Erin Akin Carroll

Any Hootie fans in the house?

“I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
– Isaiah 49:4

For 2012, the big thing I’ve been focused on other than trying to quiet my heart and mind is doing good things with the time I’m given. I want to be a good steward of my time.

Not necessarily going out and changing the world things. But things right here in my home. I want to make wise choices when it comes to how I spend my time. I want to feel at the end of the day like I got things done.

I have a lot of responsibilities at home and there are lots of things that have to get done. And there are a lot of things that I want to get done.

I want to read a little every day. I also have a goal to read the Bible through in 2012 and I make time every time to finish that reading plan for the day. Blogging is my outlet and I like to make time to get that done, too. Then there are the emails and phone calls and just the little responsibilities that take up time.

This weekend, we attended a wedding out of town and I got to spend some time with a mom that I really look up to. She’s not much older than I am, but she is so wise and is so willing to share her wisdom with younger moms.

She’s a runner and I mean a marathoner. It’s so impressive. But because her hobby is running and it takes so much time, she gets up very early (way before her children and husband wake up) and does her Bible study and goes for her run. She doesn’t want her hobbies and outlets to interfere with her family’s day.

This really convicted me because my kids are my alarm clock. I love to sleep. They wake up at 7:30 every morning and I am still sleepy when they wake up.

In 2012, one of my goals (and I’ll share my others later) is to wake up an hour before my babies wake up. During this time, I want to finish my Bible reading for the day and work on my blog posts for that day. I hate to put my blog “in a box” like that because the words don’t always come to me at the same time every day. But I want to make sure my hobby (and part time job) doesn’t interfere with my family life.

“Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” – Psalm 90:12

I definitely still need just as much sleep, so I just need to get to bed earlier. I don’t even like many things on television anymore, so I may as well just go to bed after putting Hudson and Hayes to bed. I can read a little bit and then fall asleep.

We were all given talents and I want to be sure that I’m using my talents for good, but also want to make sure that they don’t interfere with my responsibilities.

Going to bed at night with the satisfaction that I completed the things I needed to is a priceless, satisfying feeling.

By waking up just a little bit earlier I can accomplish so much more during the day and be a more relaxed, patient mommy.

One of my twitter friends, She She Made, is having a fantastic Anavini smocked clothing sale on Sunday at 5 pm. This sale will only be on Facebook, so you have to “like” She She Made on Facebook.

The sale will go live at 5 pm on Sunday. She will list each item and show the sizes available for each item. There are limited sizes available for each style, so make sure you get on right at 5:00.

She She Made has the absolute best prices you can find on Anavini smocking and Anavini is one of my favorite brands.

Here are some of the items she’ll have available on Sunday. Have fun!

Have I mentioned that I sing in the choir at our church?

I do; I’m a choir member.

It is an experience that has blessed my life in so many ways. I love to sing, and I love to be around other people who love to sing. Singing makes me feel better, and the wonderful people I’ve gotten to know through the choir make me feel better.

There are a couple of women who amaze me every time I’m near them.

The wonderful lady I sit next to in the alto section is one of them. She is a mother to five children, but she lost one of her children a few years ago. She is a kindergarten teacher, a runner, and a wonderful mother. She is the daughter of two deaf parents, so she also does sign language flawlessly.

She also happens to have one of the most beautiful, soulful, inspirational voices I’ve ever heard. And her mother and daddy have never heard her. She may whisper to me that she has a sore throat that day or she thinks she’s having an “off” day, but as soon as I hear her, I know that her voice on its worst day is prettier than anything I’ve ever heard.

And she’s funny. She has a fantastic sense of humor and just loves to have a good time. She sings joyfully.

There’s another choir member who brings me to tears every time she sings. She is the sweetest lady, and she has been battling cancer for the last decade. She is in and out of chemo and radiation treatments, and unfortunately, new spots pop up frequently causing her to start new treatments again and again.

Her story is heart breaking, but it’s also awe-inspiring. She sings, and she sings with so much emotion and feeling. She has this angelic soprano voice, and even when she’s going through treatments she’s in the choir. She sings with a mask over her face.

You might ask, “If no one can hear her, why is she singing?” She’s singing because it’s not about her. She’s singing joyfully. She stops to ask how the boys are doing and is always so quick to laugh and offer a hug.

Her voice touches everyone who hears it, and even if you don’t know her story, just listening to her voice makes it obvious that there is a story.  And it’s a great one.

I recently saw the movie trailer for a new movie called “Joyful Noise”.

It stars Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton and is a funny and inspirational story of music, hope, love and renewal.

I love a good movie about a church choir that features great music because you know that, within that church choir, there are so many stories. People sing because it makes them feel better, and it makes everyone who is listening feel better. The music is transforming and encouraging. To know that despite someone’s rough past, their bad day or their troubling story, they’re still able to get up and sing joyfully?  That completely inspires me and makes me want to be more like them.

“Joyful Noise” opens in theaters on January 13th.

Until then, you can check out the movie and trailer on the official “Joyful Noise” website,  their Facebook, or the Warner Bros. Pictures Twitter and see what I’m talking about. Also check out the BlogHer.com Joyful Noise page to see what other bloggers thought of the movie.

What about you, do you know a wonderful woman who has been inspirational in your life? Tell me about her and how she has changed your life for the better in the comments!

I’m still here at my parents’ house. Bless their hearts. They invited us here for the week and I warned them it would be a long, loud week. They’re not used to noise. My brother and I have both left the nest. Our beloved Beaux went to doggy heaven two years ago and my parents enjoy their peace and quiet in the Midwest. (Have I mentioned they’re back in the Midwest?)

Anyway. We’re here, laying low. Enjoying ourselves. I thought I’d jot down a few of the funny things we’ve heard around here.

1. “Hudson, share with Hayes. Give him one of your toys.” – me

2. “Do I hear Hayes crying?”- Poppy *

3. “Hayes! Share!”- Hudson

4.  “Hudson, go to sleep.”- me

5. “Do I hear Hayes crying?”- Poppy

6. “What happens to Katniss in the third book?” – KK

7. “I wub you.” – Hudson

8. “I think I hear Hayes crying.” – Poppy

9. “Hayes spit up again.”- Hudson

10. “Watch Aladdin.” – Hudson **

11. “Watch Toy Story.” – Hudson **

12. “Watch Monsters.” – Hudson **

*My dad frequently thinks he hears Hayes crying. Sometimes he is, sometimes he’s not. Sometimes Hayes is just settling down for his nap and whining for a few minutes until he falls asleep. My mom said that she’s putting the words, “Do I hear Hayes crying?” on my Dad’s tombstone someday. Hilarious.

**It has been very cold here and even a little bit snowy. Hudson has watched almost the entire Disney collection over and over and over and over again.