The Flavor of Covid-10-7-2020

   I’ve been quiet through mine and Brian’s covid experience but there is something, okay a few things that God has put on my heart and I want to share.  I haven’t written in a while and this seed was planted back in July and now I can see that God was preparing me for a time such as this.  I’m going to be honest, this covid sickness has been ROUGH and we have delt with physical aliments that has kicked our butts! But, it could be so, so, soooo much worse. We’ve had fevers, achy joints/muscles that has made it difficult to even walk and grasp objects, headaches, coughs, chills, and fatigue that has been worse than any tiredness we’ve ever experienced. The stabbing joint/muscle arthritic pains can bring even the toughest of souls to tears. I was originally thinking, oh this won’t be so bad…I will be out of work in quarantine, I can get the house in order and get back to business asap…WRONG! So very wrong!  I haven’t been able to do anything. The fact that I have my laptop open right now is major progress.  

     Brian is a few days ahead of me in this process and thank goodness he is starting to feel better. I’m currently on day 8 with Monday night, all day Tuesday and today being my worse days. We are so very blessed that we don’t have the respiratory issues but this has been an interesting ride that we won’t soon forget.  When you slowly climb a flight of stairs and it takes a good 10 minutes to recover, that can be a little scary. One of the strangest parts of this journey for me is waking up Sunday morning and perking a cup of coffee only to not be able to smell it! Then when my lips hit the rim and I took a sip, I could not taste anything…nothing at all! The coffee tasted like hot water…no flavor..nothing!

     I thought it was a fluke or a bad batch of coffee but then quickly realized I had lost all my sense of smell and taste. I’m on my 4th day of no smell and taste and it’s truly one of the strangest sensations I’ve ever had.  The ONLY thing I can somewhat taste is anything with salt in it like peanuts or a dill pickle. I can tell it’s salty but I cannot taste the flavor of salt. It’s really difficult to describe. If you know me…you KNOW I love food! And during my weight loss journey over the last 12 weeks, flavoring of food has been everything!! So to not taste a spice or any food/drink is crazy! Brian and I have our lives, we are healing, we are not in the hospital and we will recover. I do however feel led to talk about Salt and Light… 

     Over the summer in July, my thought wheels started turning after my friend Brittany made a post about Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light 

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV)

      For the last couple of days, I cannot get this scripture and vision out of my head and I began writing about it over the summer and never finished my thoughts. I guess God was preparing me to wait…to taste and see that He is good and all things happen in His perfect timing. 

     Salt by itself is just that…SALT…but when added to food, it pops the flavor and brings out the best in what that food has to offer.  Salt is a preservative and without adding it to a meat or to a food it’s just a mineral with no purpose. We as Christians are the flavor of God…we should not act alone in our faith but share it with the world while not being conformed to this world.  

      Romans 12:2 says: “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”(NIV)

      We should live with intention and purpose and be the salt of the earth…be the flavor of God! We should thirst for the word and illuminate the goodness of the Lord in others! Jesus told us himself that we ARE the salt of the earth and we ARE the light of the world. If we lose our saltiness what good are we? We are thrown out and trampled by men. We are to let our light shine before men. Don’t cover ourselves up…put our light on a stand. 

     All this to say…I may have lost my smell and taste but I’ve not lost my desire to be the flavor of God and to grow in my saltiness for the Lord.  I don’t ever want to lose my drive to know and learn more about Jesus.  We as Christians ARE the salt of the earth. We should not depend on others to sustain our saltiness for the Lord. This is not about placing our trust in others and the world, it’s about placing our trust in Jesus and living different than the world.  

     We should not hide ourselves but let our lights shine so others will know who we serve.  Your relationship with Christ is personal, it’s not a cookie cutter bland recipe. And our journey should not be compared to others…it’s personal! We should live for the Lord full of flavor! 

     Kingdom thoughts, vertical alignment and purpose driven/intentional living is what I long for and desire in my heart. For 12 weeks, I’ve truly given the first fruit of my day to Jesus and everything else has fallen in place after that. My life continues to change at age 49 and I’m thankful to continue the journey to a much deeper relationship with Christ.  Covid may have paused our lives for a bit, and it may have taken my smell and taste, but good has already come out of it and for that I’m always going to be grateful. Thank you Lord for planting a seed in July that came full circle in October and thank you for flavoring my life with God's intentional goodness. You are my healer, my strong hold and my savior! I adore you and I honor you with all things. Covid has NO flavor but my walk in the salt and light sure does! Much love y'all, Jodi B. Hutto #flavorofGod

Thoughts on this Friday! 10-19-18

Thoughts from my Friday drive home:
     I love this quote, "The children who need love the most will ask for it in the most unloving of ways." This is so very true and I do my best to remind myself that others are going through a ton of "stuff" we just don't even realize! But, don't you think this quote also applies to adults as well? I do. 
     Adults who are going through a crap load of junk in their lives can ask for love in the most unloving of ways too. God loves us when we are unlovable. Our Mom's and Dad's love us when we mess up and are unlovable. We have friends that love us through heartache, disappointments and challenges when we don't deserve to be loved. Our husbands and wives have put up with the valley, the pit, the gulley and they love us anyway!
     I have learned that love and light will always win! Let me repeat...LOVE AND LIGHT WILL ALWAYS WIN! The toughest of battles will produce strength, endurance, knowledge and a spirit of thankfulness...just you wait and see! So, hold on!
     If you are battling today, just know that somebody loves you and cares about you and is concerned for your well-being. We all go through rough patches, loss, defeat, trials, challenges, loneliness, frustration and we all have bad days. But, It's up to you how long it lasts. Tell someone you love them today and better yet, show someone you love them.
     God can get you through the most difficult of situations no matter what! Surrender it all and watch Him work! Don't let the unloving ways of others direct your path. Get up, brush it off and keep moving y'all! We got this! I'm praying for you all today and know that the God of the "Hills and Valleys" (Tauren Wells) has got you! You are not alone. Much love y'all!  ❤️

Got Kindness? I don't think so...

     “Don’t ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance and my kindness for weakness.”Author Unknown

Thoughts: 

     Those who choose to put down, belittle or demean others should seriously be ashamed of themselves.  Individuals who choose this “skillful social display” have major insecurities themselves and have a false need to control others. Their narcissist personality is a master of their own mind and the world in which they live, as well as those who follow them.  The attempt of elevating themselves and lowering others is a tactic used to fool the most vulnerable of souls.   This type of self-centered loathing exudes an endorphin high that’s addiction at its best. However, underneath it all lay a lonely and miserable place only they know exist because from the outside looking in, it’s all beautiful. The drama bonfire is not a place I want to sit around and roast marshmallows.  I don’t choose to be a part of the scorching fire ring. Furthermore, those who choose to be a part of the fire ring are just as guilty as the individual leading the madness!

     I read something recently that describes a “Narcissistic Sociopath” and it goes like this: “They’ll insult, belittle, and criticize you (sometimes in a teasing /joking way), pushing your boundaries until you finally speak up. Then they use your reactions to make you seem crazy.  Within weeks, they can turn an easy-going person into a hot mess of insecurities and self-doubt.”  I find this to be so very true and have witnessed this type of person much in my walk through life.  Nobody should ever have the control over you to make you seem crazy when you speak up for yourself in truth.  Plant those feet deep into the foundation God has given you, stand strong and know you are valued and important!   

     In my outward silence, I observe much.  Observation leads to thinking, thinking leads to praying and praying leads to the attempt of understanding those who find joy in putting down others to gain what? Obviously the "payoff" is much needed attention and a twisted void filler.  This is such a super sad way to live life and a vicious cycle that continually breeds negativity and an awareness that only the owner of the bullying understands.  Adults who seek the weak to prey on in an attempt to make themselves superior is mind boggling to me.    

     If its joy you are seeking, I know where you can find it. If it’s attention you need, I know who can give it to you. If its love and acceptance you seek, I know who will accept you. If you have a void that needs to be filled, I know who can fill you, top you off and continue to sustain your need!  Nobody here on earth can give you these things and love you unconditionally! Only the love of Christ can give you all you need. And if you truly loved Him, you wouldn’t treat others the way you do.  It is very simple...love others the way Christ loves you. If you don't know how, then lay it down, let it go and let Him.  You don’t need to clean up your garbage before you go to Christ…just go and allow Him to clean it up for you.  Ask Him into your heart, make a change, BE KIND, encourage and love one another y’all!  Jodi <3

Positive or Negative--- August 3, 2016

It is very important to surround yourself with positive people.  When those who surround you shine their light and exude a presence that you are drawn to, by all means keep these wonderful souls in your life!  My life has truly been blessed with those whose glass is half full instead of half empty and a goal of mine is to help others see the glass half full!  Growing up, my Momma had an amazing small group of women she called her friends.  This taught me to cherish positive relationships and to nourish my heart with the love of those who enjoy life’s simplicity. 

     It’s so very easy today to get caught up in negative energy and jump on a wagon with those who don’t shine their light.  Christ intended for us to fellowship with one another and spread the “good news” about Him. If we have Christ in the center of our lives, the positive will follow and flow out.  

     My Momma used to have hot tea weekly (or iced tea in the summer) with her dear friend Anita and she always took me along. Both had their favorite tea cup and saucer and it was usually paired with a homemade snack such as pound cake or sugar cookies.   I would play with my toys, sing a little tune, run around the house with Laura, or twirl in the kitchen while they sat at the round table basking in the sunshine. 

      I would hear them laugh until their bellies hurt and occasionally a sniffle would seep out from a nose or a tear would fall from an eye and the other would immediately follow suit..  They sipped away the world, encouraged one another, told stories and mostly listened.  This was their glass half full time and as a little girl I learned to value diamond relationships.    Many years later as an adult, sweet Anita gave me their two favorite tea cups and saucers and I treasure them today!   Those cups heard a lot of laughter, felt a lot of tears fall from their beautiful eyes and mostly listened.
     No man, woman or material possession will ever give you true JOY, PEACE or ETERNITY.  Your joy and peace will never be sustained long term without a personal relationship with Christ.  You glass may be half full but when you see it as half empty, Christ is the only one who can KEEP it filled!  And watch out because it just may overflow! Thank you Momma for filling my cup here on earth and for giving me your overflowing love.  You reflected  a Christ-like love and you live with me every day. You even topped my cup with whip and drizzled it with caramel and you always sprinkled it with laughter!  Lots and lots of laughter! :-) 

Cherish your positive relationships, be there for those who love you and lean on God to lead you to people whose cup is filled or need help topping theirs off. We are all going to die and our legacy will continue.  How do you want people to remember you?  Half empty or half full?  Much love y’all! <3 Jodi  

I am the Vine; you are the branches.

I am a Christian!  I’m thankful God chose to wake me up this morning.  I’ve been thinking about being a Christian, shining the light that Christ has given and how grateful I am to be saved by grace.  John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me; you can do nothing.”  As branches we should cling to Christ because when we aren’t anchored to the trunk we will wither, fade, become dry and lose ourselves in the unfiltered ways of this world. Filter yourself through Christ…it’s actually AWESOME and places a buffer between your stress, worry and hurt.  We aren't perfect and have those times of need and can run to Him and surrender all!  The world will know you are a Christian by the fruit you bear.  You cannot pick fruit from thorns or thistles and good fruit will not be produced without Christ.  Apart from Him…you can do nothing.  My prayer is for you to give your heart to God, allow your light to shine and produce fruit to share with others.   Stand firm in the love of Christ and bear beautiful fruit y’all! Happy day and much love, <3 Jodi

Random Act of Kindness

For years I have randomly paid for coffee or paid for a meal for the car behind me in a drive thru line. I started doing this when my kids were in the car with me to teach them about random acts of kindness and how fun it can be...especially when you remain anonymous.  Although, in this moment I'm not anonymous anymore and it feels odd to write about it, but I write to share my experience in hopes you will share your gifts and goodness with others!   We have had a blast doing this drive thru act of kindness and it always makes us feel good when we spread joy!  Well, this morning I was in a drive thru and the driver in front of me paid for my coffee and breakfast danish!!!  I pulled up to the window with my money and the worker said, "Have a very blessed day thanks to the woman in the car in front of you!"  I squealed and got so excited and yes, my eyes filled with tears!  I'm a cheese ball, but WOW, that made my morning and started my day off with a blessing!  I was so happy in that moment that I paid for the person behind me in hopes of making their day too! :-)  THOUGHTS:  You never ever know when one small random act of kindness can make the day of a person struggling or just having a rotten moment.  A smile, a hello, a good morning, a good evening, a hug, a note, a text, a compliment or just taking a moment to stop and listen can make someone feel special, loved and validated!  This life is so incredibly busy and crazy and stopping to do something for others not only feeds their spirit, but it will feed yours too!  God has given every one of us gifts and talents to share and if we keep those gifts boxed up, it's a waste.  Open yourself up, share your gifts and talents and invest in the lives of others!  The goodness will come back to you.  It may not come to you in the form of coffee or a meal, but it's my hope that your heart will be filled with joy and you will spread love to all!  It's the little things in life that can make such a HUGE difference.  Much love y'all <3 Jodi  

TRUTH/LIES

Yesterday when I put myself in “timeout”, I went on the back deck…sat in silence and read Acts chapters 6-8.  The story of Stephen is truly amazing!  He was the first Christian Martyr who stood up for truth and stood firm in his faith and died because of his passion.  “HONESTY” seems to be a lost art today and what an amazing man to stand before powerful men and proclaim the love of Jesus Christ.  In doing so, these men stoned him to death and even in that moment, Stephen asked God to forgive those for what they were doing.  What a witness Stephen was!  He spoke truth and asked forgiveness for his enemies.  THOUGHTS:  As you move through this life, be HONEST…not only to others, but to yourself.  God knows all truth…God is truth and nothing good comes from lies.  We lie by omission and by deception but God is the only one who truly knows our hearts and our intentions. God is truth and His word is truth...and the TRUTH will set you free!  This got me thinking…yep scary! We can run from truth, hide from it, cover it up, place lies on top of lies…and yet nothing can be hidden from the one who created us.  God knows ALL and no matter what you have burning you up deep from within, God can fix it!  He is the ultimate healer.  We cannot expect to move forward until we are honest with ourselves and honest with God.  Being set free from the lie’s that bind the soul is euphoric!  Don’t clean yourself up before you go to God…JUST GO and allow Him to clean!  What is keeping you from allowing God to move in your life?  Consider being set free…Do it y’all!!!  God is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE!. John 14:6  

 In your silence, who are you and what do you stand for?  In public, who are you and what do you stand for? Are you the same?  Stand firm in your faith and don’t be afraid to be honest and speak love through truth just as Stephen did.  Your reward will be AMAZING! Much love y'all on this FANTASTIC gift of a day! Jodi J