Thanks for checking out our "Bonde Bits & Pieces" blog. This is the place where you can read our annual "Christmas Letter" as well as see pictures or clink on links to other web pages and websites. Read the letter below from Julie, read more about each of the kids in the side bar at the right and then click on any links in the posting below that you might be interested in. You may also add your comments by clicking on the comments icon below the postings. Enjoy and thanks for visiting!
Greetings to each one of you, our wonderful extended family, and our amazing friends,
It's the afternoon of December 27th and I'm still in jammies. We're waking up slow and quiet on this day since we finally had our own family celebration last night. The boys are reading or "chatting" with friends on email or google chat or the new web cams they got. Jacob is here from Boston, Karl is here from St. Olaf, and Luke is here as usual. After thirty years, I'm still sharing a wonderful life with my best friend, Pete. It has been 8 years since Hans died and my 3 suriving boys are thriving, living life with their hearts and heads at attention. And I am blessed with family, friends, employment and ministry.
My theme for the year has been Emmanuel-God with us. God has been constantly reminding me since last spring that God's presence is with me everywhere, all the time, no exceptions. During a recent meditation with one of my prayer groups, I was thinking again about Emmanuel-God with us. Afterwards I wrote in my journal, "The God I believe in is not out there somewhere unreachable. The God I believe in has been trying to tell us for several millennia, "I am with you." I mean, why send a baby? The only reason I can think of is to repeat again, "I am here with you. I want to be with you because I love you." The God I believe in is Emmanuel-God with us just as the baby Jesus and then the adult Jesus was with the people of the Mideast thousands of years ago." I was reminded again of God's presence just a few days ago. Last Friday, a sudden severe pain in my back accompanied by a maniacal itchiness caused me to find a small lump in my breast. This threatened to undo me and my Christmas plans. But some close friends began praying for me right away and took time to be with me as I waited for medical help. And then in meditation God again showed up to say, "I'm here." Good news followed as I discovered on Monday that I have shingles and on Christmas Eve morning that the lump is just a cyst. Thanks be to God!
May each of you know this intimate presence of God within and surrounding you with love, forgiveness, joy and peace. May you find hope in abundance in 2009.
love,
Julie (Jules)
ABOUT PETE
As board member, treasurer and computer geek for The Dragonfly Project, Pete has put in about 400 hours of volunteer time in 2008. He spends many hours entering donations, keeping the books straight and managing the computers for this wonderful nonprofit organization that has now sent out over 21,000 condolence cards and key chains to people all over the USA. Recently he was able to set up a virtual network through the Internet that makes working with others on The Dragonfly Project much easier. And because Pete works at Thrivent, we have been able to get some wonderful support from the employees there for helping with Julie's packet assembly events. Recently, Pete also did a virtual event with employees at Thrivent's Appleton offices. Through teleconference, he was able to give his speech in Minneapolis while employees in Appleton assembled packets for us there. In 2009, Pete is looking to add to his volunteer hours by helping others with their taxes through a nonprofit organization called AccountAbility Minnesota. He continues to commute by bike and play softball in the summer. In the colder months, he takes yoga during lunch hour.
MORE ABOUT JULIE
It took a year but I finally transitioned from full-time stay-at-home mom to a woman with a full-time working attitude. My job at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church is still just part-time but my life is not. In addition to the 12-16 hours per week that I put in as administrative assistant at GA church, and the many hours I have worked on The Dragonfly Project, I also spend a considerable amount of time singing. At Nativity I sing in both Voices of Women (a 6-member group) and Senior Choir. Then twice a month I spend two hours blending my voice for fun at Singing in the Light, a community song circle that gathers to sing for the fun of it, for the community of it and to raise money for 50 Lanterns. From this larger song circle, a smaller circle formed a year ago to form a hospice choir to sing for people who are at life's threshold. There is nothing quite like walking into someone's life at this holy time and sharing the healing of song. Morning Star Singers meets twice a month for practice as well. I simply can't get enough of singing so in December I started taking voice lessons with Barbara McAfee. I thoroughly enjoy every minute that I am singing. I figure I spend about 20 hours a month at various practices and an additional 10 hours a month actually performing for others. I finished my spiritual direction training at Christos Center for Spiritual Formation in May and have led a few retreats and group studies since. Soon I will be adding individual directees to my practice. And I continue to meet twice a month with my delicious writing group, Cursive Friends. To some, I am over committed; to some I am crazy to have this abundant schedule. For me, I am just grateful for each day, for the energy and health to live each moment of my life, for the friends who surround me with love and for God who is present in all of it.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Family Times in 2008
Unlike 2007 when we didn't travel at all, 2008 gave us several opportunities for travel and various family time experiences.
In February, Pete & Julie spent a week enjoying the sunshine in Cancun, Mexico.
In March, Julie & Pete drove to Sioux Falls, SD to participate on a parent panel for a hospice and end of life workshop at the hospital there.
In June, we pulled a U-haul trailer with our van to help Jacob & Beth move to Boston. Along the way, we were able to visit Julie's high school friends, Tami Ring and Katrina Ulrich.
In July, Pete & Julie flew to Mt. Shasta, CA to spend a week with Julie's sister, Vangie & husband Denis. We enjoyed the adventures of hiking on Mt. Shasta and kayaking in a mountain lake as well as sitting by the creek in Vangie's yard and musing about life.
And in August, we gathered for our 15th annual Bonde Camping trip in Nerstrand Big Woods state park, only a mile from the Bonde homestead farm.
Later, in October, Julie returned to Mt. Shasta for a rare Johnson sibling reunion. A visit from Julie's brother, Michael, who currently lives in Madagascar, was the catalyst for gathering us all for four days at Vangie's house in the shadow of Mt. Shasta. We had a good time and even videotaped the six of us singing the Malagasy national anthem to send to Michael's wife, Saina. No news yet on what her reaction was to our silliness.
In February, Pete & Julie spent a week enjoying the sunshine in Cancun, Mexico.
In March, Julie & Pete drove to Sioux Falls, SD to participate on a parent panel for a hospice and end of life workshop at the hospital there.
In June, we pulled a U-haul trailer with our van to help Jacob & Beth move to Boston. Along the way, we were able to visit Julie's high school friends, Tami Ring and Katrina Ulrich.
In July, Pete & Julie flew to Mt. Shasta, CA to spend a week with Julie's sister, Vangie & husband Denis. We enjoyed the adventures of hiking on Mt. Shasta and kayaking in a mountain lake as well as sitting by the creek in Vangie's yard and musing about life.
And in August, we gathered for our 15th annual Bonde Camping trip in Nerstrand Big Woods state park, only a mile from the Bonde homestead farm.
Later, in October, Julie returned to Mt. Shasta for a rare Johnson sibling reunion. A visit from Julie's brother, Michael, who currently lives in Madagascar, was the catalyst for gathering us all for four days at Vangie's house in the shadow of Mt. Shasta. We had a good time and even videotaped the six of us singing the Malagasy national anthem to send to Michael's wife, Saina. No news yet on what her reaction was to our silliness.
Links and websites you might want to check out
Julie's website is Whispers of Wisdom at http://www.wow-ink.com/
To read more of Julie's writing read her blog at http://downwindfromeden.blogspot.com/
To see pictures of the Johnson family reunion go to http://sites.google.com/site/lcjohnsonfamilyreunion/
To see pictures of the annual Bonde camping trip go to http://sites.google.com/site/bondecamping/
To learn more about The Dragonfly Project go to http://www.dragonflyproject.org/
To learn more about Christos Center go to http://www.christoscenter.org/ and find out about their spiritual direciton training as well as their Ignatian Exercises. This is truly a place of peace.
To learn more about Barbara McAfee's music go to http://www.barbaramcafee.com/ If you want to participate in the Singing in the Light song circles, they are open to the public. Just email Barbara from her website and request song circle information. She will be happy to add you to her list. A Morning Star Singers website is not yet available. If you want to know more, email Julie.
To find out more about the non-profit, Fifty Lanterns International, go to http://www.fiftylanterns.org/
To learn more about another amazing non-profit group that reaches out to Africa go to the Give Us Wings website at http://www.giveuswings.org/begin.php
To read more of Julie's writing read her blog at http://downwindfromeden.blogspot.com/
To see pictures of the Johnson family reunion go to http://sites.google.com/site/lcjohnsonfamilyreunion/
To see pictures of the annual Bonde camping trip go to http://sites.google.com/site/bondecamping/
To learn more about The Dragonfly Project go to http://www.dragonflyproject.org/
To learn more about Christos Center go to http://www.christoscenter.org/ and find out about their spiritual direciton training as well as their Ignatian Exercises. This is truly a place of peace.
To learn more about Barbara McAfee's music go to http://www.barbaramcafee.com/ If you want to participate in the Singing in the Light song circles, they are open to the public. Just email Barbara from her website and request song circle information. She will be happy to add you to her list. A Morning Star Singers website is not yet available. If you want to know more, email Julie.
To find out more about the non-profit, Fifty Lanterns International, go to http://www.fiftylanterns.org/
To learn more about another amazing non-profit group that reaches out to Africa go to the Give Us Wings website at http://www.giveuswings.org/begin.php
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