Michigan.

All that said, I must say that God is good in all these things. And today my hope rests in Him and His power, not my own. He will be our strength through this. I know He's got it all figured out already. He has since the beginning of time, afterall. I will keep you updated on our progress and how to best pray for us.

Thanks for being there for us.

Love,
Juli

Transparent - The Ugly

I'm sure I've shared on here before that I'm selfish. I believe selfishness is something we all struggle with to some degree, but for me, well it's just a higher degree.

Becoming a mom has challenged my selfishness in countless ways. Losing the freedom to go and do whatever I want whenever I want has been hard. And sleep... I miss my dear friend sleep! But something that I haven't blogged about yet is how the kids "ruin" going places.

I'll explain. There are some places that we go that are miserable because of how the kids behave. Church is currently one of those places. There are a lot of particulars that I'm not comfortable sharing publicly regarding church, but simply put, one of my kids is terrified there. Even if I'm with him. (I'm not looking for suggestions... not because I don't care... but because the situation is so complex and I'd need to share stuff I'm not comfortable sharing in order to get good feedback. Please take no offence.)

Each week I comfort my son and hold him and sing to him, etc. A special area has been created just for us. Some weeks I just bring the twins into the adult service because he's over-the-top freaking out even with me right there with him, assuring him I'm not going anywhere.

But, I have to admit... sometimes I'm just so over it. I'd like to be able to go to church without all the hysterics just once. I don't mind that I stay in children's ministry... I just wish it didn't turn into such an ordeal every.single.week. (Deep breath!)

Today we had another such situation. The same kid is afraid of thunder. Over-the-top afraid. Well, we were on our way to an adoption support group picnic when the rain began. The thunder began as we pulled up. Chuck decided that he would be the one to hold him while I took care of the other two. Chuck tried holding him on the screened porch for a while, and eventually went inside. He never calmed down for long. And the storm just kept on. I need to pause here and share that I had SO BEEN LOOKING FORWARD to this picnic. These are families that I love. We share likeness of mind when it comes to orphans and adoptions. We've watched their families grow through adoption. They were such a support to us through our long process. So, when Chuck told me that we should go I was just plain pissed off. Yes, I was concerned for my son. I know he was truly afraid. But I was selfishly angry, too. I did not want to leave. I found myself resentful when he was all giggles in the van (and I was sickened that my resentfulness was overpowering being relieved that he wasn't scared anymore). It's the ugly truth about me today. I was just over it.

I need to share that Chuck gives me all kinds of opportunities to have time for myself. I get out of the house at least three times a week by myself. In fact, Chuck wanted to take the kids home and send me back to the picnic today. He is just awesome like that. But I've been realizing lately that everytime I'm away I'm feeling totally guilty for being away. Even when I go grocery shopping I feel this way! And I'm sure that guilt just feeds the resentment that I was feeling earlier today when we had to leave the picnic.

I'm not sure what has possessed me to put this out there like this, but it's the truth. And I want this blog to be something I can look back on and remember, hopefully, how it really was. And hopefully I'll grow up a little between now and then.

Still Here

I'm still here. Blogging takes two things I don't have much of lately: time and energy.

I'm not a fast blogger. It takes me a while to type out a post, so unless I have a good stretch of time (and energy to stay awake!), I don't even try.

Facebook is much more my speed. A one line status report works better for me. So, I thought I'd share a few and maybe give a little background.

Juli doesn't think two hour naps are worth the night we had last night.
~Tristan took a marathon nap yesterday afternoon. I was thrilled. The kid usually naps for 40 minutes tops. Last night, however, was miserable. He was up repeatedly and stayed up from about 6:30 on.

Juli hates mosquitoes with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength.
~Mosquitoes LOVE me. I usually scrath a mosquito bite until it bleeds. Poor Tristan got 6 mosquito bites in 30 minutes yesterday in our backyard. It's one thing if the little devils mess with me, but when they mess with my baby, I get angry!

Juli may need to come up with a new plan for eradicating grey hairs. My current plan (rip the suckers out) just may leave me bald soon.
~Ummm enough said. It is sad.

In other news...

Noah and Samuel are doing awesome. They are getting so tall. And so loud. I think they may be out of their shells now. Thank God they sleep well! I need a break from all that constant energy. They are still taking 1 1/2 - 2 hour long naps, too. They are eating more and more foods and I would no longer call them picky. They are pretty daring and eat a variety of foods that most kids won't touch. Last night at dinner Samuel said, "I loooove green beans."

Noah is doing #2 pretty consistently on the toilet and is beginning to let us know when he is going #1. Sometimes he will ask to go #1 on the toilet. Samuel has almost no interest in going on the toilet. He's not afraid of it - he will sit there. I think what gets him on the toilet is the possibility of being rewarded for it. Currently the boys are allowed candy and a Cars pull-up with they go #2 on the potty. We don't really have a #1 reward because there's not much interest in #1. I know, I know, you didn't really want to read about potty training!

We've had a lot of "stuff" going on here, and when I can post about it I will. I've been spending a lot of time praying and trying to stay close to God through it all and I think I'm succeeding with that.