And heres to the new year...

Wow, I can’t believe 2010 is already over! This post is a tribute to all that happened in the past year (not in any particular order)!    I…

1. bought my first car.
2. traveled across the world.
3. learned a little about humility.
4. lost a few friends.
5. drove an hour for Bar-B-Q with my roommates.
6. received a couple speeding tickets.
7. got engaged to my very best friend.
8. discovered the difference between happiness and joy.
9. fell in love with new music.
10. laughed til I cried.
11. sang at the top of my lungs.
12. failed to meet expectations.
13. slept on a strangers couch in a different country.
14. gave advice (both good and bad).
15. made mistakes.
16. went to a lot of aggie sporting events.
17. drove a wave runner.
18. made a few friends.
19. killed people on a video game.
20. hiked down (and back up) a mountain.
21. learned a life lesson.
22. drove to Colorado and back (ok, mainly just rode).
23. turned 21 which leads to #24.
24. became an adult.
25. watched my brother get married.
26. enjoyed a couple concerts.
27. went antique shopping.
28. watched the sunset.
29. shoved hundreds of forks into the ground.
30. bought $80 worth of stamps.
31. played at the beach.
32. found the most awesome blogs.
33. worried.
34. slept in a onesie.
35. experienced my first NBA game.
35. was surprised.
36. had a picnic.
37. played a lot of games which leads to #38.
38. won a lot of games.
39. attempted to work out.
40. had a few fashion shows with my best frans.
41. worked my tail off.
42. wasn’t appreciated.
43. let my guard down.
44. became a mac user.
45. made up songs with my fiancé.
46. bought a wedding dress.
47. prayed for selflessness.
48. took a lot of pictures.
49. made an A on a 20 page project.
50. LIVED!

I am seriously looking forward to the new experiences, mistakes, decisions, and joys to come in 2011! 

But it's Christmas time...

I had THAT feeling yesterday. THE Christmas feeling. Christmas brings up so many thoughts, memories and feelings that it takes me a while to get into the spirit of it all. But it is here. I can smell it in the hair. I can feel it with the warmth of a mug. It is time. It has been a few years since my Memaw passed away. One thing you should know about her is that besides Elvis her favorite thing in the world was Christmas. She would bake 15 different types of Christmas cookies (no exaggeration), wrap her presents with cute ornaments on each bow, and insist that we sing carols all together every single year. Truthfully, when she was alive Christmas was never really MY holiday. I don't know if it's her influence or if I am just more aware of what were celebrating but it is becoming My holiday. This holiday is about love. This holiday is about giving. This holiday is about the price He paid for me. What better thing is there to celebrate?

But be happy...

Its finals time and I can officially say I am done with this semester. But I realize some of you aren't so I thought maybe someone needs a pick me up. So here it is ladies and gents...

But I run the race for the least of these...

This post is for the distracted:

Coming into college I knew what I wanted to learn and it had nothing to do with school. I prayed that through the four (or 5) years in college the Lord would teach me how to have faith and patience. I asked for those things in particular because thats what I think embodies a woman after God's heart and because the key to patience is faith and the key to faith is patience. Judging by all of the times He has forced me to rely on Him, I think His answer was obvious.

It (meaning college) has been a long road and I can't help but to think I wasted so much of that time. I guess I kind of look at it like I am in this marathon, the end being the woman of God I desire to be, and God is on the side lines rooting me on the entire way. So much of my time in college was me skipping through this race. I focused a lot on the ups and downs, the cute boys running beside me, and the attention from the crowd. I can't imagine how God even felt while I was performing for the audience. I imagine it was something like Him holding His head in His hands whispering, "Come on Jodi. It isn't about them. It's about me. It's about me. It's about me."

This past semester has been a little different. I've noticed God's face in the crowd. But I feel like I am just standing there looking at Him, then at the finish line, then Him, then the finish line, then Him. It is improvement, yes, but I still have a ways to go, like probably 26 miles. I mean this is what my blog is about... running down the aisle to the LOVE of my life, my creator, my best friend. It is so easy to lose sight of that. So I am saying this with all honesty and with hopes of accountability... it starts now. I am done performing for the never satisfied crowd, I am ready to run.