Author: runlittlejo

My resolution list 2010 has been drawn and I’m documenting it as a way to committ myself into action. I actually just found it this morning after losing it and decided I needed to put it in a place where I can reference it easily. By sharing it with a select few I will have the added pressure of REALLY taking it seriosly. I have learned to be flexible with myself and NOT be too rigid or try to do everything all at once…hopefully those characteristics will help accomplish at least one thing off of this list this year. Which one will it be? Only time can tell…

SPIRITUAL: Attend temple at least monthly, pray morning and night, read Ensign better, read Jesus the Christ, Sudy scritpures with Stephen @ night

MENTAL: Learn how to use Photo Shop, teach Olivia to read, learn more about producing a garden

FINANCIAL: Balance check book every Friday morning with Stephen, get savings up to $5000, Save $ for family vacation, Christmas budget $700

PHYSICAL/HEALTH: Get down to 130-135 lbs, learn to swim, eat less sugar, drink more water, Tour De Cure

HOME: Buy a new lawn mower, Manicure forest and orchard this summer, finish off underneath the deck, shelves in the storage room

FAMILY: Read scriptures together daily, keep doinng fun projects together, get up to date on photo albums, more one on one time with children, take Lily to conference, & visit the Redwood Forest

Today I attended a funeral or can I say a celebration of a wonderful earthly life? Hopefully that doesn’t cause anyone to take offense, those words just resonate inside me better. I have come to approach death as a graduation from our earthly body. The funeral for me is a way for loved ones to be able to celebrate the things the earthly body was able to accomplish and to recognize the good deeds done, the ways a person was able to accomplish the mission they were sent to perform while here in their body. The beautiful thing that I am grateful to know is true – is that the person (in spirit) is still alive and continues on being the person they were here on earth…just in a better place.

I have been the observer of death on different levels, the granddaughter, the aunt, the friend, the cousin. While I have felt sadness and loss, disappointment, and grief. I don’t want to pretend to understand how difficult it must feel to be the wife, the daughter, the mother, the sister. Death has not come that close to home yet for me personally. I can’t imagine it nor do I want to. My heart hurts when I think of the aching that must go on. I have watched and heard from my own mother  – she has been the sister, the daughter, the niece, the cousin, the sister-in-law. She has taught me and I have learned from her faith. As I sat at my Grandfather Baldwin’s funeral I noticed her choking up – I leaned over and asked, "Are you thinking about your parents?" And she said, "No, I just know it is all true!" A speaker was talking about the plan of salvation. My own eyes brimmed with tears and my heart knew what she said was right. Through her faith I was blessed with the same knowledge.

As a young girl I attended many funerals and have continued to as the years have progressed. I feel blessed to have witnessed with my two eyes and one heart the effects of death in all of its sweetness. I have seen Christ-like actions: loving neighbors and friends offering to help in anyway, countless food items dropped by, a note expressing condolences.  But even more tender are those of caressing hands on a sweating brow,  the gentle guiding of uneasy steps, the brushing of gray, curly hair, the painting of  toenails, the blanket sewn to cover a chill. These pictures have been painted on my heart as witnesses of genuine Christ – like love in perfect action. I am humbled when I think of the love that can exist and be expressed from one human to another. It is sweet, yes, very sweet.

I happen to thumb through the Bible on Saturday when I found myself open to Ecclesiastes chapter 7. I don’t ever remember reading this chapter before in the 34 years I’ve been alive. It seemed timely as I have been contemplating the meaning of death….

"A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. IT is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning;…"

After reading this I then remembered the only chapter think I have actually read in Ecclesiastes before Saturday – chapter 3. "To ever thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Last thought, today in the closing remarks of "the celebration of a wonderful life" a.k.a. the funeral, the Bishop quoted Elder Russell M. Nelson as saying, "We are born to live and we live to die." I hung onto this thought and added it to my list of acquired thoughts. It is true we are born to live on this earth – to learn to grow and become who we are meant to be. We live here on earth so that when we die (or turn in our earthly bodies) we will be prepared to qualify for exaltation.

I have faith in my Heavenly Father. I know His plan for us in perfect and we can trust Him in that He knows the right time for all things. We are here to learn of His plan,  to show we can trust Him with it, and strive to become like Him as long as His timing allows.

Comments:

Anne said…

Jodi, I appreciate these thoughtful words. It truly is a gift we have to be able to celebrate the knowledge of eternal life.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 1:46:34 PM

Bruce said…

To live within the principles of truth is a real treasure.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 5:48:52 PM

Magan said…

Wonderfully written jodi
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 8:36:51 PM

The other day I caught myself going through the motions again, I had turned on my auto pilot switch unconsciously. I was in a hurry. I was completely and utterly distracted. I most definitely was NOT ready to appreciate and respect the NOW. 

I remembered having a conversation with my dear friend who is watching her father prepare to exit this temporary life in which we live. She commented on how she would not be taking any precious moments for granted. With this in mind, I stopped and thought about what I was doing and how I could cherish it more. I wonder why it is such a hard thing for me to appreciate the gift of life and choose to make a conscience effort to take all of life in tangibly.

I easily saw that I have become too busy – I need to slow down a little and zone in on what is going on. Let’s think of the Mary and Martha story from the scriptures…I’m sure many others could go along with this thought as well.Can you see where this is going? Yes. A new year’s resolution – and more! I have now decided to make this my mantra for the year – Live in the Moment (notice my new slogan). I found the following article a helpful reminder on how to, Slow down…Zone in…and Live in the Moment.

www.wikihow.com/Live-in-the-Moment

Comments:

michelle said…

I agree Jodi-I am an expert at zoning out. Thanks for the reminder.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010 12:45:01 PM

Stephen said…

I am glad to know where you are…because then I find myself too.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010 3:56:03 PM

Bruce said…

I have a book of poems entitled “Always Begin Where You Are.” I’ve always liked that phrase. Too much past or too much future really get us into trouble.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 6:34:34 PM

Stacie said…

I need to try harder to zone in! I am reading a book on the Mary and Martha story! You are welcome to borrow it when I am finished! It takes a view from both sides! We do get ourselves and kids over scheduled that’s for sure!
Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:59:24 AM

White haired Angel

Yesterday I took my little family over the overpass and through the snow to my Grandmother’s house in Blackfoot. For as long as I can remember the extended Baldwin family has joined together to celebrate the season.

As I child it was always held on the last Saturday before Christmas. I loved this time. I can remember floating down the road in our brown station wagon (The Lube) and listening to Christmas Songs on the radio (back then they only played them a few days before Christmas). Occasionally I would hear my mother exclaim in her nervousness about driving on slick roads. I will admit that my favorite part of this party as a child is when Santa Clause would enter the room and bring each child a present. I couldn’t believe he could make time to come a little early to our party- we were sooo lucky! Seeing my Grandpa was also one of my favorite parts. We didn’t get to spend a lot of time with my Baldwin Grandparents because we lived far enough away and also because they were gone on one of their four missions. My Grandpa Baldwin had a way to make me feel just as special as possible in a line up of 40+ other grandkids by asking me about my music (my trademark as a child). Every time he said my name he would sing the rhyme "Jodi Podi puddin’ and pie, kissed the boys and made them cry". He also had his pocketful of peppermint peptobismal-like candies and a bag of oranges that made my young girl heart excited. He would tell a story of little orphan Annie, that his mom (Grandma Docia) use to tell – Grandpa would also share the Christmas story from the Bible (Luke 2).  My Grandma Lila always had (and still does) a sweet smile and nod of the head. She is more quiet and gentle and sweet. Seeing her yesterday with her white hair and smile made me think of an angel (which is what she is for putting up with my Grandpa for all of those years :)). This woman is such an amazing example to me. She can no longer see and needs help to walk, but the love that emanates from her is undeniable. 

All of us cousins would get a chance to share a talent at the family Christmas party if we wanted to as well. Yesterday my cousin Amy came. I hadn’t seen her for well over 10 years and she only lives in Pocatello. It made me remember singing a song We Need a Little Christmas with her at one of our parties. I also reflected on joining with my girl cousins as a teenager and talking down in my cousin’s room while waiting for the program to begin.  The girl cousins my age: Teena, Amy, Linda, and Alison were some of my great friends. Most years it would take me a little of time to warm up to them because I didn’t get to see them very often; but once I did, I enjoyed my time with them. Back then we didn’t text each other or even email. We sent each other letters through the postal system. I loved having cousin pen pals and saved all of my letters.  It has been interesting to watch the different roads we have all traveled and had to learn from…the most difficult being my cousin Alison who passed away from Cancer leaving a young little boy and husband.

I am very grateful for the good memories from my childhood and the kindness and stalwart examples from my uncles and aunts. I feel like I am only now able to recognize them and see them for who they are as an adult person…as a child I just knew them as Teena’s mom or Amy’s dad. Now I marvel and become amazed at the stories and wisdom behind their faces.

I am glad that my children and husband were able to share a little piece of my past with me yesterday.

 

Olivia, Mason, Great Grandma Baldwin, & Lily	Mason stunned everyone with his mad Yo-Yo skills (he volunteered to share!)	Lily wowed the audience with Jingle Bells
Not from the Christmas Party, but I loved the memory from this photo	fun times!	JT escaped a couple of time to share “his talent”.

I just watched this great youtube movie which likens life to a marathon … I loved it and had to post it here!

A seminary teacher made this for her students – what a cool teacher.

Comments:

Stephen said…

Loved it, so very true to life. Thanks for sharing.
Thursday, November 19, 2009 10:10:42 PM

John said…

Thanks Jodi. I think you should run with a helmet cam on your next race and make a video of your own.

Sunday, November 22, 2009 3:07:37 PM

Diana said…

please don’t wear a helmet cam on your next race, because I don’t want to know or hear how hard I am breathing!
Monday, November 23, 2009 2:54:43 PM

Today I walked past our family piano and noticed the cute square of words, "Count Your Blessings". I noticed this as I was feeling a bit sad, not only a little sad and self-absorbed with my own insignificant life inconveniences, but sad for other people who are experiencing REALLY BIG life challenges. Sometimes life will get you down (and it doesn’t help when the sun is hiding behind the clouds either) BUT nonetheless, all of us are truly blessed. When I get in this kind of mood I am realizing that it doesn’t help to sabotage myself with feelings of guilt for thinking negatively, rather I just need to stop and count my blessings – name them one by one…of course I will never be able to name them all, but my heart is inclined today as follows:

• BREATH: I recently had the opportunity to feel a lack of oxygen. When things were back to normal, I was humbled as I realized that we really are nothing more than the dust of the earth. We are entirely dependant on a loving Heavenly Father who grants us our daily breath.
• TRUE DOCTRINE & SCRIPTURES – Ancient & Modern: Last Friday, I attended a "scripture read-in" with Alexis for YW. We read the entire book of Mosiah. As I immersed myself in the words of the scriptures I felt as if I were having a spiritual feast. The words I heard and saw were a great comfort to me and I thought of the iron rod Nephi tells us about – the rod that leads us to the love of God. Why do I take this huge blessing for granted? How can I afford to sacrifice feeling the Love of God for the "other stuff"? I also have come to recognize what an anchor the Prophets and Apostles are for me. The counsel offered at General Conference is truly the word of God for our day. What a giant blessing to know the purpose of life and the way back to our Heavenly Father’s presence.   
• COMFORTS: A warm house, a soft bed, good food to eat, a car to drive me where I want to go, stability, nice people all around me, loving family, a free country, getting to stay home with my children each day, opportunities to learn at my own leisure, etc…
• MUSIC: It is the source of much joy in my life. It is a quick fix to a sad day, and the cherry on top of a good one. My soul craves it! Funny thing that I am only mediocre at it, but find it so healing. I am participating in the Turkey Choir this year. It is a choir made up of 140+ community members and is directed my a master musician. Each time I leave I feel like I am floating home on a cloud. The challenge of learning the music, the sound that is created by common people, the instruction received by a naturally gifted conductor is like going home to a place I want to be. I hope I make the choir in heaven.
• HEALTH: Lily noticed a stitchery that I have on my bathroom counter, it says, "Hold out your hands to feel the luxury of the sunbeams. -Helen Keller" Lily recognized Helen Keller’s name and we both thought for a minute about how amazing a sunbeam would feel to a person who couldn’t see or hear. Imagine that! Good health is definitely something easily taken for granted, and  greatly appreciated on my part.
• HOLY GHOST: I feel like the Holy Ghost is one of the best gift I will ever receive in this life. As I have thought about it over the years, I have come to cherish it more and more. I am a person who needs consistency and dependability, I know that if I do my part I will never be let down by this special gift given to me from my Heavenly Father. It always fits, it never wears out, and I will always be the right age to feel its power.
• HOME: A place I always want to be because of the people tucked in behind its doors. It is a refuge from the world of cares and a place I feel safe and loved.

Today, now that I have counted a few of my blessings amid the insignificant conflicts of my own life, my heart is left to smile.

"So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged; God is over all."(Count Your Blessings, Hymn # 241)

Comments:

michelle said…

Thanks Jodi, we are so blessed and it’s way too easy to see the other side. Tanks for the reminder of the good.
Thursday, November 12, 2009 1:55:19 PM

Bruce and Sharon said…

Nice thoughts. Thanks for reminding us all to notice the simple everyday things that make our lives so meaningful. It’s a great life we live here in Rexburg.
Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:30:21 PM

Stephen said…

When I count my blessings I have to count you several times because of the several ways you bless my life. I am always touched by your words of comfort and love.
Sunday, November 15, 2009 5:36:33 PM

The day of the Trick or Treat Fitness Campaign brought with it a misty sky and a temperature of 54 degrees.  The perfect setting for a Halloween day run. We set out down the driveway and ran "the course" passing two cemeteries by the time we were finished. We also had to shake a black lab from following us, thank heaven’s for the white angel on a bike who rescued us from any possible threats. Sadly, I will have to report that on the moody highway I fell (for the first time in my running career) and skinned my knee – not too badly. Later I found out that a guy in my ward saw it all happen – how lucky am I that that happened?  My friend Diana told me the skinned knee would be my trophy – interestingly enough it made me happy! By the end of the run the sun broke through the clouds and presented us with a lovely afternoon for the rest of the days events. I am so grateful for being able to share the run with some of my favorite people. I am sure when I came up with this idea Diana was thinking "what a freak she is, but I’ll go ahead and support her crazy idea." That is called a true friend. As for Stephen, he is such a great supporter of all of my random ideas…he definitely went the extra mile (literally and figuratively). I really don’t know where he get’s all of his energy? The guy ran 13.1 miles, then did the graveyard run (1 mile) with the kids, and then hopped on his bike and rode around the block (4 miles) with the other fitness gurus. We borrowed the finish line from the Teton Trac Club which made things look more official.

Most all of the Parkers and my adopted running sister Diana and her family came to support the campaign. Scott, Jeana, and their children also laced up their shoes and Tricked and Treated themselves all of the way in Texas. My friend in CA ran a 5K the weekend before, and I haven’t heard back yet on a few others that I knew were going to participate. What a fun way to celebrate the benefits of fitness. Two of my favorite parts of the day was: 1. When I found my little 5 year old nephew doing pushups (his own idea) warming up for the graveyard run – he was really taking things seriously! 2. Paul’s and Karma’s outfits – don’t you just love them? It was a great day and a nice way to balance out all of that candy we got from the trunk or treat. Stephen’s parents were so great to sponsor the Parker Clan and bought us all shirts. They are great examples of a healthy life style – Bruce even crossed the finish line first on the bike ride. I think I just answered the question of where Stephen finds all of his energy, it is in his genes!

Thanks to everyone who participated and motivated me for the past couple of months! It was a great way for me to have a goal to work toward.

Lex had been sick all week but wanted in on the action so she ran it too	Stephen was the pace car
		The camera man
	Zach getting warmed up for the run	The pit crew making some last minute tune ups
	Little red and the big bad wolf
	Great memories for our family
	That is a lot of people…
		We can thank Jodi for putting this all together, it was a blast
		Go Jana
	Riley was the first kids back she is a mover.
	It is Bike race time
		The little girls stopped to find rocks on the driveway

Halloween Spread

Eight years ago I moved into a place whose streets were named after words found in the game of tennis. Except my street was named after a United States President. Anyhow, while living there I had my third baby and found myself with a lot of baby weight to loose.

I don’t even know how it happened, but I was invited to go walking with a group of ladies. While I walked I noticed a couple of wonderful women from my ward running while we were walking. I decided that maybe if I ran I could loose the weight twice as fast? I timidly approached these nice women (whom I had come to know only slightly) and asked if I could try it out. They were of course very gracious and we decided I would come on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5:30 am to give it a try…I must have been really desperate right? I went and it was humbling…I couldn’t run for very long before I really needed to walk and they slow down and walk with me, I’m sure it was a sacrifice to do that as I was trying to regain my breath.  I don’t know how long it took me to be able to run 4 miles without getting winded, but I’m sure it was at least 2 or 3 months!

It was great running with someone/Darla because she could talk through all 4 miles and before I knew it – it was over! I loved the distraction and the one-way conversation – especially because I literally wouldn’t have been able to say much more than "ya" or "that is crazy".  I began loosing the weight that I desired which was a huge relief and blessing, but what I gained was far better than the weight loss. I gained two amazing friends and mentors – Holly and Darla. I also gained an understanding that running is more for my emotional well being than my physical one. Holly and Darla were key players in helping me re-realize my personal worth and be able to cope with the hard life challenges I was facing. I would eagerly wake up ready to get through one more day with 3 young children and find ways to love it and enjoy it! We continued running together even though Darla and I both moved to a different sub division 5 miles away from the tennis one. I ran with these ladies up until the day I moved back to the ‘burg and let me tell you… I was very, very sad! – I mean really sad….and then I found a new running partner :).

Yesterday as I was running with my new partners – Stephen pointed out, because Diana is far too refined, that I was dominating the running conversation. Apparently I was making it hard for him to get a word in edgewise – I am sorry, but I had a really good teacher. It is hard for me to stop when I get excited. Once I took a personality quiz and I was told that I was a flippant chatterbox. I’m sure you can’t tell that from reading this blog? I think Darla and I are kindred spirits.

So that is how I met Darla and began to be trained from her. She is a woman who believed that being a stay at home mom and house wife could be very fulfilling. This lady did the most fun things with her family ever! Oh and how Darla loves Christmas! It makes me love it all the more because I think I how much she loves it. The traditions she established for her family are great and worthy to be repeated by someone like myself. Considering that she was NOT raised in a loving and caring home, and still finds the energy and time to do this, really impressed me. Did I mention that half of her kids are college and/or married and she only has 2 teenagers at home now – but still the traditions go on.

Darla has fancy Sunday dinners where she hosts her family and treats them like royalty. It is the only day that all of her busy children can eat together and she started a tradition of nice meals to be expected more than 8 years ago. This tradition I have NOT yet incorporated, because frankly it requires a lot of effort and I am just too tired for that fancy of treatment. I decided I should be treated like royalty and Stephen and my kids clean up every Sunday meal, while I go and take a nap…NOT so much Darla-like…

BUT I do love her holiday traditions which I DO try to incorporate if at all possible. This month it was our Halloween dinner. I will admit that I am a very mild version of my friend Darla who is not afraid of going the extra mile. We had so much fun last night eating bones & blood, Monster Brains with moldy cheese, Wicked Witches Parts and Pieces with mucus dressing, Ghoul Aide with Mummy Cubes, Jack ‘O Lantern Tongues, and Baby Ghosts. My children had lots of fun trying to figure out which Wicked Witch Pieces they were eating…they came up with eyes (circle cut carrots), tongues (red pepper), fingernails (purple onion), and wilted skin (lettuce). The creativity juices were really flowing. We ended the night by dancing to the monster mash as we cleared the table.

My children can thank Darla for any of the extra curricular family fun we get to have, because she taught me on many early morning runs that being a mom should be fun for me as well as my kids. I find that doing something really small (re-naming food) can really make my life (as well as my children’s lives) fun for one day!

I am calling all of this the Darla Syndrome.

Jodi’s Diner Halloween Menu	Bones & Blood	Jack ‘O Lantern Tongues and Baby Ghosts for dessert.
Wicked Witches Parts and Pieces with Mucus Dressing.	Monster Brains with Moldy Cheese

Comments:

Stephen said…

I love every minute of it, I love to hear you talk and share your thoughts as we run. These meals are a real treat to look forward to as well.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:23:11 AM

Paul said…

Thanks for the Jack o Lantern tongues they were tasty!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 3:29:35 PM

michelle said…

Fun dinner-I think you are doing a great job as Darla (from what you said about her) Way to be a fun Mom.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:37:42 PM