Finding Joy In Everyday

With so much difficulty and heartbreak around all of us, sometimes on a daily basis, it's easy for any one of us to focus solely on the negative and as a result, spiral into a place where self-pity and complaining thrives.

But I for one refuse to go there anymore.

Yes, I said anymore.

Because I used to be that person every single day about every single hard thing in my life. 

I was one who focused on everything that was wrong with her life instead of what was good in it.

I spent countless hours complaining and whining to anyone who would listen and years ago, lost some friends in the process.  I blamed it on them saying that they just didn't "get" my life when in all reality, it was me who didn't "get" it.

You see, in every bad circumstance that comes your way, it is completely possible to find joy in it. 

All you need is faith and a willing spirit.

For example, My kids and I were sick from last Friday to this past Wednesday.  My disease was flaring all week and I'm still recovering as I type.

I had a choice--complain, be angry/sad/frustrated and mope over being stranded at home all week during Spring Break, isolated from the rest of the world, or find a way to have a joyful thankful heart inspite of it. 

We chose to enjoy our time together with joyful thankful hearts inspite of how yucky we felt.

We have baby hummingbirds on our trellis--right infront of our glass door--you couldn't have a more front row view unless you were inside the nest itself.

So we spent our time relishing in God's beautiful creation developing before our very eyes--witnessing how hummingbirds live and learning so much about them in the process.

We took pictures of them and drew pictures of them. 

I ordered a hummingbird Lil Kinz off of Amazon for each of them to snuggle with (admittedly before they were sick but it arrived at the perfect moment) and they had a birthday party for them.

They made pretend nests and hummingbird birthday cake. 

We looked for blooming flowers in our yard and took pictures of them.

We snuggled up on the couch and watched movies together next to the fire in our fireplace.

The kids, our big yellow lab, and I all piled into my bed each morning to listen to worship music on our Ipod Nano while we snuggled and giggled about anything and everything together.  (Daddy was at work)

We enjoyed our uninterrupted time together instead of whining that we were sick. 

Or complaining that we couldn't get together with anyone and being angry that we couldn't go anywhere.

That's what I mean.

That's what Finding Joy in Everyday is.

  When you view life through those lenses, you will win everytime; every bad thing eventually works itself out with the Lord's help and you get to feel joy while you wait.  

Ironically, my Jesus Calling Devotional (my favorite devotional in the whole wide world) had this to say on Wednesday morning:

"Bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving.  Take nothing for granted, even the rising of the sun.  Before Satan temped Eve in the Garden of Eden, thankfulness was as natural as breathing.  Satan's temptation involved pointing Eve to the one thing that was forbidden to her.  The garden was filled with luscious, desirable fruits, but Eve focused on the one fruit she couldn't have rather than being thankful for the many good things freely available.  This negative focus darkened her mind, and she succombed to temptation.

When you focus on what you don't have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened.  You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me.  You look for what is wrong and refuse to enjoy life until that is "fixed".

When you approach me with Thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through.  Walk in the Light with Me by practicing the discipline of thanksgiving." 

Did you catch the last phrase?  Thankfulness is a discipline.  It's something you have to work at persistently through faith, prayer and fellowship.  It isn't something I can do on my own strength, on the contrary it can only be achieved through God's strength working in me.

Read this part carefully--it does NOT mean that it is not okay to feel sad or angry or frustrated when difficult things come your way. 

It does mean that in prayer and faith, in the midst of your sadness and frustration, you quietly look for ways that the Lord is working through--or around--or outside of--or inside the heartache. 

As your focus rests on these things, He fills your heart with Thanksgiving and Hope and even peace.  It allows you to wait on His timing with joy.  

 _______________________

On that note--here are my Friday Favorites from this past week:

I love photography but don't have the time or money to take lessons---so I am practicing what I read on-line about taking good pictures.  I know it's not professional quality, but I for one love these!  They bring me much Joy.

Getting better in time to go to our weekly co-op at our best friend's house 

And how sweet is it that my son and Robyn's son are best friends, my daughter and Robyn's daughter are best friends, and me and Robyn are best friends?  And that we both homeschool full time?  And we both go to the same church? 

Love it! 

Our weekly art lesson was on Marc Chagaul.  The kids and I really enjoyed creating dream-like works of art.

The finished products:

Best Buds with their Art

Hummy Jr. the mom:

How beautiful is she?  She has a red throat but I couldn't capture it on film.

The babies.

One of the babies--practically all grown up!

Getting ready to leave the nest--these are both of the babies--they grow so fast!

Practicing with its wings....so sweet.

Gavin's Hummy picture (but I drew it in pencil for him and he traced and colored it)

Hummy's bed and birthday cake:

Hummy Love

Hummy's birthday party:

It was a JOY filled week!

For more Friday Favorites, visit Rachel at Finding Joy....and happy weekend to you all!