Just a side note...

I have just started a new blog, so until I decide to either merge the two or delete this one, see my newest posts @ www.jodycarr.blogspot.com

Let me know what ya think!

New Year's, already???

Wow, it's the 9th day of January, and this is my first blog of the year.  It doesn't matter that I just added a memo last week to blog more...Silly blog won't type itself!
So I have several things that have been on my mind and am worried this may be one very long boring entry, or should I break it up into 4 or 5 short boring entries??? You decide. lol
I think I will make this a couple of medium entries, somewhat entertaining, somewhat thought provoking...win win for all of us?
So my burning question of the day is:
                            Q: "Did you make a new year's resolution?"
                             A: Me; NO!
Here is my explanation in short form.  I set myself up for failure with unobtainable resolutions! Huge goals, 500 lbs off in 2 weeks, spotless house in 1 day, super behaved children in 5 days, ect etc...lol you get the picture right?
Instead, here's my story: 2 or 3 months before 2011 ended, I felt impressed to work on several areas in my life. Not a goal that can be obtained overnight, but a process...striving for....becoming!  So that in a nut shell is it...to be continued...

The Best Christmas Gift

It is officially 9 days until Christmas!  I have NO shopping done, NO decorations up, and NO stress of being in a million places at once this year, except 1.  Disney World!!!!
We are leaving in 3 days for Florida, to spend our Christmas vacation with Mickey.  We have been planning this trip for a long time, and getting 5 kids and 3 adults ready for a 20 hour 7 day trip is no easy task...i'm getting there!  So, I thought it might be fun to do some mobile blogging and post some pictures of comical things that happen and we see along the way! 

Anytime we travel, I like to snack! Forget stopping to eat, I'd rather have my trail mix or jerky!  Anyone with any amount of kids knows how costly snack food can be on the road.  So, I went to the store and bought all I needed to make our own snacks.  I did not even buy prepacked snacks, because that gets costly too.  I Made up indivivual snack bags for all of us, and here is the end results!

Friends...till the end...right?

I often come across the same verse about friends, they come into your lives at different seasons of your life, and for different reasons.  Have you ever had a friend that stayed? Through it all? Across the miles and over the years?  I have many friends who have come and gone, and many who are still in my life today.  But, today there is one who stands out in particular.  I would have to say, she is my oldest friend.  We've know each other since birth, and I refuse to disclose that confidential bit of info that reveals our ages! lol...

So today, I would like to dedicate this post to her!

I know she's always been in my life, but my strongest memory of her started in grade school, when she moved into my school from a neighboring town.  We had always been friends, but this would be the first time we went to school together.  I can remember it like it was yesterday!  I was so excited that she would be there with me and be friends with my other friends.  Little did I know they would not be so open to accepting a new kid on the block, but that didn't matter to me, she was my friend and I held my guns!
Fast forward a few years, and I moved away.  She wrote me constantly and surprised me with a few visits along the years.  As time would have it, I moved back just in time to be honored to be her maid of honor, and watch her become a mom for the first time.  Time went on, I became a wife and mother and our children became play mates.  Our lives were intertwined.  We've shared laughs and tears, deaths and triumphs, new cars, new phones, new houses...but life has a way sometimes, of getting in the way, for all of us.
Things creep in, hard feelings, lack of time, etc. and relationships become strained...
I got a message from my friend last week, that summed it all up!  Even though we may not be joined at the hip now, and cant make those walmart runs together, does not mean our friendship is over, it's just changed a bit. 

I encourage you today, to rekindle those friendships gone astray.  Don't wait for someone to make the first move, you do it!  Make things right and tell that friend what they mean to you! I hope I just did!

For everything there is a season!

I've been thinking about this post for a long time, and finally decided to write about it.  Two years ago this March, my grandma passed away, pretty unexpectidly.  Her health had been failing for some time, but the day she died, she was scheduled to be released from the hospital.  As everyone knows death brings about deep thinking and regrets.  Since she has passed, we have moved and bought a house with 4 acres.  There is almost not a day goes by that I don't still think of her.  Everything about our little hobby farm reminds me of her.  The first thing is our chickens, my grandma loved fresh eggs, so everytime I collect them, or package them, I think how she would love them, and that big fat rooster I can't seem to sale, or eat for that matter! lol, but grandma would!  The next would be pecans, they are everywhere here.  We have 40 mature pecan tree just in our back yard, not including the small pasture.  This winter we tried to harvest a few, and I actually sold about 15 pounds of them, and the entire time all I could think of was how much she would have enjoyed craking and picking them!
Now that spring is here and we've started planting I always think of the canning.  That is one of my regrets, that I didn't learn enough before she was gone, and that is how the title of the post came about.  The only way I have been able to cope with my grief and regret is to remember that to everything there is a season.  I did help Grandma with things, and she did teach me so much, but there are still times i wish I would have asked more questions, listened more.  Grandma was the type who would rather do something herself than try to tell someone how to do it, so I still feel a little cheated, but I'm the same way, so shame on me.
I guess the reason this has been on my mind so much, believe it or not, is because of my garden.  My grandparents have ALWAYS had a garden! ALWAYS!!!  So, this season marks my second garden, it is not perfect by any means, but it has been so awesome.  It is bittersweet, but have enjoyed still having my poppy here, to help me along the way.  I know everyone has their own method for planting, so everytime I open a new pack of seeds, or hoe a row, I call him.  Ok poppy, today I'm planting whatever, how many to a spot, how far apart, etc.  Not sure what I will do when he's gone, but while he's still here, I'm going to learn all that I can! 

Prayer...

One of my very oldest and dearest friend told me this week that I should think less about my blog and write more!  I'm so much of a perfectionist that at times it controls me, so I thought this should be "professional."  Which, it's not, so I'm safe.  I do think I had a disclaimer at the first, warning you of the craziness?  If not, here it is.  I will never intentionally post something that will hurt someones feelings, or embarrass them, but I will be upfront and honest.  As my friend said, this is "therapy."  What I pour out on these pages are me, unedited, silly, goofy, crazy, and well whatever else you can think of.

So, here goes today's post.  It's kinda of deep, but I've been thinking this week about prayer.  I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase, "nothings too hard for God, there's nothing too big for God."  But I have been wondering, is there anything too small for God?  Too silly, or insignificant?  The Bible does say He will give you the desires of your heart.  I've struggled with that this week, because I feel like God has already poured out His blessings on us, how do I have a right to ask for something as silly as new dresses and shoes for my girls, and son?  We had some very costly unexpected expenses come up this past week, and they drained our funds!  As a mom it's about to get the best of me, but on a better note, even without something new, they won't go naked!  His blessings are too numerous to count!

All of that led me to praying in the shower today.  It was quiet there, and relaxing, what better time to talk to the Lord?  So my next question would be is there an inappropriate place to pray?  The Bible does tell us to pray without ceasing, so that means at anytime and anyplace I can lift up my voice!

Boy was she right, but don't tell her that, she'll get a big head, this is very therapeutic!

Where do you wear your feelings?

Sound like a funny question huh?  Unless someone asked you if that maybe the reason your feelings keep getting hurt...OUCH...so, I've had to do some thinking, and maybe that's the case, or maybe it's because I over analyze everything!!!! 

Have you ever been in a room full of people and felt totally alone?  That's really what I've been dealing with lately.  As stupid as it sounds, I've wished for friendships like high school, when you had no other life, school and friends, that was it. I know very well how easy life gets in the way, so I shouldn't  be so sensitive, I'm as busy as the next guy!  We have all grown up, we have jobs, families, church, home, commitments!  What I think amazes me is how something so simple can make you feel better. For instance, a lunch date with an old friend, or a caring word from someone that says, you are special, you are important, you mean something to me.  Because isn't that what we all want to hear, that we truly mean something to someone other than our spouse or kids? 

Another problem may be my personality, I am a doer.  I show my love by doing acts of service.  But, not everyone is like that, not everyone needs validation! 
So, today, this post is for me, to get over my short comings, stop wallowing in self pity and grow up! 

Take the time this week to tell someone how much they mean to you, you never know what kind of day they've had!
Oh, and one more thing, thank you, for being my friend!