MAJESTIC!! What I saw tonight...WOW!

Tonight on my ride home around 7:45pm something happened to me that has never occurred before.  And before I tell you let me just say, I am a CHEESY person!  For those of you who are content to sit on a front porch or back deck for hours with no conversation while holding a hot cup of coffee during the light of morning or during the peace of dusk while nature sings its beautiful songs…YOU will get this.  But for some…you will say…what a CHEESE ball this girl is!

 Lol…Anyway,  I’m about 2 miles from the house traveling on a road known for daily deer sightings so I’m driving around 38 mph in a 55 with my eyes peering for deer eyes in the dark as always. But what happened next blew my mind!  To the right of me, I caught a glimpse of something flying down toward the road.  A Barred Owl landed in the exact middle of my lane in the road and I stopped my car right then and there frozen with disbelief.  He just stared at me and I just stared at him with intense locked eyes.  I’m sure he was going for a mouse and was blinded by my headlights and decided to take a break from flying, but for at least 10 seconds, the world stopped! 

The first word that popped in my head and I said it out loud was, MAJESTIC!!!  I just sat there frozen looking at this magnificent creature God made and was in awe of his beauty!  He was fluffy and sleek all in one with the most beautiful round face of white feathers…and those eyes were captivating!  Then as quickly as he landed…he ascended into the darkness with a wing span of at least 3 ½ feet!  I was so excited because my entire life I’ve heard Screech Owls calling out and I’ve seen a Great Horned Owl sitting on a branch while hiking in the NC Mountains, but I’ve never seen a Barred Owl before!  Cheesy…YES…but MAJESTIC! 
     Of  course as I accelerated around the next curve and I  asked myself, WHY did that Owl fly into the road in front of me?  I mean, we had a nature moment and I always go further in thought than what’s presented right in front of me!  So, I Googled the symbolism of the Barred Owl.  Haha…whewww…I found some good stuff. 

Symbolic meanings for the owl are:

-         Intuition, ability to see what others do not see

·         The presence of the owl announces change

·         Capacity to see beyond deceit and masks

·         Wisdom

·         The traditional meaning of the owl spirit animal is the announcer of death, most likely symbolic like a life transition, change.

Who  knew I was gonna find this!  God has given me the gift of intuition like many of you and the ability to see beyond deceit and masks and I’m good with change because I’ve had tons of it. I wonder if change is coming?   But, the announcer of death…yikes!

I know it’s just an owl and it just happened to fly in front of my car, but what phenomenal beauty and what respect I have for what God has created and allowed me and you to see.  I feel like sometimes we only get a glimpse of MAJESTIC things in life…and then POW...it’s gone. But, the memory of those moments can last forever! Savor each second of your life and make yourself  freeze and take it all in as it happens right in front of you.  Look for further meaning in your life and know that God has a plan…a plan much better than what we have planned for ourselves.  This MAJESTIC owl was 10 seconds of pure goodness and a little moment in my evening that I won’t soon forget.  So get out there folks and enjoy the simple things in life!  Much love y’all! Jodi <3

                                                                                                                  

   
                                

Lunchtime Thoughts: Be More!

Thoughts:  “To all the other dreamers out there, don’t ever stop or let the world’s negativity disenchant you or your spirit!  If you surround yourself with love and the right people, anything is possible.” Adam Green  I love this quote but would add…Make God first in your life!  And to remind you of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  I’ve thought A LOT lately about the people I surround myself with and how very blessed I feel to be in their company.  It doesn’t matter where you’ve come from or what family name you have.  What does matter is how you’ve risen above your circumstances and how you are making your mark in this world right now.  This world can discourage you so easily and negativity can be felt daily if you allow it.  Don’t allow it y’all!!  Rise above it, stand firm in what you believe in and let your spirit shine!  God has given each one of you gifts and He expects us to use them.  Love more, smile more, encourage more and just be MORE than what you think you can be!  God will give you the strength if you TRUST!  Share your story…invest in others…surround yourselves with those who will build you up, tell you the truth, love you no matter what, cry with you and laugh with you until you cry again!  Don’t be afraid to live this life with beauty and LOVE JESUS!!  If you claim it…then name it!  Happy lunch and much love y’all! J

Natalie Grant - Clean (Live) A MUST listen!

Natalie Grant- CLEAN!!!

On my drive home this afternoon I checked my Amazon music and the song “Clean” by Natalie Grant had loaded automatically in my library.  I pre-ordered her new album (“Be One”) a few days ago and now it’s like Christmas getting songs little by little.  I have not had a song like “Clean” move me in this way in years.  I played it four times in a row and literally wept more with each play.  This is seriously the most spirit filled song I’ve ever heard and a blessing to anyone who doesn’t feel worthy.  Isn’t that most of us?  I want to pick apart all the lyrics for you and write about it, but you MUST listen for yourself.  Buy it on Amazon ($1.29) or iTunes NOW and see for yourself.  Buy it and listen intently…carefully…word by word!!! If you don’t feel worthy, if you feel broken, if you feel dead  but wanting to come alive…ORDER THIS SONG AND LISTEN!  (Paraphrased) God will restore you piece by piece. There’s nothing too dirty that Christ can’t make worthy…Christ washes you in mercy…YOU are clean!  Washed in the blood of your sacrifice, your blood flowed red and made me white… my dirty rags are purified…I’m clean!!! Happy weekend y’all!!! And thank you Natalie Grant​ for unleashing my tears of gratefulness! Much love y'all! <3 Jodi

Are you a JOY Thief?

"You'd never invite a thief into your house.  So why would you allow thoughts that steal your joy to make themselves at home in your mind?"  I saw this quote last week and shared it on my Facebook page but, I had to write more!  The mind is a powerful, powerful explosion of thoughts! So, are you gonna fill it with joy or allow someone else to steal it?  This mind we have been given can play tricks on us, can be influenced positively or negatively and can make or break your day!  Wheww!! You can be feeling JOY, spreading JOY, talking about JOY, have dancing legs full of JOY and all of a sudden BOOM!!  JOY has been stolen!  Why do we allow our joy to be stolen?  How does this happen and what can we do to keep our Joy!  Allowing a corrupt person or negative thoughts to make themselves at home in our mind is just nasty and rude!! Taking away our joy shouldn't be allowed and we need to get it back!
     Simply stated: The ONLY true and consistent joy we have in our lives is IN Christ!  Everyone and everything else here on earth including our very own mind will let us down.  No matter how many times we say this person or this situation won't let us down...trust me...it will...they will...I will.   But, I've never in my life ever said that God has let me down.  Just typing that right now seems so wrong and strange. God does have a plan and sometimes we don't fully understand that plan and won't understand for years to come and we may never fully understand. God plants seeds...allow them to grow!  Trusting God's plan is a whole other topic and blog! Later...
          We find joy in Christ and when our joy is lost or when it's being stolen, Christ can replenish us.  We must ask for help and pray without ceasing! That is a lot of praying, but you can pray your way out of negative thoughts and frankly out of anything that is a challenge in your life!  Remember, you are never alone...God is always with you holding you and directing you so let go and let Him lead!  The battle is real, so put on your armor of God and get ready!
     We have to choose every day, every half day, every hour, minute etc. to live IN Christ!  Living IN Christ magically invites the thieves in!  Sometimes I think the more we live IN Christ, the more abundantly the "joy thieves" surround us and the bigger the battle! All the more reason to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!   Don't let anyone or anything STEAL YOUR JOY and don't steal the joy of others!      
     We are not perfect and challenges are a part of all our lives, but to radiate JOY is a beauty that cannot be bought and something that should be sustained!  Surround yourself with JOY HEALERS instead of JOY STEALERS!  Stay strong y'all and love Jesus!! Much love, <3 Jodi

It's Time To Decompress!! No...seriously!

     Have you heard this word before? DECOMPRESS!!  (Definition) 1. Relieve of compressing forces, in particular. 2. Calm down and Relax.  I ask many of my counselor buddies, co-workers and friends, “Hey, What do you do to DECOMPRESS?  99.9% of the time, I get a head cocked to the side, eyes up to the sky answer such as, “I don’t know what decompress is (insert sarcasm here).”  Or,” I don’t have time to do that.”  Or, “I used to do fun things in my life to unwind, but not anymore.”  Does this sound familiar to any of you?

     Decompressing is extremely vital for our mental health as well as our physical health.  I’m the first to admit that I don’t take enough time for myself regularly like I should, but I sure do recognize the need to calm down and relax!  We are all stressed or have “things” in our lives that clutter our time and it’s past the point to take a time out.   Being unstructured and free to explore relaxation is a MUST!

            After work as I’m creeping down my driveway, the creek out back calls to me.  I can hear its glorious reflection whispering, “Jodiiiiiiii….get in the canoe and enjoy God’s creations surrounding you!”  When I pull in the garage, carry in the groceries, let the dog out, start cooking supper, put a load of clothes in the wash,  straighten up the living room, etc…the sun begins to go down and my canoe time is GONE!  It saddens me that I have to make myself stop and relax and build that time into my calendar.  But, if I don’t build it in, I will never take time to do something non-work related. 

            As I grow older I’ve come to realize how very precious time is and how very precious having good health is.   Strong family support, wonderful co-workers and amazing friends is a blessing that is revered.  Spending time decompressing with the ones you love is incredibly satisfying, but also make sure to take time for yourself. A Saturday or any day of the week making memories with my husband and kids is the BEST!! Just make sure not to lose who you are and stay true to yourself.  So here are some suggestions...  

You could:  Sit in silence for 30 minutes or more...yes...try it,  walk through the crunchy leaves, write a journal entry, close your eyes and power nap for 20 minutes, walk your dog,  stare at a bird, make pictures out of clouds, drink a cup of coffee on the back porch, star gaze, sit by a fire, read a magazine or book, pray,  take a hot bath and most of all just LET IT ALL GO and surrender your burdens to God!  Breathe, breathe, breathe slowly, intently, joyfully and thank God for your many blessings during this short life.  Don’t let life pass you by and cheat yourself out of meaningful moments…moments spent with the ones that matter most, moments spent in your own personal space and moments pursuing much needed decompression.  Choose to take a time out and refresh! "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28  Much love y’all! Jodi <3

Are you soulful?

Lunch time thoughts:  Your soul is the part of you that nobody sees, but everybody feels!  Are you feeling soulful today? 
     My husband and I are on the Wednesday night Children's Ministry team at our Church and we are studying the soul this week. Virtues vs. Vices. (Good Character vs. Bad) God knows our soul the best and created us in His image and it's our choice to live a virtuous life or a life of vice decisions.  We've all made the vice choice at times and have been held captive by the "bad."  But, hopefully we will strive to live virtuously and turn from the ways of the world.  I truly believe, no matter where you have come from and what situation you find yourself in, YOU have the power to rise above your circumstances and choose better for yourselves.  I don't know how you do this without faith, family and friends because the vice can be a lonely and scary place...a place we don't want to stay in long.  What does your soul look like and are you living a soulful life?  I sure hope so and if not you sure can!  Your soul is not an organ in your body but an aura that exudes traits of who you truly are.  Is your soul authentic when you are out and about in the public forum? Find your inner soul and allow it to bleed out into this crazy world and make a positive impact on others.  Be soulful, purposeful and hopeful that there is more to this life than what you see.  Sometimes, it's the things you don't see that's the most powerful!  May God bless the rest of your day.  Much love Y'all! <3 Jodi 

October 4, 2015 "Living in the Light"

Today in Church our Pastor talked about living in The Light of Christ!  He said that all of us have darkness in us, but we make the choice to live in the LIGHT!  Those who live in the light are different...those who live in the light stand out...those who live in the light live IN this world, but don't live OF this world.  I believe this.  Do you know people who shine their light?  I sure do!  When God has given you a light to shine and others are standing by with a snuffer in their hands waiting to attack and put your light out....STAND STRONG and let it shine!  Don't let the ways of the world dictate who you were created to be.  Open your eyes, open your heart and shine on!  John 1:2-5 says, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the Light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."  As I turn out my lamp tonight and go to sleep...my hope is to wake in the morning shining bright in Christ!  Sweet dreams and remember that light will ALWAYS win over darkness! Much love y'all! <3

Thoughts from July 28, 2015...Updated

Thoughts on this July 28, 2015 evening:

I read a quote recently that said, “Anyone can have a child and call themselves “a parent”. A real parent is someone who puts that child above their own selfish needs and wants.”  I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of Step-Parents and the demographic of blended families.  Many people in this world today have Step Children, Step Dads, Step Mommas, Step Brothers/Sisters, Step Grandparents etc.  Blended families are true gifts and speaking personally, I’m honored to be a Step Momma and feel blessed continuously by God!  My husband and I refer to our children as “our children” and not our Step Children.  We are not here to take the place of the biological parent and don’t ever intend to attempt that because “biological” would be impossible by scientific standards.  We show love, support, and encouragement and place the needs of our kids above our own. I realize blended families can have challenges just as traditional families, but what a blessing Step Parents can be.  In Church not too long ago, our Pastor talked about God trusting Joseph to be a Step-Father to Jesus here on earth and I had never thought about this before. Joseph was chosen by God…and he chose to love Jesus.   As a Step Parent…we are chosen by God to love children who aren’t biologically ours and we also choose to love them because it’s who we are and what our hearts are made of.  The role of a Step Parent is so very beautiful and having love multiplied through Christ is a gift to be treasured forever.  As our own children grow and form their own ideas, opinions, thoughts and moral compass, my hope is they follow their heart and grow up loving Christ as their personal Savor. As a parent/step-parent, I will always be here to love, listen and wrap my arms around all our kids and show them my authentic self that Christ created.  I don’t pretend to be something I’m not and I don’t seek the approval of those here on earth. My calling is higher and I love our family with all my heart!  When I’m gone one day, my hope is our children won’t remember me by the “things” I gave them, but rather by the time, memories made, laughter shared and love I gave.  Being married to Brian Hutto and being a Momma/Step Momma to our 6 kids is the greatest joy I’ve had here on earth and I will continue to press on until God takes me home!   So...cheers to all of the AWESOME Parents/Step-Parents out there!   

October 4, 2015

Hello!! This is my very first post as a blogger and honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing!  I've been asked by many people to please start a blog and so I'm going to attempt to do this! :-)  I'm sure it will take me a while but, I'm going to give it a try.  I love writing and sharing and I believe this will give me an opportunity to share the thoughts God has given me.  Some thoughts are serious and some thoughts...many thoughts are humorous and it's truly therapy for my soul.    I have written quite a bit and will go back and post some old stuff and work on new stuff.  I'm excited and looking forward to getting started.  Thanks for taking the time to visit! :-)  I don't even know how to make this blog look cute yet...so I will be patient and press on!!  God Bless...