Life has been a bit of a struggle lately.
Worry, anxiety, and stress have set up shop on my shoulders.
During a long road trip this weekend my mind even wandered into the past. Mistakes from long ago live there and haunt me. Sigh.
Why do I torture myself??
But, this evening I had an epiphany. It's not an original thought but the words finally made sense.
"Choose Joy".
Yes.
Worry depletes us. Does not add a minute to our lives. Gives us wrinkles and gray hair.
What??
"Choose Joy"= Happy
"Choose Worry"= Sad
I do believe that I have engaged my mind to be JOYFUL.
It is a choice. One that we all have the freedom to make.
Thank you, Lord!
When my dog wets the carpet I will be joyful.
When my girls are fighting I will be joyful.
When I get a big pimple on my nose I will be joyful. (After make-up is applied, of course!)
I'm so very blessed to be here.
The yucky stuff will happen.
I can't change that.
I want to be here for the good and the bad.
I want to be here for everything.
I will have to pray, frequently.
I will have to cry occasionally.
The Lord will bless us throughout.
He whispered to me tonight to "Choose Joy". The phrase meant nothing to me before. I thought it was just meant for others. The parents with cheerleader daughters and football player sons. The people that don't struggle with health issues or special needs children.
How silly of me. It's meant for all of us and I now see that.
How about you?
Will you choose joy today?
I challenge you.
I dare you to find the joy- in everything.
Encourage others to do the same.
Your heart will be fuller and your stress will be less.
I already feel like I've lost a few pounds.;)
my goal this year was to worry less...i think i'm doing ok..ha.
ReplyDeleteyay for you!!!
I LOVED this encouraging post Lori. "Choose Joy"= Happy "Choose Worry"= Sad, this is so true :) I decided just this last weekend that I was done with the worrying. This time next year we will know where our future will be and there's nothing I can do to change that. I have only just accepted this! So in a way I have chosen 'joy' too. It's funny but I hate food shopping and I even enjoyed that today. Then my washing line snapped and a whole line full of clean wet clothing fell to the ground and I laughed too! A little sunshine is helping me to feel joyful too. I loved seeing the fabric bunting in your home, I must show my mum, it looks so pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou always bring such joy to my family Lori. Thank you.
Lindsay
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I LOVED this encouraging post Lori. "Choose Joy"= Happy "Choose Worry"= Sad, this is so true :) I decided just this last weekend that I was done with the worrying. This time next year we will know where our future will be and there's nothing I can do to change that. I have only just accepted this! So in a way I have chosen 'joy' too. It's funny but I hate food shopping and I even enjoyed that today. Then my washing line snapped and a whole line full of clean wet clothing fell to the ground and I laughed too! A little sunshine is helping me to feel joyful too. I loved seeing the fabric bunting in your home, I must show my mum, it looks so pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou always bring such joy to my family Lori. Thank you.
Lindsay
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Tristan- Good for you! Worry is such a waste of time and doesn't add a minute to your life. I've got better things to do- and so do you.:) Lori
ReplyDeleteLindsay- I'm proud of you! I've stopped myself quite a bit today and found myself choosing joy, too. How freeing! How wonderful! I LOVE my bunting! Please thank your Mim for me. It adds so much joy to my home- just like you add to my life.:) Lori
ReplyDeleteWell said! The joy of the Lord truly is our strength- that strength within when all else can crumble around us. Sometimes it is just our focus on a circumstance that can make it seem to loom so large. The truth is, when standing in His strength, it's just a mere pebble. I needed that reminder. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope that you have a wonderful, joyful day, sweet friend!
"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12
Angela (who is going to joyfully clean house today) :-)
Angela- What a lovely verse! It has given me so much JOY and it's just the way I needed to start my day. Thank you!:) Lori
ReplyDeleteThis just blew my socks off, Lori...so beautifully written! You are so right, too! It's easy to allow the things of this world to get us down. However, we need to be reminded that we are children of the KING and He has our back...ALWAYS! Thank you for the lift today...I needed it!
ReplyDeleteApril- I certainly was challenged today BUT I found the JOY! Hurrah! You always bring me great joy, too, dear friend.:) Love you! Lori
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