Who ME??

I have been thinking a lot lately. (I KNOW right?) Its not really a new thing, its just something I don't really talk about all that much... you know... CARLY... THINKING. But the reality is that I do it quite a bit... so please, pick your jaw up off the floor and go with me here.

In recent weeks I have encountered this bizarre experience a couple of times that has gotten me really thinking about... change. See, a few weeks ago I had a very odd experience that led me to believe that either I have changed significantly in recent years or the perceptions that are held about me vary by the place they are connected with. Now that may make no sense to you, but try being me!! All of my life I have taken great pride in the fact that no matter what place in life your experience of me started from or what path you walked with me (for whatever time frame) the Carly you got is the authentic one. Some people tell me that I should keep thoughts to myself, others tell me that I should try harder to be on time, others that I need to dress more professionaly for work, and still others that I have a bit of a tendency to be a very big kid (oh, and sometimes a bit of a drama queen, but who's counting?!). The fact is that regardless of where you have encountered me you have probably experienced me as being a bit (hahaha) opinionated, tardy, wearing flip flops, having unbrushed hair, and mostly likely pining away for the beach or looking for an excuse to laugh. That's just me. That's who I am. Whether I was being the kindergarten teacher, the youth director, the camp director, or the tree climber, I have taken great pride for years in the fact that what you see is what you get.

OK. So apparently I have changed.... or who I am in Ohio is much different than who I have been in the past... or something happened to me that I am unaware of! In recent years I have become much more tolerant of loud children all around me, bodily functions being openly discussed, and spaghetti (YUCK!). I have also become more socially conscious, more passionate about life, more passionate about God, and more into loving people than telling them they are wrong. SO... yeah, apparently I have changed somewhat... but really... if you have spent any time with me you already knew those things. You probably already knew that I get a lot more caught up in the "yes"es than the "no"s. You probably already knew that my life and faith are somewhat liberal and I am all about loving people for Jesus, regardless of their life choices or decisions. I am... and I always have been.

Yet in the past few weeks my experiences have led me to believe that some people may have been misled about who "Carly" really is and what "Carly" is really for. So just to clear that up... if I have disappointed you with the person I have become, I can't apologize for anything except that I may have misled you in the past. If I have surprised you with the person I have become, I need to reevaluate the person I have been putting out there in the past. If you have not noticed any difference (save some small amount of maturity and gray hair) than YEAH!! and thanks for loving me in spite of my flaws.

NO worries friends! I am still here... still trying to be passionate every day, still trying to convince my feet to wear shoes, still threatening to shave my head if my hair doesn't get life figured out soon, and still being me... passionately searching for Jesus and loving his people along the way... cause really... that's who Carly is.

THanks!

**BY The way.... I in no way think that change is bad... It just seems that some people think that I am fundamentally a different person than I have been before and while I am always changing and growing... IT'S STILL ME IN HERE. (even if you don't recognize me under the fleece, the mittens, the scarf, the coat, the boots... etc... =))